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had a transforming influence upon his life. Self was in a measure lost
in the interest he felt for the truth. He sought to show his faith by his
works, and his personal interests were made secondary. He loved the
work of the Lord and cheerfully sought to advance the interest of His
cause; the Lord accepted his efforts to serve Him, and the hand of the
Lord prospered him.
I was shown that Brother B displeased God and brought great
darkness upon himself when he set up his judgment in opposition to
that of his brethren in regard to the true way to observe the Sabbath.
Brother B’s interest was at stake, and he refused to see the correct
bearing of the question under consideration. He never would have
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taken the course he did when he returned from the East, if he had been
in the light. I was then carried to another point in his history and saw
him journeying. While among unbelievers he did not let his light so
shine before men that they by seeing his good works would glorify our
Father which is in heaven. He was forgetful of God and of his duty to
rightly represent his Saviour in every place and upon all occasions.
Brother B is especially weak upon some points; he loves praise
and flattery; he loves pleasure and distinction. He exalted himself and
talked much and prayed little, and God left him to his own weakness;
for he did not bear fruit to the glory of God. On that journey he had an
opportunity to do a great amount of good, but he did not realize that
he was accountable to God for his talents and that as a steward of God
he would be called to an account whether he had used his ability to
please himself or to glorify God. If Brother B had felt the power of the
love of Christ in his own heart, he would have felt an interest for the
salvation of those with whom he was brought in contact, that he might
speak to them words which would cause them to reflect in regard to
their eternal interest.
He had an opportunity to sow the seed of truth, but he did not
improve it as he should. He should have carried his religion with
him while among his relatives. His holy profession and the truth of
God should have blended with all his thoughts, feelings, words, and
actions. Christ commands His followers to walk in the light. Walking
means moving onward, exerting ourselves, exercising our ability, being
actively engaged. Unless we exercise ourselves in the good work to
which our Saviour has called us, and feel the importance of personal
effort in this work, we shall have a sickly, stunted religion. We gain