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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
tongues have colored acts and motives to suit their own ideas. They
have made black appear white, and white black. When remonstrated
with for their statements, some have said: “It is true.” Admitting that
the fact stated is true, does that justify your course? No, no. If God
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should take all the accusations that might in truth be brought against
you, and should braid them into a scourge to punish you, your wounds
would be more and deeper than those which you have inflicted on
Brother-----. Even facts may be so stated as to convey a false impres-
sion. You have no right to gather up every report against him and use
them to ruin his reputation and destroy his usefulness. Should the
Lord manifest toward you the same spirit which you have manifested
toward your brother, you would be destroyed without mercy. Have
you no compunctions of conscience? I fear not. The time has come
for this satanic spell to lose its power. If Brother-----were all that you
represent him to be,—which I know he is not, your course would still
be unjustifiable.
When we listen to a reproach against our brother, we take up that
reproach. To the question, “Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle?
who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?” the psalmist answered, “He that
walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth
in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to
his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.”
What a world of gossip would be prevented if every man would
remember that those who tell him the faults of others will as freely
publish his faults at a favorable opportunity. We should endeavor to
think well of all men, especially our brethren, until compelled to think
otherwise. We should not hastily credit evil reports. These are often
the result of envy or misunderstanding, or they may proceed from
exaggeration or a partial disclosure of facts. Jealousy and suspicion,
once allowed a place, will sow themselves broadcast, like thistledown.
Should a brother go astray, then is the time to show your real interest
in him. Go to him kindly, pray with and for him, remembering the
infinite price which Christ has paid for his redemption. In this way
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you may save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins.
A glance, a word, even an intonation of the voice, may be vital
with falsehood, sinking like a barbed arrow into some heart, inflicting
an incurable wound. Thus a doubt, a reproach, may be cast upon one
by whom God would accomplish a good work, and his influence is