Testimony 4

Here continues the sharing of Hartley’s testimonies:

“Over the last fifty years I have accumulated over three hours of testimony, one on one, with the Holy Spirit. Where in the whole world would you think testimony would be more welcome than amongst Christians, and especially the RLDS who profess, truly, their church was initiated through Revelation? These are testimonies that confirm and were given to strengthen and support that belief. Not so! They are welcome only as long as it is what they want to hear: as long as no changes in our life style are required. This attitude has stunted God’s purposes in our personal hopes and times.

I came home around three o’clock in the afternoon feeling very sad about the condition of Christ’s Church. It seemed to me I was being forced to witness its downfall. I sat in my living room until ten thirty at night, no lights, no TV, just sitting, reflecting. I began to get up and make myself ready for bed when I found a heavenly messenger standing before me.

We went off to the West; we traveled through ink black darkness. I sensed we were going over cities and towns, highway with cars, but there was no light showing from below or above. We traveled a great distance until off in the distance I saw a little light. It was so welcoming I desired to go there. We stopped in front of the light; it looked like a cane stuck in the ground with a little dim light about the size of a tennis ball balanced on top. It stood approximately five feet high.

Out of the darkness a man came and stood by the light, bent over and pulled the light to his cheek and he smiled. He had a flat topped hat with a wide brim, his jacket had over stuffed shoulders, the jacket extended below his knees. A silver chain came from under his jacket and looped down to his shoes and back up. When he saw me look at the chain, he pulled on it and held it near the light. There was a gold key on the end which he spun so it passed the light and glittered. His smile broadened.

I asked the messenger, 'What is this?'

He replied, 'This represents the Lord’s priesthood. They have the key to the kingdom of Heaven. They will not use it. Nor will they let anyone else use it.'

The Heavenly Messenger took me off again into a Westerly direction until we came to a great building. I could not tell how tall it was because of the darkness. The main floor was well lit and I saw a Ball going on.. There was a promenade or patio all around the building, and there were glass doors and windows. I could clearly see inside.
The men were in tuxedos and the ladies had long gowns, every one was dressed immaculately. The music was nice. Soon a glass door opened and a couple came out to enjoy the fresh air. One turned to the other, and with a sigh said ‘we must go back.’ The other answered and said, 'yes, we must go back.’ Every couple that came out for their breath of fresh air said the same thing. 'We must go back.'

After a time a man came out of the darkness dressed in animal skins and had a slain lamb hanging over one arm. He came into the perimeter of the light, laid the lamb down on the grass, and as it touched to grass it was cooked.

He lifted his hands to his mouth and shouted, 'Oh ye inhabitants of the earth, come, come, I have a feast for you, come, come.' All the glass doors opened, all the people came out on the patio and looked. He again invited them to come and feast on the lamb.

The people were reluctant to go on the grass; it might spoil the polish on their shoes or spoil their clothes. Finally two men went and sat in the grass next to the man in animal skins. They pulled the fur apart and reached in and took of the lamb. Two ladies thought they would go and take of the lamb. They would not sit down on the grass. One reached in and pulled out some meat and saw a hair on it and threw it down in disgust and returned to the patio. The other took some meat and took a bite and [when] some juice fell on her dress, she too got angry and returned to the patio.

It became obvious to me that some of the men on the patio desired to become leaders of the people. They carefully studied the attitude of the people and when they saw their reluctance to go on the grass they shouted in a loud voice, 'come back into the building and we will prepare a feast you can truly eat.' All the people went back into the building except those two and the man in animal skins.

After a time the music began to get louder and faster, so loud and fast it was no longer enjoyable. Soon the music was unbearable, loud, and sounded without any purpose except to be hurtful. Those who would be the leaders of the people, to divert them from the noise, called them back out onto the patio.

The leaders wanted the people to go and seize those who were eating of the lamb and bring them into the building, but the people were reluctant to walk on the grass. This angered the leaders and they became furious. I saw murder build up in the hearts of those who would be the leaders and I began to tremble.

Suddenly I saw a light begin to pierce the darkness from above, it swirled around and a white cloud appeared. It opened and I heard the voice of the Father, He said, 'Ye who have been faithful, come ye, enter into my rest.'

I had never been in the presence of such power; every particle of my being wanted to fall prostrate on the ground, but my mind said ‘I want to see, I want to see.’ I saw the man in animal skins and the two who ate of the lamb ascend into the opening in the heavens. The would be leaders of the people laughed almost insanely, trying to make people think it was a nonevent.

The vision ended.. In the last few years I have attended various denominations, the music I heard in them, drums, steel guitars, and trumpets was equal to that which I heard in the great building just before the heavens opened. The music I hear on TV during the commercials, during travelogues, designed to penetrate to the carnal self, to disturb the peace and tranquil soul. [sic] It seeks to motivate by use of demonic insistence and I do not find rest.
Compare that kind of music to the words of a Hymn I remember, 'A calm and gentle quiet reigns tonight, there is not a frown upon a single brow, each heart is filled with strange delight, as peace spreads gently over us now.' Then there was something about contending power etc.

Each of us has been given power to rule, to rule our own lives and the power to search for those things that please us; or please our Heavenly Father. They are not always the same. Sometimes we have to walk across the grass. God Bless,

Hartley Stanbridge, Elder”

Please look forward to continuing this insightful view of these testimonies. We shall attempt to provide one every Thursday as a continuing feature.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon