120
Counsels for the Church
who have any desire to understand it. But notwithstanding all this,
some who profess to make the Word of God their study are found
living in direct opposition to its plainest teachings. Then, to leave men
and women without excuse, God gives plain and pointed testimonies,
bringing them back to the word that they have neglected to follow. The
word of God abounds in general principles for the formation of correct
habits of living, and the testimonies, general and personal, have been
calculated to call their attention more especially to these principles.
I took the precious Bible and surrounded it with the several Testi-
monies for the Church, given for the people of God. Here, said I, the
cases of nearly all are met. The sins they are to shun are pointed out.
The counsel that they desire can be found here, given for other cases
situated similarly to themselves. God has been pleased to give you
line upon line and precept upon precept.
But there are not many of you that really know what is contained
in the Testimonies. You are not familiar with the Scriptures. If you had
made God’s Word your study, with a desire to reach the Bible standard
and attain to Christian perfection, you would not have needed the
Testimonies. It is because you have neglected to acquaint yourselves
with God’s inspired Book that He has sought to reach you by simple,
direct testimonies, calling your attention to the words of inspiration
which you had neglected to obey, and urging you to fashion your lives
in accordance with its pure and elevated teachings
[93]
Judge the “Testimonies” by Their Fruits
Let the Testimonies be judged by their fruits. What is the spirit of
their teaching? What has been the result of their influence? All who
desire to do so can acquaint themselves with the fruits of these visions.
For seventeen years God has seen fit to let them survive and strengthen
against the opposition of Satan’s forces and the influence of human
agencies that have aided Satan in his work.
God is either teaching His church, reproving their wrongs and
strengthening their faith, or He is not. This work is of God, or it is not.
God does nothing in partnership with Satan. My work ... bears the
stamp of God or the stamp of the enemy. There is no halfway work in
the matter. The Testimonies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil.
119
Testimonies for the Church 5:663-665