Testimonies for the Church
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them. It was not the wisest plan to place these books at a low figure
and have only one set in a church. They should be in the library of
every family and be read again and again. Let them be kept where they
can be read by many
I have been shown that unbelief in the testimonies of warning,
encouragement, and reproof is shutting away the light from God’s
people. Unbelief is closing their eyes so that they are ignorant of their
true condition. They think the testimony of the Spirit of God in reproof
is uncalled for or that it does not mean them. Such are in the greatest
need of the grace of God and spiritual discernment, that they may
discover their deficiency in spiritual knowledge.
[95]
Many who have backslidden from the truth assign as a reason for
their course that they do not have faith in the Testimonies. The question
now is: Will they yield their idol which God condemns, or will they
continue in their wrong course of indulgence and reject the light God
has given them reproving the very things in which they delight? The
question to be settled with them is: Shall I deny myself and receive
as of God the Testimonies which reprove my sins, or shall I reject the
Testimonies because they reprove my sins
Wrong Use of the “Testimonies”
The first number of the Testimonies ever published contains a
warning against the injudicious use of the light which is thus given to
God’s people. I stated that some had taken an unwise course; when
they had talked their faith to unbelievers, and the proof had been asked
for, they had read from my writings instead of going to the Bible for
proof. It was shown me that this course was inconsistent and would
prejudice unbelievers against the truth. The Testimonies can have no
weight with those who know nothing of their spirit. They should not
be referred to in such cases.
Other warnings concerning the use of the Testimonies have been
given from time to time, as follows:
“Some of the preachers are far behind. They profess to believe the
testimony borne, and some do harm by making them an iron rule for
those who have had no experience in reference to them, but they fail to
122
Testimonies for the Church 5:681
123
Testimonies for the Church 5:674, 675