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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto
all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that
oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance
to the acknowledging of the truth.” “To speak evil of no man, to be
no brawlers [not talking the truth in a boasting, triumphant manner],
but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.” “But sanctify the
Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness and fear.”
Brother C wants
his
mind to control others, and unless he can
have this privilege he is dissatisfied. He is not a peacemaker. His
course will cause more confusion and distrust in a church than any
ten persons can counteract. His peculiar temperament is such that he
will be picking flaws, and finding fault with all but himself. He will
not prosper until he learns the lesson that he ought to have learned
years ago, humbleness of mind. At his age he will learn this lesson
at much cost to self. All his life he has been trying to build himself
up, to save himself, to preserve his own life; and he has lost his labor
every time.
What Brother C needs is to have the deceptive gloss taken from
his eyes, that he may look, with eyes enlightened by the Spirit of
God, into his own heart, and test and weigh every motive, and not
let Satan put a false coloring upon his course of action. His position
[390]
is extremely perilous. He will soon turn decidedly to the right, or he
will go on deceiving others and deceiving himself. He needs to have
his inmost soul converted, and to be subdued and transformed by the
renewing of his mind. Then he can do good. But he can never come
into the light until he encourages a spirit of humble confession and
takes hold with decision to right his wrongs and, as far as he can, to
do away the reproach he has brought upon the cause of God.
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