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so much as to think that God is especially with them. Some of these
profess to have the gifts among them; but are led by the influence and
teachings of these gifts to hold in doubt those upon whom God has
laid the special burden of His work, and to lead off a class from the
body. The people, who, in accordance with God’s word, are putting
forth every effort to be one, who are established in the message of the
third angel, are looked upon with suspicion for the reason that they
are extending their labor and are gathering souls into the truth. They
are considered worldly because they have an influence in the world,
and their acts testify that they expect God yet to do a special and great
work upon the earth, to bring out a people and fit them for Christ’s
appearing.
This class do not know what they really believe, or the reasons
for their belief. They are ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth. One man arises with wild, erroneous views,
and claims that God has sent him with new and glorious light, and all
must believe what he brings. Some who have no established faith, who
are not subject to the body, but are drifting about without an anchor
to hold them, receive that wind of doctrine. His light shines in such a
manner as to cause the world to turn from him in disgust and to hate
him. Then he blasphemously places himself by the side of Christ and
claims that the world hate him for the same reason that they hated
Christ. Another rises, claiming to be led of God, and advocates the
heresy of the nonresurrection of the wicked, which is one of Satan’s
great masterpieces of error. Another cherishes erroneous views in re-
gard to the future age. Another zealously urges the American costume.
They all want full religious liberty, and each acts independent of the
others, and yet they claim that God is especially at work among them.
Some rejoice and exult that they have the gifts, which others have
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not. May God deliver His people from such gifts. What do these gifts
do for them? Are they through the exercise of these gifts, brought into
the unity of the faith? And do they convince the unbeliever that God
is with them of a truth? When these discordant ones, holding their
different views, come together and there is considerable excitement
and the unknown tongue, they let their light so shine that unbelievers
would say: These people are not sane; they are carried away with a
false excitement, and we know that they do not have the truth. Such
stand directly in the way of sinners; their influence is effectual to keep