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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
way around and come down to minute particulars that do not help
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the subject and might as well be passed over. When so much matter
not really necessary is brought in, the hearer loses the chain of the
argument and cannot keep the subject in mind. When a minister gets
the ears of the people, he should go from point to point, as far as
possible leaving these points unincumbered with a mass of words
and petty details. He should leave his ideas before the people as
distinct as mileposts. To cover over the important, vital points with
an array of words, dragging in everything which has some distant
relationship to the subject, destroys the force of it and obscures the
beautiful, connected chain of truth. You are slow and tedious in your
preaching, as well as in everything else you undertake. You need,
if ever a man did, to be energized by the Spirit of truth. You need
Christ formed within you the hope of glory. You need religion, the
genuine article.
I was referred to the following words of inspiration: “Who is a
wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out
of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” “But
the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness
is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Men whom God has
called to the work of saving souls will feel a burden for the people.
Selfish interests will be swallowed up in their deep concern for the
salvation of souls for whom Christ died. They will feel the force of
the exhortation of Peter: “The elders which are among you I exhort,
who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and
also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock
of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples
to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall
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receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
You are naturally stubborn. Jealousy and stubbornness are the
natural fruits of selfishness. You have made some improvement;
but I saw so much yet to be done, I saw so clearly the wretched
influence of your selfish, unconsecrated life, that I fear you will
never see just how hateful these traits of character are before God.