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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
the dominion of Satan. These restless spirits talk and act in a manner
to bring a reproach upon the cause of God. I will here give a copy of a
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letter written to Brother A, of Oswego County, New York:
“I was shown some things in regard to you. I saw that you were
deceived in regard to yourself. You have given occasion for the ene-
mies of our faith to blaspheme, and to reproach Sabbathkeepers. By
your indiscreet course, you have closed the ears of some who would
have listened to the truth. I saw that we should be as wise as serpents
and as harmless as doves. You have manifested neither the wisdom of
the serpent nor the harmlessness of the dove.
“Satan was the first great leader in rebellion. God is punishing the
North, that they have so long suffered the accursed sin of slavery to
exist; for in the sight of heaven it is a sin of the darkest dye. God is
not with the South, and He will punish them dreadfully in the end.
Satan is the instigator of all rebellion. I saw that you, Brother A, have
permitted your political principles to destroy your judgment and your
love for the truth. They are eating out true godliness from your heart.
You have never looked upon slavery in the right light, and your views
of this matter have thrown you on the side of the Rebellion, which
was stirred up by Satan and his host. Your views of slavery cannot
harmonize with the sacred, important truths for this time. You must
yield your views or the truth. Both cannot be cherished in the same
heart, for they are at war with each other.
“Satan has been stirring you up. He would not let you rest until
you should express your sentiments upon the side of the powers of
darkness, thus strengthening the hands of the wicked, whom God has
cursed. You have cast your influence on the wrong side, with those
whose course of life is to sow thorns and plant misery for others. I saw
you casting your influence with a degraded company, a Godforsaken
company; and angels of God fled from you in disgust. I saw that
you were utterly deceived. Had you followed the light which God
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has given you, had you heeded the instructions of your brethren, had
you listened to their advice, you would have saved yourself and saved
the precious cause of truth from reproach. But notwithstanding all
the light given, you have given publicity to your sentiments. Unless
you undo what you have done, it will be the duty of God’s people to
publicly withdraw their sympathy and fellowship from you, in order
to save the impression which must go out in regard to us as a people.