1 Watching and Waiting Part 1True Godliness Olcott, NY 1868 2 Olcott, New York A lakeside community which is home to the deepest harbor on Lake Ontario Ellen White visited the town in 1868. 3 Lee Ruk 4 5 R Orville Lyttle 6 *Rick*_flickr Olcott today 7 *Rick*_flickr Olcott 8 Danielle Hogg Olcott today 9 *Rick*_flickr Olcott 10 Sunset at Olcott, NY Bill Fairchild You are situated in a pleasant country... 11 Artur Staszewsky Lake Ontario in Niagara on the Lake 12 Darryl Kenyon Sunset on Lake Ontario at Oswego, NY 13 Opening statement to the Olcott church: You are situated in a pleasant country, in an area favorable to worldly prosperity and this exposes you to the continual temptation of having your interest swallowed up in the world and in laying up treasure upon the earth. You are situated where there are temptations to plunge deeper and deeper into the world, to accumulate, and while thus engaged, the mind becomes engrossed in the cares of this life to such an extent to shut out true godliness. (See PH ) 14 What is true godliness? Those who are diligent in business may not always be prospered; but drowsiness and idleness are sure to grieve the Spirit of God, and destroy true godliness. (Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, p. 96) 15 True godliness is demonstrated by the following characteristics that are provided or taught by a higher education (see CT, p ): a renewed mind a transformed character the restoration of the image of God the fortification of the mind against Satans deceptions the ability to understand the voice of God 16 the becoming of a co-worker with Jesus the dispelling of moral darkness the bringing of light and knowledge to men the following of the word of God implicitly the walking in the footsteps of Jesus the practicing of the virtues of Christ 17 the giving up of selfishness and the devoting of the life to the service of God a personal, experimental knowledge of Christ the emancipation from the ideas, the habits, and the practices gained from the prince of darkness which are opposed to loyalty to God 18 the overcoming of stubbornness, pride, selfishness, worldly ambition, and unbelief. It is the message of deliverance from sin. It is the science of salvation. 19 The science of salvation is the science of true godliness (see CT 14). 20 Right actions are the unmistakable fruit of true godliness...(CT 329) 21 The simplicity of true godliness must be brought into the education of our young people, if they are to know how to escape the corruption that is in the world. They must be taught that: the true followers of Christ will serve God when it involves self-denial and cross-bearing, besetting sins must be battled with and overcome, objectionable traits of character, whether hereditary or cultivated, must be conquered in the strength of Christ, a vigorous work of self-denial and of sanctification must go on within, the works will bear witness that Jesus is abiding in the heart by faith. (See CT 449.1) 22 A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.--Review and Herald, March 22, 1887.