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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
help. There were some who kept the Sabbath, yet did not belong to
the church, and also some who had given up the Sabbath, who needed
help. We felt disposed to help these poor souls, but the past course
and present position of leading members of the church in relation to
these persons made it almost impossible for us to approach them. In
laboring with the erring, some of our brethren had been too rigid,
too cutting in remarks. And when some were disposed to reject
their counsel and separate from them, they would say: “Well, if they
want to go off, let them go.” While such a lack of the compassion,
and long-suffering, and tenderness of Jesus was manifested by His
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professed followers, these poor, erring, inexperienced souls, buffeted
by Satan, were certain to make shipwreck of faith. However great
may be the wrongs and sins of the erring, our brethren must learn to
manifest not only the tenderness of the Great Shepherd, but also His
undying care and love for the poor, straying sheep. Our ministers toil
and lecture week after week, and rejoice that a few souls embrace
the truth; and yet brethren of a prompt, decided turn of mind may,
in five minutes, destroy their work by indulging the feelings which
prompt words like these: “Well, if they want to leave us, let them
go.”
We found that we could do nothing for the scattered sheep near us
until we had first corrected the wrongs in many of the members of the
church. They had let these poor souls wander. They felt no burden
for them. In fact, they seemed shut up to themselves, and were dying
a spiritual death for want of spiritual exercise. They still loved the
general cause, and were ready to help sustain it. They would take
good care of the servants of God. But there was a decided want of
care for widows, orphans, and the feeble of the flock. Besides some
interest for the cause in general, there was but little apparent interest
for any only their own families. With so narrow a religion they were
dying a spiritual death.
There were some who kept the Sabbath, attended meeting, and
paid systematic benevolence, yet were out of the church. And it is
true that they were not fit to belong to any church. But while leading
church members stood as some in that church did, giving them little
or no encouragement, it was almost impossible for them to arise
in the strength of God and do better. As we began to labor with
the church, and teach them that they must have a spirit of labor for