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Warnings to the Church
199
his works are not wrought in God. To be a shepherd is to occupy
a very important, responsible position; to feed the flock of God is
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an exalted and sacred work. Brother B, the Lord does not regard
you fit to be an overseer of His flock. Had you been learning the
lesson of self-government in your religious experience, and had you
felt the necessity of elevating your mind and purifying your heart
by the sanctification of the Spirit, and of bringing all your powers
into subjection to the will of God, seeking humility and meekness,
you might now be in a position to do good and to exert an influence
which would be elevating and saving.
Brother and Sister B, you have a work to do for yourselves which
no one can do for you. You are inclined to murmur and complain.
You have something to do to subdue your natural feelings. Live for
God yourselves, knowing that you have not to answer for the wrongs
of others. I saw, Brother B, that you would certainly be overcome
by Satan, and make utter shipwreck of faith, unless you stop your
faultfinding, and seek pure and undefiled religion before God. You
need to be elevated in your thoughts and conversation; you need a
thorough conversion.
Life or death is before you. You should solemnly consider that
you are dealing with the great God, and should ever remember that
He is not a child, to be trifled with. You cannot engage in His service
at will and let it alone at pleasure. Your inmost soul needs to be
converted. All who, like you, my brother, have failed to grow in
the grace of God, and to perfect holiness in His name, will, in these
days of peril and trial, meet with great loss. Their foundation will
prove to be sliding sand instead of the Rock Christ Jesus.
You move by impulse. You feel unreconciled to your brethren
because you are not sent out to preach the truth. You are not fit for
this trust. More than one efficient preacher would be required to
follow in your wake to bind up the wounds and bruises which your
harsh dealing would make. God is not pleased with you, and I fear
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that you will fail of everlasting life.
You have no time to lose. Make mighty efforts to rescue yourself
from Satan’s snare. You need to learn of Jesus, who is meek and
lowly of heart, and then you will obtain rest. Oh, what a work you
have to do to perfect holiness in the fear of God, and be prepared for
the society of the pure and holy angels. You need to humble your