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Christian Prudence, August 29
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil
time.
Amos 5:13
.
Caution is to be prayerfully exercised by everyone who believes the truth.
There are trying scenes before us, and we need to exercise great caution,
keeping the door of our lips while the wicked are before us. We shall have to
meet in our experience with men having fanatical zeal which will provoke
those who hate the truth and it will be necessary to preserve a calm attitude
and not state all we do know, for impressions will be made upon human minds
that will, under the influence of Satan, grow to large proportions.
There is need of watching unto prayer. The evils we shall meet have long
been gathering and like a storm, will come upon many when they least expect
it. While they cannot be charged with originating the evil, they precipitated
it. Charges will be made which believers cannot refute, because they have
not shown wisdom in the use of either the pen or the voice.
Many laws will be enacted for the government of nations, calculated to
oppress; and old laws that have practically become of none effect, will be
resurrected. We need to move forward in our work understandingly and in
faith, under the wise generalship of Jesus Christ. A great work is to be done
for the Master in proclaiming the last message of mercy to our world, and
we are dependent upon authorities and powers to find passage from one end
of the world to another, and as long as we are dependent upon the powers
that be, we must not divorce ourselves from them, for this is a worldwide
message.
We are to go forward quietly, and when our way is apparently blocked in
one direction we are to make no condemnation of the powers that be, for in
thus doing we are teaching other powers how to work to hedge up our way.
We are not to stir up opposing elements or provoke retaliation or revenge.
The climax will come soon enough. It is already stealing on as a thief in the
night. And we can speak Bible truth which will not set opposing influences at
work.—
Manuscript 90, August 29, 1893
, “Our Attitude Toward the ‘Powers
That Be.’”
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