Jealousy and Faultfinding
301
weight of the sin of this woeful fanaticism. You have deeply regretted
it, yet do not see your own wrongs in relation to it. You censure and
blame the weak, erring sheep for leading you out of the way. What is
a watchman for, unless it be to watch for evil and give the warning?
What is a shepherd for, unless it be to watch for every danger lest
the sheep be harmed and destroyed by wolves? What excuse could a
shepherd plead for suffering the flock to stray from the true pasture,
and be torn and scattered and devoured by wolves? How would an
excuse stand made by the shepherd that the sheep led him astray? They
left the true pasture, and led him out of the way? Such a plea would
tell with force against that shepherd’s ability to watch over the sheep.
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No more confidence could be placed in him as a faithful shepherd to
care for the sheep, and bring them back as they might stray from the
right path.
The reproach resting upon the cause in regard to Sister A rests
heavily upon you. You made much of her exercises and experience.
She was weak, yet could in a measure fill her place in her family and
keep her children together; but she had been from her home but a short
time before her reason was dethroned. The backslidden state of the
professed Sabbathkeepers in-----led you to influence Sister A to leave
her family who needed her care, and come to-----that her influence
might help the Sabbathkeepers there. An unhealthy excitement marked
her course. Some of the inexperienced were deluded. The weak mind
of Sister A was overtaxed, and disease fastened upon the brain. And
the cause of God is deeply wounded and reproached on account of
this. Brother A has been wronged; he must now suffer under a living
trouble, and his children must be scattered. Those whose influence led
to these sad consequences, have a work to do to relieve the mind of
Brother A, and by a faithful and full acknowledgment to him of the
sin of the course pursued, and the wrong done him, counteract the evil
as far as possible.
Had you been standing in the counsel of God, acknowledging the
gifts of His Spirit as occupying their proper place in the church; had
you been in heart and principle with the Review, established upon the
strong truths applicable for this time; had you been giving meat in due
season to the people of God, your influence in-----and vicinity would
have been very different. You would have had a pointed testimony to
bear in harmony with those who are leading out in this great work.