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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
In regard to E, do not, I entreat of you, forget that he is a child,
with only a child’s experience. Do not measure him, a poor, weak,
feeble boy, with yourselves and expect of him accordingly. I fully
believe that it is in your power to do the right thing by this orphan.
You can present inducements to him so that he will not feel that his
task is cheerless, unrelieved by a ray of encouragement. You, my
brother and sister, can enjoy yourselves in each other’s confidence,
you can sympathize with each other, interest and amuse each other,
and tell your trials and burdens to each other. You have something to
cheer you, while he is alone. He is a thinking boy, but has no one to
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confide in or to give him a cheering word amid his discouragements
and severe trials, which I know he has as well as those more advanced
in years.
If you shut yourselves up to each other, it is selfish love, unat-
tended with Heaven’s blessing. I have strong hope that you will love
the orphan for Christ’s sake, that you will feel that your possessions
are but worthless unless employed in doing good. Do good; be rich
in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying
up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come
that you may lay hold on eternal life. None will reap the reward of
everlasting life but the self-sacrificing. A dying father and mother
left their jewels to the care of the church to be instructed in the things
of God and fitted for heaven. When these parents shall look about
for their dear ones, and one is found missing because of neglect,
what will the church answer? It is in a great degree responsible for
the salvation of these orphan children.
In all probability you have failed to gain the boy’s confidence
and affection by not giving him more tangible proofs of your love
by holding out some inducements. If you could not expend money
you could at least in some way encourage him by letting him know
you were not indifferent to his case. That the love and affection
is to be all on one side is a mistake. How much affection have
you educated yourselves to manifest? You are too much shut up to
yourselves, and do not feel the necessity of surrounding yourselves
with an atmosphere of tenderness and gentleness, which comes from
true nobility of soul. Brother and Sister F left their children to the
care of the church. They had plenty of wealthy relatives who wanted
the children; but they were unbelievers, and if allowed to have the