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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
the means. They virtually crucify the law of the Father, as the Jews
crucified Christ.
Our work should be to embrace every opportunity to present the
truth in its purity and simplicity where there is any desire or interest
to hear the reasons of our faith. Those who have dwelt mostly upon
the prophecies and the theoretical points of our faith should without
delay become Bible students upon practical subjects. They should take
a deeper draft at the fountain of divine truth. They should carefully
study the life of Christ and His lessons of practical godliness, given for
the benefit of all and to be the rule of right living for all who should
believe on His name. They should be imbued with the spirit of their
great Exemplar and have a high sense of the sacred life of a follower
of Christ.
Christ met the case of every class in the subjects and manner of His
teaching. He dined and lodged with the rich and the poor, and made
Himself familiar with the interests and occupations of men, that He
might gain access to their hearts. The learned and the most intellectual
were gratified and charmed with His discourses, and yet they were
so plain and simple as to be comprehended by the humblest minds.
Christ availed Himself of every opportunity to give instruction to the
people upon those heavenly doctrines and precepts which should be
incorporated into their lives and which would distinguish them from
all other religionists because of their holy, elevated character. These
lessons of divine instruction are not brought to bear upon men’s con-
sciences as they should be. These sermons of Christ furnish ministers
believing present truth with discourses which will be appropriate on
almost any occasion. Here is a field of study for the Bible student, in
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which he cannot be interested without having the spirit of the heavenly
Teacher in his own heart. Here are subjects which Christ presented to
all classes. Thousands of people of every stamp of character and every
grade of society were attracted and charmed with the matter brought
before them.
Some ministers who have been long in the work of preaching
present truth have made great failures in their labors. They have edu-
cated themselves as combatants. They have studied out argumentative
subjects for the object of discussion, and these subjects which they
have prepared they love to use. The truth of God is plain, clear, and
conclusive. It is harmonious and, in contrast with error, shines with