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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
You have been placed in unfavorable circumstances for the de-
velopment of a good Christian character; but you are now placed
where you may build up a reputation, or blast it. The latter we do
not believe you will do. But you are not secure from temptation. In
one single hour you may take a course which will afterward cost
you bitter tears of repentance. By yielding to temptation, you may
estrange hearts from you, lose the respect and esteem you have been
acquiring from those around you, and also stain your Christian char-
acter. You have the lesson of submission to learn. You consider it
beneath you to do duties about the house—chores and little errands.
You have a positive dislike for these little requirements; but you
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should cultivate a love for these very things to which you are so
averse. Until you do this, you will not be acceptable help anywhere.
When engaged in these necessary small things, you are doing more
real service than when engaged in large business and in laborious
work.
I have a case now in mind of one who was presented before me
in vision who neglected these little things and could not interest
himself in small duties, seeking to lighten the work of those indoors;
it was too small business. He now has a family, but he still possesses
the same unwillingness to engage in these small yet important du-
ties. The result is, great care rests upon his wife. She has to do
many things, or they will be left undone; and the amount of care
which comes upon her because of her husband’s lack is breaking her
constitution. He cannot now overcome this evil as easily as he could
in his youth. He neglects the little duties and fails to keep everything
up tidy and nice, therefore cannot make a successful farmer. “He
that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he
that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
Naaman the Syrian consulted the prophet of God as to how
he could be cured of a loathsome disease, the leprosy. He was
bidden to go and bathe in Jordan seven times. Why did he not
immediately follow the directions of Elisha, the prophet of God?
Why did he refuse to do as the prophet commanded? He went to
his servants, murmuring. In his mortification and disappointment
he became passionate, and in a rage refused to follow the humble
course marked out by the prophet of God. “I thought,” said he, “he
will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the