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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
and in the spirit of humility, in the spirit of Jesus, who has bidden you
learn of Him, who is meek and lowly in heart. And then in order to
glorify God and exemplify the character of Christ, you should never
take unlawful advantage of your opponent. Lay aside sarcasm and
playing upon words. Remember that you are in a combat with Satan
and his angels, as well as with the man. He who overcame Satan in
heaven and vanquished the fallen foe and expelled him from heaven,
and who died to redeem fallen man from his power, when at the grave
of Moses, disputing about his body, durst not bring against Satan a
railing accusation, but said: “The Lord rebuke thee.”
In your last two discussions you despised counsel and would not
listen to God’s servant, whose whole soul was devoted to the work.
God in His providence provided you an adviser whose talents and
influence entitled him to your respect and confidence, and it could
in no way have injured your dignity to be guided by his experienced
judgment. God’s angels marked your self-sufficiency and with grief
turned from you. He could not safely display His power in your behalf,
for you would have taken the glory to yourself, and your future labors
would have been of but little value. I saw, Brother F, that you should
not, in your labors, lean upon your own judgment, which has so often
led you astray. You should yield to the judgment of those of experience.
Do not stand upon your own dignity and feel so self-sufficient that you
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cannot take the advice and counsel of experienced fellow laborers.
Your wife has been no special help to you, but rather a hindrance.
Had she received and heeded the testimonies given her more than two
years ago she would now be a strong helper with you in the gospel.
But she has not received and really acted upon that testimony. Had
she done this, her course would have been entirely different. She has
not been consecrated to God. She loves her ease, shuns burdens, and
does not deny herself. She indulges in indolence, and her example is
not worthy of imitation, but is an injury to the cause of God. At times
she exerts a strong influence over you, especially if she feels homesick
or discontented. Again, in church affairs she has an influence over
you. She forms her opinion of this brother or that sister, and expresses
dislike or strong attachment, while it has frequently been the case
that the very ones she takes into her heart have been a source of great
trial to the church. Her unconsecrated state leads her to feel very
strong attachments to those who manifest great confidence and love