Investigation of New Light
33
investigated his positions, taking the Scriptures text by text in the
spirit of Christ to show him what is truth. You do not yourself really
know the evidence he has for his faith, and you cannot really clearly
define your own position. Take your Bible, and in a kindly spirit weigh
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every argument that he presents and show him by the Scriptures if he
is in error. When you do this without unkind feelings, you will do
only that which is your duty and the duty of every minister of Jesus
Christ.—
Letter 21, 1888
.
Hear Before You Condemn—When new light is presented to the
church, it is perilous to shut yourselves away from it. Refusing to hear
because you are prejudiced against the message or the messenger will
not make your case excusable before God. To condemn that which you
have not heard and do not understand will not exalt your wisdom in
the eyes of those who are candid in their investigations of truth. And
to speak with contempt of those whom God has sent with a message
of truth, is folly and madness. If our youth are seeking to educate
themselves to be workers in His cause, they should learn the way of
the Lord, and live by every word that proceedeth out of His mouth.
They are not to make up their minds that the whole truth has been
unfolded, and that the Infinite One has no more light for His people. If
they entrench themselves in the belief that the whole truth has been
revealed, they will be in danger of discarding precious jewels of truth
that shall be discovered as men turn their attention to the searching of
the rich mine of God’s word.—
Counsels on Sabbath School Work, 32,
33
(1892).
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