"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed."
We have had some powerful seasons here of late. Sabbath and Sunday God moved in mighty power and there was a breaking down before God. There had been wrongs and hard feelings between some of the little company here. God in His mercy gave me a vision of the state of things and showed me that there must be a tearing down and building up. They felt the power of the message and those that were wrong confessed their wrong, were forgiven, and we had a melting time. God’s people are preparing and getting ready for the seal of the living God. Brethren Bates and Gurney are strong in God and the power of His might. {Lt2-1849.}
My husband fearlessly called on all to bring what they could against him that he might meet it openly and thus put an end to this private slander. The wrongs which he had before confessed in the Review he now fully confessed in a public meeting and to individuals, and also explained many matters upon which false and foolish charges were based, and convinced all of the falsity of those charges.—Ibid. {2BIO 202.4}
Henry failed rapidly. The earnest prayers of the Whites and the Howlands for his healing were not answered. His parents did not hesitate to talk with him about death, and even to prepare him for it. Henry’s faith in Jesus remained firm. He had an opportunity to meditate on his past life, and he deeply regretted his waning Christian fervor, in Battle Creek setting an example short of what it should have been. This he confessed to God, his parents, and brothers. As he confessed his waywardness and sins, he was drawn nearer and nearer to God and enjoyed peace of mind and the blessing of the Lord. His faith grew ever more firm and his confidence of eternal life bright and secure. {2BIO 71.1}
In the evening I attended a meeting for the ministers held in the Echo office. I talked for half an hour plainly and decidedly, calling them by name and telling them the Lord had shown me their dangers. This was a precious season. {4BIO 26.1}
Brother Curtis made a heartbroken confession. He humbled himself as a little child. He wept aloud and confessed that he had not had the Spirit of the Lord with him in his preaching. He was discouraged and did not feel that he should receive credentials. Brother Hare also confessed that he could see no success attending his labors and that he had been envious and jealous of Brother Daniells. Brother Steed and Brother Tenney made humble confessions and then we bowed before the Lord and had a precious season of prayer, and the Lord blessed us. {4BIO 26.2}
The brethren confessed to one another and fell on one another’s necks, weeping and asking forgiveness. We were together for about three hours, while Brother Starr was speaking to the congregation in the room above. The Lord is at work, and we praise His holy name.—Manuscript 45, 1891. {4BIO 26.3}
The speaker turned to those who had been praying, and said: “We have something to do. We must confess our sins, and humble our hearts before God.” He made heart-broken confessions, and then stepped up to several of the brethren, one after another, and extended his hand, asking forgiveness. Those to whom he spoke sprang to their feet, making confession and asking forgiveness, and they fell upon one another’s necks, weeping. The spirit of confession spread through the entire congregation. It was a Pentecostal season. God’s praises were sung, and far into the night, until nearly morning, the work was carried on. { PH151 10.1 } The following words were often repeated, with clear distinctness: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:19, 20. { PH151 10.2 } No one seemed to be too proud to make heartfelt confession, and those who led in this work were the ones who had influence, but had not before had courage to confess their sins. { PH151 10.3 } There was rejoicing such as never before had been heard in the Tabernacle. { PH151 10.4 } Then I aroused from my unconsciousness, and for a while could not think where I was. My pen was still in my hand. The words were spoken to me: “This might have been. All this the Lord was waiting to do for His people. All heaven was waiting to be gracious.” I thought of where we might have been had thorough work been done at the last General Conference; and an agony of disappointment came over me as I realized that what I had witnessed was not a reality. { PH151 10.5 }
We have seen of the grace of God since we met you last. Since last spring I have visited Lemoore, Fresno, and Selma. I was at the Selma camp meeting. During my stay there I was introduced to a tall man—over six feet tall—and well proportioned. When he took my hand he seemed much affected and said, “I am so glad to meet you; I am thankful that I can speak with you.” After going into the tent a brother came in and said, “That man has a history.” Then he went on and told how a year before he had been converted; how he had once kept the Sabbath but had gone back, and how he claimed that he never had been converted. Then after he gave up the truth he went back into the company of hard cases, and Satan took complete possession of him. Two or three were linked with him in his wickedness—men who would not want it to be known that they were in such business. They stole and did wickedness in every way. {1888 81.3} He was not a licentious man; he had a wife and he respected her. She was a Sabbathkeeper, and he would not allow a word to be said against her. This was the position he took; he loved her, but not enough to stop his evil course. He did not care for the spoil of his robberies, but did it for the enjoyment he found in it. Well, Elder [E.P.] Daniels was holding meetings, and he was speaking on confession. What was said seemed to take hold of this man’s mind, and he could not resist. He seemed to turn white, and then left the tent. He could not stand it. He went out and then he came back again. This he did three times; he looked as if he were going to faint away. {1888 81.4} After the meeting had closed he said, “I must talk to you, sir.” He told Elder Daniels his condition and said, “Is there any hope for me? I am a lost man; I am undone; I am a sinner. Will you pray for me? I dare not leave this place to go home for fear the Lord will cut me down in my sins.” He said he could not stay in the tent, and went out again and again, but did not dare remain outside for fear the power of the devil should fasten on him and that would be the last of him. {1888 82.1} “They prayed for him, and the man was converted right there. The defiant look was gone; his countenance was changed. “Now,” said he, “I have a work to do. I stole thirty-one sheep from that man in Selma, and I must go and confess to him.” Elder Daniels was afraid to have it known for fear they would shut him up. He said he would rather go to prison and stay there than to think that Christ had not forgiven his sin. So he started, with a young man who before this was engaged with him in thefts, to go and see the man. He met the man on the road and stopped him. The man commenced to shake like an aspen leaf. He was an infidel. Well, [the man] got on his knees before them in the road and begged to be forgiven. The man asked, “Where did you get this? What has brought you into this state? I did not know that there was any such religion as this.” They told him that they had been down to the camp meeting, and heard it preached there. “Well,” said he, “I will go over to that meeting.” {1888 82.2} They confessed to having burned houses and barns. And they went to the grand jury and confessed to having stolen here and there. Mind, they confessed to the authorities. They said, “We deliver ourselves up. Do with us as you see fit.” So the case was considered in court, and they had a council over the matter. One suggested that they better put those men through. The judge looked at him and said, “What, put him through? Put a man through that God is putting through? Would you take hold of a man that God is taking hold of? Whom God’s forgiving power has taken hold of? Would you do that? No, I would rather have my right arm cut off to the shoulder.” Something got hold of those men so that they all wept as children. {1888 82.3} The report of that experience went everywhere. People thought that there was a power in this truth that was in nothing else—a power that shows that Jesus lives. We have seen the power of His grace manifested in many cases in a remarkable manner. {1888 82.4}