Man’s Duty to His Fellow Men
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providences, and writing bitter things against ourselves. Our adversary
will not allow us to rest. If we are indeed God’s children we shall be
harassed and sorely beset, and we need not expect that Satan or those
under his influence will treat us well. But there are angels who excel
in strength who will be with us in all our conflicts if we will only be
faithful. Christ conquered Satan in our behalf in the wilderness of
temptation. He is mightier than Satan, and He will shortly bruise him
under our feet.
You have, as a family and as individuals, excused yourselves from
earnest, active service in your Master’s cause. You have been too
indolent and have left others to carry many of the heavier burdens
which you could and should have borne. Your spiritual strength and
blessing will be proportionate to the labor of love and the good works
which you perform. The injunction of the apostle Paul is: “Bear ye
one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Keeping the
commandments of God requires of us good works, self-denial, self-
sacrifice, and devotion for the good of others, not that our good works
alone can save us, but that we surely cannot be saved without good
works. After we have done all that we are capable of doing, we are
then to say: We have done no more than our duty, and at best are
unprofitable servants, unworthy of the smallest favor from God. Christ
must be our righteousness and the crown of our rejoicing.
Self-righteousness and carnal security have closed you about as a
wall. As a family you possess a spirit of independence and pride. This
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element separates you from God. It is a fault, a defect which must be
seen and overcome. It is almost impossible for you to see your errors
and wrongs. You have too good an opinion of yourselves, and it is
difficult for you to see and remove by confession the mistakes in your
lives. You are inclined to justify and defend your course in almost
everything, whether it be right or wrong. While it is not too late for
wrongs to be righted, bring your hearts near to Jesus by humiliation
and prayer, and seek to know yourselves. You must be lost unless you
arouse yourselves and work with Christ. You encase yourselves in
a cold, unfeeling, unsympathizing armor. There is but little life and
warmth in your association with others. You live for yourselves, not
for Christ. You are careless and indifferent to the needs and conditions
of others less fortunate than yourselves. All around you there are
those who have soul hunger and who long for love expressed in words