Self-Caring Ministers
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have not had proper self-respect, and therefore have not had proper
respect for others. You have not magnified Christ and the power of His
grace. You have needed guardians all the way along through life. The
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same frivolity and fickleness, the same inconsideration and lack of
self-control, the same selfishness and impatience, which were seen in
your conduct at an early period of your life, are developed in a marked
manner now that you are past the meridian. This need not have been,
had you put away childish feelings and childish temper, and put on
the firmness of the man. You have favored yourself altogether to your
injury. Your pains and infirmities have been magnified. You look at
them and talk complainingly of them, but do not look away to Jesus.
Think how little you suffer, how little you endure, in comparison with
the sufferings of Christ; and He was sinless—the Just suffering for the
unjust.
A good tree will not produce corrupt fruit. Good conversation
will accompany a good conscience, as surely as good fruit will be
produced by a good tree. If a man is unkind and churlish in his family
and to others connected with him, no one need to inquire how he will
manage in the church. He will exhibit the same petulant, overbearing
disposition which he shows at home. No man can have the spirit and
the mind of Christ without being rendered better by it in all the relations
and duties of life. Murmuring, complaining, and fretful passion are
not the fruit of good principles. You will need to be instant in prayer,
because you have not strengthened the high, noble, moral traits of
character. This is to be done now by you. The work will be difficult,
but it is positively essential.
While in Texas you were hopeless and felt yourself forsaken of
God and man; but now that you again make a start, let the work of
reformation be thorough, your repentance such as needeth not to be
repented of. The best of your days, so far as health and vigor are
concerned, are in the past; but with proper habits, a cheerful mind,
and a clear conscience in reference to your present deportment, you
may turn your defeat into victory. You have no time to lose. Your wife
can help you in all your efforts in the harvest field. If she is sanctified
through the truth she can be a blessing to you and to the cause of God
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by conversing with others and being social.
Many falter and fall because of the indulgence of a perverse temper.
Alexander and Caesar found it much easier to subdue a kingdom than