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Testimonies for the Church Volume 6
an abiding Christ, make the very atmosphere holy, because they are
co-operating with holy angels. Such witness is needed for this time.
We need the melting power of God, the power to draw with Christ.
Needs of the Church
Many come to camp meeting with hearts full of murmuring and
complaining. Through the work of the Holy Spirit these must be led
to see that their murmuring is an offense to God. They must be led
to feel self-reproach because they have allowed the enemy to control
their mind and judgment. Complaining must be turned to repentance,
uncertainty and despondency to the earnest inquiry: “How shall I
become true in faith?”
When man is a partaker of the divine nature, the love of Christ will
be an abiding principle in the soul, and self and its peculiarities will
not be exhibited. But it is sad to see those who should be vessels unto
honor indulging in the gratification of the lower nature and walking in
paths that conscience condemns. Men professing to be followers of
Christ fall to a low level, always mourning over their shortcomings,
but never overcoming and bruising Satan under their feet. Guilt and
condemnation constantly burden the soul, and the cry of such might
well be: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from
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the body of this death?”
Romans 7:24
. Through indulgence in sin,
self-respect is destroyed; and when that is gone, respect for others is
lessened; we think that others are as unrighteous as we are ourselves.
At our yearly convocations these things should be set before the
people, and they should be encouraged to find in Christ deliverance
from the power of sin. He says: “When ye shall search for Me with
all your heart, ... I will be found of you.”
Jeremiah 29:13, 14
. The
standard should be elevated, and the preaching should be of the most
spiritual character, that the people may be led to see the reason of
their weakness and unhappiness. Many are unhappy because they are
unholy. Purity of heart, innocence of mind, only can be blessed of
God. When sin is cherished, it can in the end produce nothing but
unhappiness; and the sin which leads to the most unhappy results is
pride of heart, the lack of Christlike sympathy and love.