Faithfulness in the Work of God
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sending means to the General Conference, when, upon investigation,
the facts showed that they still lacked a considerable of returning to the
conference the amount that had been paid out in sending them laborers
and in helping them in various ways to start the work and carry it
forward. Yet these persons have been grieved, dissatisfied, unhappy,
and have backslidden from God, because they thought they were doing
such great things. This only shows what a terrible deception can come
upon minds when they are not under the special control of the Spirit
of God. Their doubting, their suspicions, their prejudice in regard to
the General Conference, were all prompted by Satan. The cause of
God is one the world over. Every branch of the work centers in Christ.
No one portion of the field is independent of the rest.
Dear brethren, you have let Satan into your hearts, and he will never
be fully vanquished until you repent of your wicked doubts and the
withdrawal of your pledges. The Lord’s messenger was despised and
charged with bringing an undue pressure upon the people. God was
displeased with Brother B because he did not bear a decided testimony
against everything of that sort and show you your sin as it really was.
“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He
hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it
that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before
the angel, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy
voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”
Here the matter is presented in its true light. Your work was done
before the angel of God. Your words were not only heard by men, but
the angel of God listened to them, and can you be surprised that God
was angry with you? Can you wonder that He has not blessed you and
made you able to pay your pledges? When you have grumbled and
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murmured and withdrawn your pledges and felt that God’s servants
had deceived you and extorted from you pledges that were not just,
the enemy has exulted. Could you see your course as it is you would
never make one semblance of an excuse for it.
Be careful how you speak one word to lessen the influence of
God’s messengers. There may sometimes have been too much urging
for means. But when the light and love of Jesus illuminates the hearts
of His followers, there will be no occasion for urging or begging their
money or their service. When they become one with Jesus, and realize