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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and
learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest
unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” My
sister, Christ would have you lay down your heavy weight at His feet
and submit your stubborn neck to His easy yoke.
What if your probation should close at this time? How would you
bear the investigation of the Master? How have you employed the
talents of means and influence lent you of God for wise improvement
to His glory? God has given you life and its blessings, not to be
devoted to your own pleasure and selfish gratification merely, but that
you may benefit others and do good. The Master has entrusted you
with talents that you should put out to the exchangers, that when He
requires them again He may receive His own with usury.
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Your influence and means have been given you to test you, to reveal
what is in your heart; you should use them to win souls to Christ and
thus advance the cause of your Redeemer. If you fail to do this you
are making a terrible mistake. Every day that you devote to serving
yourself, and to pleasing your friends by yielding to their influence
in loving the world and neglecting your best Friend, who died to give
you life, you are losing much.
Sister K, you have thought that it was not well for you to be dif-
ferent from those around you. You are in a community that has been
tested on the truth and has rejected it, and you have linked your in-
terests and affections with theirs until you are to all intents one of
them. You love their society; yet you are not happy, though you flatter
yourself that you are. You have said in your heart: “It is vain to serve
God: and what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that
we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?”
It is no small matter for a family to stand as representatives of
Jesus, keeping God’s law in an unbelieving community. We are re-
quired to be living epistles known and read of all men. This position
involves fearful responsibilities. In order to live in the light, you must
come where the light shines. Brother K, at any sacrifice, should feel
under solemn obligation to attend, with his family, at least the yearly
gatherings of those who love the truth. It would strengthen him and
them, and fit them for trial and duty. It is not well for them to lose
the privilege of associating with those of like faith; for the truth loses
its importance in their minds, their hearts cease to be enlightened and