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Sunday Labor
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sign, who do His service? They are counted as the offscouring of
the earth.
“When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another.” It
is not the will of God that your lives shall be carelessly sacrificed.
“Verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of
Israel, till the Son of man be come.”
Verse 23
.
The people must be given the truth, straightforward, positive
truth. But this truth is to be presented in the spirit of Christ. We
are to be as sheep in the midst of wolves. Those who will not,
for Christ’s sake, observe the cautions He has given, who will not
exercise patience and self-control, will lose precious opportunities
of working for the Master. The Lord has not given His people the
work of making a tirade against those who are transgressing His
law. In no case are we to make a raid on the other churches. Let us
remember that, as a people entrusted with sacred truth, we have been
neglectful and positively unfaithful. The work has been confined to
a few centers until the people in them have become gospel-hardened.
It is difficult to make an impression on those who have heard so
much truth, and yet have rejected it....
All this is against us now. Had we put forth earnest efforts to
reach those who, if converted, would give a true representation of
what present truth would do for human beings, how much further
advanced our work would now be. It is not right that a few places
should have all the advantages while other places are neglected.
* * * * *
At our Avondale school, near Cooranbong, Australia, the Sunday
labor question came up for decision. It seemed as if the lines were
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soon to be drawn so tightly about us that we should not be able to
work during Sunday. Our school was situated in the heart of the
woods, far from any village or railway station. No one was living
near enough to us to be disturbed in any way by anything we might
do. Nevertheless, we were watched. The officers were urged to come
around to inspect our premises, and they did come. They could have
seen many things if they had desired to prosecute us, but they did
not appear to notice those who were at work. They had so much
confidence in us as a people, and so great respect for us on account