Chapter 30—Deceitfulness of Sin
Brother D was presented before me as doing a work which in
the judgment he will wish undone. He is not correct in all points of
doctrine, and he obstinately maintains his erroneous positions. He is
an accuser of the brethren. He has not only thought evil of those whom
God has chosen as laborers in His cause, but he has spoken this evil to
others. He has not conformed to the Bible rule and conferred with the
leading brethren, and yet he finds fault with them all.
The excuse made for him is: “Oh, Brother D is such a good man.
He is a pattern of amiability and kindheartedness, and is a ready helper
anywhere.” Brother D has many excellent traits of character. He has
no great ability as a preacher, but may become an earnest, faithful
worker. The enemy has come in through his estimation of himself.
Had he not esteemed himself more highly than he should, he would
never have dared to use the reputation of his brethren as he has done.
By his freedom in gathering up and repeating false reports, he has
come in between the people and the message which God has given His
ministers to bear to them to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord.
His good traits have made him all the more dangerous; for they have
given him influence. People have thought that what he said must be
so. Had he been an immoral or quarrelsome person, he could not have
succeeded in winning the confidence of so many.
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Brother D’s manner of working also makes his course more de-
serving of censure and a greater offense to God. Had he shown his
feelings undisguised, had he said in public the things he talked in
private, no one would have thought for a moment of sending him out
to labor in the conference. While he is laboring under its sanction,
his brethren have a right to suppose that his views are correct. And
with this sanction his influence has been a power for evil. There are
some who would never have entertained suspicion of their brethren
or thought evil of them had it not been for his words. He has started
minds on a track which, if pursued, will end in rebellion and the loss
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