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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
Brother A, you need to work with the utmost diligence to control
self and develop a character in harmony with the principles of the
word of God. You need to educate and train yourself in order to
become a successful shepherd. You need to cultivate a good temper—
kindly, cheerful, buoyant, generous, pitiful, courteous, compassionate
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traits of character. You should overcome a morose, bigoted, narrow,
faultfinding, overbearing spirit. If you are connected with the work
of God you need to battle with yourself vigorously and form your
character after the divine Model.
Without constant effort on your part some development, under the
influence of a corrupt mind, will appear and block up your way, which
hindrance you will be inclined to charge to some other than the true
cause. You need self-discipline. Our piety should not appear sour, cold,
and morose; but lovable and teachable. A censorious spirit will hedge
up your way and close hearts against you. If not humbly dependent
on God, you will frequently close your own path with obstacles and
charge the same to the course of others.
You need to stand guard over yourself, that you do not teach the
truth or perform duties in a bigoted spirit that will excite prejudice.
You need to study how you may show yourself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Inquire of yourself what
your natural disposition is, what character you have developed. It
should be your study, as well as that of every minister of Christ, to
exercise the greatest watchfulness that you do not cherish habits of
action, or mental and moral tendencies, which you would not wish to
see appear among those whom you bring out upon the truth.
Ministers of Christ are enjoined to be examples to the flock of God.
The influence of a minister can do much toward molding the character
of his people. If the minister is indolent, if he is not pure in heart and
life, and if he is sharp, critical, and faultfinding, selfish, independent,
and lacking self-control, he will have these same unpleasant elements
in a large degree to meet and deal with among his people, and it is
hard work to set things in order where wrong influences have made
confusion. What is seen in their minister will make a great difference in
regard to the development of Christian virtue in the people. If his life is
a combination of excellences, those whom he brings to the knowledge
of the truth through his labors will, to a great degree, if they truly love
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God, reflect his example and influence, for he is a representative of