Meeting Prejudice and Opposition
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your words are not to hurt anyone, you will have to speak only the
words that you are sure will not be harsh and cold and severe.... Of
all the people in the world, reformers should be the most unselfish,
the kindest, the most courteous, learning Christ’s ways and words and
works.—
Letter 11, 1894
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The Spirit of Controversy—Do not cherish a spirit of contro-
versy. Little good is accomplished by denunciatory speeches. The
surest way to destroy false doctrine is to preach the truth. Keep to
the affirmative. Let the precious truths of the gospel kill the force of
evil. Show a tender, pitiful spirit toward the erring. Come close to
hearts.—
Letter 190, 1902
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Sarcasm Offensive—When in your discourses, you denounce
with bitter sarcasm that which you wish to condemn, you sometimes
offend your hearers, and their ears are turned from hearing you further.
Carefully avoid any severity of speech that might give offense to those
you desire to save from error; for it will be difficult to overcome the
feelings of antagonism thus aroused....
If you will weed out the tares from your discourses, your influence
for good will be increased.—
Letter 366, 1906
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Not to Invite Persecution—Let everyone bear in mind that we
are in no case to invite persecution. We are not to use words that are
harsh and cutting. Keep them out of every article written, drop them
out of every address given. Let the Word of God do the cutting, the
rebuking; let finite men hide and abide in Jesus Christ. Let the Spirit
of Christ appear. Let all be guarded in their words, lest they place
those not of our faith in deadly opposition against us, and give Satan
an opportunity to use the unadvised words to hedge up our way....
We all need more of the deep love of Jesus in the soul, and far less
of the natural impetuosity. We are in danger of closing up our own path
by arousing the determined spirit of opposition in men in authority,
before the people are really enlightened in regard to the message God
would have us bear. God is not pleased when by our own course of
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action we bar the way so that the truth is prevented from coming to
the people.—
Undated Manuscript 79
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Opposition Advertises Truth—Satan is fruitful in bringing up
devices to evade the truth. But I call upon you to believe the words
I speak today. Truth of heavenly origin is confronting Satan’s false-
hoods, and this truth will prevail.... Opposition and resistance only