Chapter 15—Thy Brother’s Keeper
November 20, 1855, while in prayer, the Spirit of the Lord came
suddenly and powerfully upon me, and I was taken off in vision.
I saw that the Spirit of the Lord has been dying away from the
church. The servants of the Lord have trusted too much to the strength
of argument, and have not had that firm reliance upon God which they
should have. I saw that the mere argument of the truth will not move
souls to take a stand with the remnant; for the truth is unpopular. The
servants of God must have the truth in the soul. Said the angel: “They
must get it warm from glory, carry it in their bosoms, and pour it out in
the warmth and earnestness of the soul to those that hear.” A few that
are conscientious are ready to decide from the weight of evidence; but
it is impossible to move many with a mere theory of the truth. There
must be a power to attend the truth, a living testimony to move them.
I saw that the enemy is busy to destroy souls. Exaltation has come
into the ranks; there must be more humility. There is too much of an
independence of spirit indulged in among the messengers. This must
be laid aside, and there must be a drawing together of the servants of
God. There has been too much of a spirit to ask, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” Said the angel: “Yea, thou art thy brother’s keeper. Thou
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shouldest have a watchful care for thy brother, be interested for his
welfare, and cherish a kind, loving spirit toward him. Press together,
press together.” God designed that man should be openhearted and
honest, without affectation, meek, humble, with simplicity. This is the
principle of heaven; God ordered it so. But poor, frail man has sought
out something different—to follow his own way, and carefully attend
to his own self-interest.
I asked the angel why simplicity had been shut out from the church,
and pride and exaltation had come in. I saw that this is the reason
why we have almost been delivered into the hand of the enemy. Said
the angel: “Look ye, and ye shall see that this feeling prevails: Am I
my brother’s keeper?” Again said the angel: “Thou art thy brother’s
keeper. Thy profession, thy faith, requires thee to deny thyself and
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