Slackness Reproved
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Some will move without wisdom or judgment, engage in lawsuits that
might be avoided, mingle with the world, partake of its spirit, and
influence others to follow their example. One professed Christian who
moves unadvisedly does much harm to the cause of present truth. Evil
takes root much more readily than good, and flourishes when good
and right languish unless carefully nourished.
I was pointed back, and saw that in every important move, every
decision made or point gained by God’s people, some have arisen
to carry matters to extremes, and to move in an extravagant manner,
which has disgusted unbelievers, distressed God’s people, and brought
the cause of God into disrepute. The people whom God is leading out
in these last days, will be troubled with just such things. But much evil
will be avoided if the ministers of Christ will be of one mind, united
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in their plans of action, and united in effort. If they will stand together,
sustain one another, and faithfully reprove and rebuke wrong, they
will soon cause it to wither. But Satan has controlled these matters
very much. Private members and even preachers have sympathized
with disaffected ones who have been reproved for their wrongs, and
division of feeling has been the result. The one who has ventured
out and discharged his disagreeable duty by faithfully meeting error
and wrong, is grieved and wounded that he receives not the fullest
sympathy of his preaching brethren. He becomes discouraged in
discharging these painful duties, lays down the cross, and withholds
the pointed testimony. His soul is shut up in darkness, and the church
suffer for the lack of the very testimony which God designed should
live among His people. Satan’s object is gained when the faithful
testimony is suppressed. Those who so readily sympathize with the
wrong consider it a virtue; but they realize not that they are exerting a
scattering influence, and that they themselves help to carry out Satan’s
plans.
I saw that many souls have been destroyed by their brethren un-
wisely sympathizing with them, when their only hope was to be left
to see and realize the full extent of their wrongs. But as they eagerly
accept the sympathy of unwise brethren, they receive the idea that they
are abused; and if they attempt to retrace their steps, they make half-
hearted work. They divide the matter to suit their natural feelings, lay
blame upon the reprover, and so patch up the matter. It is not probed
to the bottom, and is not healed, and they again fall into the same