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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
great sacrifices to obtain it. But he is easily excited; he is of a nervous
temperament. He has need of the subduing influence of the Spirit of
God. If those who are ready to censure him would consider their own
wrongs and kindly overlook his faults as generously as they should,
they would manifest the spirit of Christ. Brother E has a work to do to
overcome. His words and deportment to others should be gentle, kind,
and pleasant. He should strictly guard against everything which savors
of a dictatorial spirit or of overbearing manners or words.
While God is a friend to the blind and the unfortunate, He does
not excuse their sins. He requires them to overcome and to perfect
Christian character in the name of Jesus, who overcame in their behalf.
But Jesus pities our weakness, and He is ready to give strength to bear
up in trial and to resist the temptations of Satan, if we will cast our
burden upon Him. Angels are sent to minister to the children of God
who are physically blind. Angels guard their steps and save them from
a thousand dangers, which, unknown to them, beset their path. But
His Spirit will not attend them unless they cherish a spirit of kindness
and seek earnestly to have control over their natures and to bring their
passions and every power into submission to God. They must cultivate
a spirit of love and control their words and actions.
I was shown that God requires His people to be far more pitiful
and considerate of the unfortunate than they are. “Pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless
and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the
world.” Here genuine religion is defined. God requires that the same
consideration which should be given to the widow and fatherless be
given to the blind and to those suffering under the affliction of other
physical infirmities. Disinterested benevolence is very rare in this age
of the world.
I was shown, in Brother E’s case, that those who would in any
way deal unjustly with him and discourage him in his efforts to help
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himself, or who, coveting the poor blind man’s prosperity, would
advantage themselves to his disadvantage, will bring upon themselves
the curse of God, who is the blind man’s friend. Special injunctions
were given to the children of Israel in reference to the blind: “Thou
shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that
is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. Thou
shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind,