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To the Inexperienced
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upon little trials.” Said the angel, “Legions of evil angels are around
you, and are trying to press in their awful darkness, that ye may
be ensnared and taken. Ye suffer your minds to be diverted too
readily from the work of preparation and the all-important truths for
these last days. And ye dwell upon little trials and go into minute
particulars of little difficulties to explain them to the satisfaction of
this one or that.” Conversation has been protracted for hours between
the parties concerned, and not only has their time been wasted, but
the servants of God are held to listen to them, when the hearts of
both parties are unsubdued by grace. If pride and selfishness were
laid aside, five minutes would remove most difficulties. Angels
have been grieved and God displeased by the hours which have been
spent in justifying self. I saw that God will not bow down and listen
to long justifications, and He does not want His servants to do so,
and thus precious time be wasted that should be spent in showing
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transgressors the error of their ways and pulling souls out of the fire.
I saw that God’s people are on the enchanted ground, and that
some have lost nearly all sense of the shortness of time and the worth
of the soul. Pride has crept in among Sabbathkeepers-pride of dress
and appearance. Said the angel, “Sabbathkeepers will have to die to
self, die to pride and love of approbation.”
Truth, saving truth, must be given to the starving people who are
in darkness. I saw that many prayed for God to humble them; but if
God should answer their prayers, it would be by terrible things in
righteousness. It was their duty to humble themselves. I saw that if
self-exaltation was suffered to come in, it would surely lead souls
astray, and if not overcome would prove their ruin. When one begins
to get lifted up in his own eyes and thinks he can do something, the
Spirit of God is withdrawn, and he goes on in his own strength until
he is overthrown. I saw that one saint, if he were right, could move
the arm of God; but a multitude together, if they were wrong, would
be weak and could effect nothing.
Many have unsubdued, unhumbled hearts, and think more of
their own little grievances and trials than of the souls of sinners. If
they had the glory of God in view, they would feel for perishing souls
around them; and as they realized their perilous situation, would
take hold with energy, exercising faith in God, and hold up the hands
of His servants, that they might boldly, yet in love, declare the truth