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Closeness in Deal
143
in 1866: “My hand shall bring adversity. He may gather, but I will
scatter until he redeems the past and makes clean work for eternity.”
Every true Christian should feel above condescending to the low,
bartering, trading spirit of worldlings.
You are not a miser; you love to be benevolent, free, open-
hearted, and openhanded; but that which is wrong in you is the spirit
mentioned in this letter, of not loving your neighbor as yourself; it
is the neglect of seeing your wrongs and making them right when
the clear, forcible light of truth has told you too plainly your duty.
You are a lover of hospitality, and God will not give you over to be
deceived by the great deceiver of mankind, but will come directly to
you and show you where you err that you may retrace your steps.
He now calls upon you to redeem the past, and to come up upon a
higher plane of action, and let your life record be unspotted with
avarice or selfish love of gain.
Your judgment in worldly things will become foolishness unless
you dedicate all to God. You and your wife are not devotional.
Your spirituality is not what God would have it to be. Paralysis
seems to be upon you; yet you are both capable of exerting a strong
influence for God and for His truth, if you adorn your profession
with well-ordered lives and godly conversation. You frequently get
in too great a hurry, and then become impatient and fretful, and order
your help in a hurried manner. This is detrimental to your spiritual
advancement.
Time is short, and you have no time to delay the preparation
of heart necessary to labor earnestly and faithfully for your own
soul, and for the salvation of your friends and neighbors, and all
who come under your influence. Ever aim to so live in the light
that your influence can be sanctifying upon those with whom you
are associated in a business capacity or in common intercourse.
[156]
There is fullness in Jesus. You can obtain strength from Him which
will qualify you to walk even as He walked, but there must be no
separation of affections from Him. He requires the entire man, the
soul, body, and spirit. When you do all on your part which He
requires, He will work for you, and bless and strengthen you by His
rich grace.
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