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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
allowed a paralytic to bear the burdens and responsibilities of this
work, which no one of them alone could endure with their strong
nerves and firm muscles. He has sometimes used apparent severity and
has spoken so as to give offense. When he has seen others who might
have shared his burdens avoiding responsibilities, it has grieved him
to the heart, and he has spoken impulsively. He has not been placed in
this unreasonable position by the Lord, but by his brethren. His life
has been but little better than a species of slavery. The constant trial,
the harassing care, the exhausting brainwork, have not been valued by
his brethren. He has led an unenjoyable life, and he has increased his
unhappiness by complaining of his brother ministers who neglected
to do what they might have done. Nature has been outraged time and
again. While his brethren have found fault with him for doing so much,
they have not come up to take their share of the responsibility, but have
been too willing to make him responsible for everything. You came
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nobly up to bear responsibilities when there were no others who would
lift them. If his brethren in the ministry had cultivated a willingness to
lift the burdens they should have borne, my husband would not have
seen and done so much work which needed to be done and which he
thought must not be neglected.
God has not suffered the life of my husband to end ingloriously.
He has sustained him. But the man who performs double labor, who
crowds the work of two years into one, is burning his candle at both
ends. There is yet a work for my husband to do which he should have
done years ago. He should now have less of the strife, perplexity, and
responsibility of life, and be ripening, softening, and elevating for his
last change. He should now husband his strength. He should not allow
the responsibilities of the cause to rest upon him so heavily, but should
stand free, where the prejudices and suspicions of his brethren will not
disturb his peace.
God has permitted the precious light of truth to shine upon His
word and illuminate the mind of my husband. He may reflect the rays
of light from the presence of Jesus upon others by his preaching and
writing. But while serving tables, doing business in connection with
the cause, he has been deprived, to a great degree, of the privilege of
using his pen and of preaching to the people.
He has felt that he was called of God to stand in defense of the truth,
and to reprove, sometimes severely, those who were not doing justice