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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
neither did I see that my work had accomplished much good. I spoke
to the person who brought the cloth to me, of one woman in particular,
for whom he had told me to cut a garment. I stated that she would not
prize the garment and that it would be a loss of time and material to
present it to her. She was very poor, of inferior intellect, and untidy in
her habits, and would soon soil it.
“The person replied: ‘Cut out the garments. That is your duty. The
loss is not yours, but mine. God sees not as man sees. He lays out
the work that He would have done, and you do not know which will
prosper, this or that.’ ...
“I then held up my hands, calloused as they were with long use of
the shears, and stated that I could but shrink at the thought of pursuing
this kind of labor. The person again repeated:
“‘Cut out the garments. Your release has not yet come.’
“With feelings of great weariness I arose to engage in the work.
Before me lay new, polished shears, which I commenced using. At
once my feelings of weariness and discouragement left me, the shears
seemed to cut with hardly an effort on my part, and I cut out garment
after garment with comparative ease.” [
Testimonies for the Church
2:10-12
(first published in 1868).]
There are many dreams arising from the common things of life
with which the Spirit of God has nothing to do. “There are also false
dreams, as well as false visions, which are inspired by the spirit of
Satan. But dreams from the Lord are classed in the word of God with
visions and are as truly the fruits of the spirit of prophecy as visions.
Such dreams, taking into the account the persons who have them, and
the circumstances under which they are given, contain their own proofs
of their genuineness.” [
Testimonies for the Church 1:569
(1867).]
Since the warning and instruction given in testimony for individual
cases applied with equal force to many others who had not been spe-
[659]
cially pointed out in this manner, it seemed to be my duty to publish
the personal testimonies for the benefit of the church. In Testimony 15,
speaking of the necessity for doing this, I said: “I know of no better
way to present my views of general dangers and errors, and the duty
of all who love God and keep His commandments, than by giving
these testimonies. Perhaps there is no more direct and forcible way of
presenting what the Lord has shown me.” [
Testimonies for the Church
2:9
(1868).]