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enter heaven without a thorough change than could Simon Magus,
who thought that the Holy Ghost could be bought with money. Your
family have seen your overreaching spirit, your readiness to take
advantage of others, your penurious spirit toward those with whom
you sometimes deal, and they despise you for it; yet they will too
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surely follow in your footsteps of wrongdoing.
Your deal is not what it should be. It is difficult for you to deal
justly and to love mercy. You have dishonored the cause of God by
your life. You have contended for the truth, but not in a right spirit.
You have hindered souls from embracing the truth who otherwise
would have done so. They have excused themselves by pointing to
the errors and wrongs of professed Sabbathkeepers, saying: “They
are no better than I; they will lie, cheat, exaggerate, get angry,
and boastingly talk of their own praise; such a religion as this I
do not want.” Thus the unconsecrated lives of these shortcoming
Sabbathkeepers make them stumbling blocks to sinners.
The work now before you must commence in your family. You
have tried hard to improve outwardly; but the work has been too
much on the surface, an outside work and not a work of the heart.
Set your heart in order, humble yourself before God, and implore His
grace to help you. Do not, like the hypocritical Pharisees, do things
to make you appear devotional and righteous in the eyes of others.
Break your heart before God, and know that it is impossible for you
to deceive the holy angels. Your words and acts are all open to their
inspection. Your motives and the intents and purposes of your heart
stand revealed to their gaze. The most secret things are not hid from
them. Oh, then, rend your heart, and be not overanxious to make
your brethren think you are right when you are not! Be circumspect
in your family. You are watching to see others’ wrongs, but do this
no more. The work you have now to do is to overcome your own
wrongs, to battle with your strong internal foes. Deal justly with the
widow and the fatherless. Do not throw over your acts the flimsy
covering of deception, to influence those whom you greatly wish
would think you right, while your motives and acts will not bear the
construction you would have put upon them.
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Cease all contention, and try to be a peacemaker. Love not in
word, but in deed and in truth. Your works are to bear the inspection
of the judgment. Will you deal truly with your own soul? Do not