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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
to God, who will hearken to the prayer which goeth not forth from
feigned lips.
Every passion must be under the control of enlightened conscience.
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;
forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And
above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
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And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are
called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
If you live upon the plan of addition, adding grace to grace, God
will multiply unto you His grace. While you add, God multiplies. If
you cherish a habitual impression that God sees and hears all that you
do and say, and keeps a faithful record of all your words and actions,
and that you must meet it all, then in all you do and say you will
seek to follow the dictates of an enlightened and wakeful conscience.
Your tongue will be used to the glory of God and will be a source of
blessing to yourself and to others. But if you separate from God, as
you have been doing, take heed lest your tongue shall prove a world
of iniquity and bring upon you fearful condemnation; for souls will be
lost through you.
Duty of Self-Control
The appetites of our animal natures ought to be kept in rigid sub-
jection. These appetites were given us for important purposes, for
good, and not to become the ministers of death by being perverted and
becoming warring lusts. The appetite for tobacco, which you, Brother
G, strengthen by indulgence, is becoming a warring lust against your
soul. An intemperate man cannot be a patient man. The almost im-
perceptible indulgence of the taste will create an appetite for stronger
stimulants. If the thoughts, passions, and appetites are kept in due
subjection, the tongue will be controlled. Call to your aid moral power,
and abandon the use of tobacco forever. You have tried to hide from
others the fact that you used tobacco, but you did not hide the matter
from God. “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye
double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter
be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves