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Counsels to Writers and Editors
judgment than to fill the publications with the exaltations of human
beings, then let them seek wisdom from God. Your spiritual eyesight
needs the heavenly anointing.... In pouring forth an overflow of praise
of one whom they do not know, who has not accepted a “Thus saith the
Lord” in keeping His commandments, they place themselves where,
in the crisis coming upon us, they will have defective discernment as
they shall see the good things done by those who will seek to deceive,
who will claim to be Christ and prophets sent of God.
Christ says of that time, “If it were possible, they shall deceive the
very elect.” And again the question is asked, “When the Son of man
cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” Those who use their pen
and voice to give such praise to human beings need to have clearer
discernment. How much better would it be if this confidence and faith
would be exercised toward those who are striving with pen and voice to
do the will of God as obedient children, keeping His commandments,
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not to praise or glorify the individual, but to obey the word of God, to
love as brethren, to uproot every fiber of the root of bitterness that they
are allowing to spring up....
I know how the Lord regards all such productions from those who
suppose they are working righteousness, who seem to be neither on
one side nor on the other. The message that is given to me for them
is: You are in darkness, you know not what you praise. God cannot
vindicate a work that has not His stamp upon it, for it is leading others
in a way that does not bear the signature of heaven.
Every Sentence to Count—This is a time when every sentence
written should mean something definite, should be true, sincere. Not
a scratch of the pen should be made in order to become popular or to
vindicate that which God condemns. Those who follow such a course
have a zeal, a burning desire, to distinguish themselves, but they have
not learned their lessons at the feet of Jesus. Self is interwoven with
all they do and say. They aim their weapons against their brethren who
are doing the work God has appointed them, and they think in their
blindness that they are doing God service.
I am commissioned now to say to our brethren, Humble yourselves,
and confess your sins, else God will humble you. The message to
the Laodicean church comes home to those who do not apply it to
themselves. They are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm. Saith the
Lord, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would