Testimony 10

The testimonies of Hartley Stanbridge continue.

“I was asked to chaperone some young singles to go to a week end Harvest House retreat in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. As things did not go as one might hope I was put in a socially and politically isolated position. The Lord gave me the words to say which helped me hold the position I needed to take, but to say the least I was upset.

After church service Sunday morning I was re-arranging luggage to make room for my passengers when a man came up and asked me if I had ever seen him before. I had not, and so told him. He then told me a few things about me which were true. After he established that he knew things about me that only God could reveal to him, he then said; “God wants you to know that you will be called into service under such circumstances and conditions you cannot now dream or imagine.”

Through the years since then I often wondered if, in my own self will, I had missed the promised opportunity or not been in the right place at the right time. But as I reflect this day, I have not found any moments in my life that were beyond my dreams or imagination until a few months ago.

The escalation of the political posturing has startled me. It is not my intention to cast myself into the fray, this is not my purpose, but just to remark that being a few months away from my 79th birthday causes me to think that the time must be short.

As I sit here with testimonies and remarks in front of me, one might say my past is before me. With every testimony I could add pages of comments hoping to invigorate the desire in people to bow before and believe the scriptures with anxious sincerity.

Last fall I heard a wonderful sermon in Independence by Pastor Jim Hobbs of Waldo Avenue congregation. One suggestion he offered caused me to sit straight up. Jim suggested ‘we should examine ourselves.’ On the way home I wondered how many people would know where to look?

Jesus said, “From your belly flows water of everlasting life,” and “when you do what I say I will put a burning in your bosom.” Remember the ten virgins; five had oil in their lamps? The oil is stored in the lower chamber, the results of gift for gift, grace for grace.

Remember Moses coming down from the mountain, they put a veil over his face. He had been in the presence of God! His face shone and people could hardly abide his presence! His lamp was lit! The Lord said in the last days He would make His ministers faces as burning fire!

As you examine yourself what do you find in your lower chamber; love, anxiousness, nothing? Hate, jealousies, anger; what is there? After you interact, preach, minister, what do you leave behind in the lower chambers of those to whom you have spoken? Does the show of your countenance give you away? Posturing and pretending obscures the path that permits continual grace for grace and gift for gift. Christmas once a year is just not enough.

Some sermons are forbidden from behind the RLDS pulpit in these days. The Celestial Law, Everlasting Covenant, the Law of Consecration. Due to the changes taking place I suspect people giving testimony such as this will soon be declared insane. (I remember the times such as these, leading up to the 2nd World War.)

Rev. 12:17 (Ed.: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.)

God Bless,


Hartley Stanbridge, Elder”

If you feel led to share this testimony in any manner, please feel free to do so without specific permission.The usual rules apply; unedited and an appropriate link. I am grateful to Hartley for sharing with us his most personal experiences with the Lord.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon