“I counsel you to buy of Me gold refined [tried] in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (Rev. 3:18)

What is tried? Faith. Are you to expect your faith to endure that test as gold passing through fire? Yes!

The trial of your faith, I care not how weak it may be, is more precious in the sight of our Wonderful Counselor than all the gold and jewels in all the safe deposit vaults that are on earth.

What does He call it? “More precious than gold that perishes” (1 Pet. 1:7). Let us then thank Him that He regards our weak, trembling faith like that. Haven’t we there one of the greatest possible encouragements that the Lord can offer?

You say, “I haven’t any faith.” Well, the Lord says you have, and I say, thank Him for what you have. I do not care how little you have, though it may be like the mustard seed, thank Him that you have it, and thank Him that it is more precious to Him than all the gold and wealth of this earth.

You are not to question whether you have faith or not. God says you have it, and it is so. By that “Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world” (Jn. 1:9), God has planted faith in every heart that is born into this world. God will cause that faith to grow exceedingly, and He will reveal His righteousness to us as it grows “from faith to faith.”

Where does faith come from? God gave it to us. Who is the Author of faith? Christ, and that Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world is Jesus Christ. This is the faith that is in every man’s heart. If each one uses the faith which he has, he will never have any lack of faith.

Jones, General Conference Bulletin, 1893, pp. 200-202