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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
defense of the truth; yet he murmured not. He was hunted like a wild
beast of prey, yet for Christ’s sake he endured all cheerfully.
The last merciful message is entrusted to God’s humble, faithful
servants of this time. God has led along those who would not shun
responsibility, and has laid burdens upon them, and has through them
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presented to His people a plan of systematic benevolence in which
all can engage and work in harmony. This system has been carried
out and has worked like magic. It liberally sustains the preachers and
the cause. As soon as the preachers ceased their opposition and stood
out of the way, the people heartily responded to the call and prized
the system. Everything is made convenient and easy for the preachers
that they may work, free from embarrassment. Our people have taken
hold with a will and an interest which is not to be found among any
other class. And God is displeased with preachers who now complain
and fail to throw their whole energies into this all-important work.
They are without excuse; yet some are deceived and think that they
are sacrificing much, and are having a hard time, when they really
know nothing about suffering, self-denial, or want. They may often be
weary; so would they be if they were dependent on manual labor for a
support.
Some have thought it would be easier to labor with their hands and
have often expressed their choice to do so. Such do not know what
they are talking about. They are deceiving themselves. Some have
very expensive families to provide for, and they lack management.
They do not realize that they are indebted to the cause of God for their
homes and all that they have. They have not realized how much it
costs to live. Should they engage in manual labor, they would not be
free from anxiety and weariness. They could not, while laboring to
support their families, be sitting down at their own firesides. It is only
a few weary hours that a laboring man with a family dependent upon
him for support can spend with his family at home. Some ministers
do not love industrious labor, and they have cherished a feeling of
dissatisfaction which is very unreasonable. God has marked every
murmuring thought and word and feeling. Heaven is insulted by such
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an exhibition of weakness and lack of devotion to the cause of God.
Some have given a willing ear to the tempter and have talked out
their unbelief and wounded the cause. Satan has claims upon them,
for they have not recovered themselves from his snare. They have