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already sinking under their burdens. He cares only to indulge his
scandal-loving propensity. Even professed Christians close their eyes
to all that is pure, honest, noble, and lovely, and treasure up what ever
is objectionable and disagreeable, and publish it to the world
Jealousy and Faultfinding
It pains me to say that there are unruly tongues among church
members. There are false tongues that feed on mischief. There are sly,
whispering tongues. There is tattling, impertinent meddling, adroit
quizzing. Among the lovers of gossip some are actuated by curiosity,
others by jealousy, many by hatred against those through whom God
has spoken to reprove them. All these discordant elements are at work.
Some conceal their real sentiments, while others are eager to publish
all they know, or even suspect, of evil against another.
I saw that the very spirit of perjury, that would turn truth into
falsehood, good into evil, and innocence into crime, is now active.
Satan exults over the condition of God’s professed people. While many
are neglecting their own souls, they eagerly watch for an opportunity
to criticize and condemn others. All have defects of character, and
it is not hard to find something that jealousy can interpret to their
injury. “Now,” say these self-constituted judges, “we have facts. We
will fasten upon them an accusation from which they can not clear
themselves.” They wait for a fitting opportunity and then produce their
bundle of gossip and bring forth their tidbits.
In their efforts to carry a point, persons who have naturally a
strong imagination are in danger of deceiving themselves and deceiv-
ing others. They gather up unguarded expressions from another, not
considering that words may be uttered hastily and hence may not reflect
the real sentiments of the speaker. But those unpremeditated remarks,
often so trifling as to be unworthy of notice, are viewed through Sa-
tan’s magnifying glass, pondered, and repeated until molehills become
mountains.
[177]
Is it Christian charity to gather up every floating report, to unearth
everything that will cast suspicion on the character of another, and then
take delight in using it to injure him? Satan exults when he can defame
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Testimonies for the Church 5:56, 57