To the Saints Scattered Abroad
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can we have confidence towards God, and great trouble will be saved
the church.
The messengers of God, as they leave their homes, to labor for the
salvation of souls, spend much of their time in getting those right, and
free from temptation, who have been in the truth for years, and still
are weak, because they needlessly let loose the reins, cease watching
over themselves, and, I sometimes think, tempt the enemy to tempt
them. They get into some petty difficulty and trial, and the time of
the servants of the Lord is spent to visit them. They are held hours
and even days, and their souls grieved and wounded, to hear little
difficulties and trials talked over. Each magnifying his own grievances
to make them look as serious as possible, for fear the servants of
God will think them too small an affair for them to notice. Instead
of depending on the Lord’s servants to help them out of these trials,
they should break down before God, and fast and pray till the trials are
removed.
[25]
Some seem to think that all God has called messengers into the
field for, is to go at their bidding, and carry them in their arms. And that
the most important part of their work is to settle their petty trials and
difficulties, which they have brought upon themselves by injudicious
moves, and by giving way to the enemy, and having an unyielding,
fault-finding spirit with those around them, to ease their conscience.
But where are the hungry sheep at this time? Starving for the bread
of life. Those who know the truth and have been established in it,
but obey it not, (if they did they would be saved many of these trials,)
are holding the messengers, and the very object for which God has
called his servants into the field, is not accomplished. The servants of
God are grieved, and their courage taken away by such things in the
church, when all should strive not to add a feather’s weight to their
burden; but by cheering words and the prayer of faith, should help
them. How much more free would they be if all who profess the truth,
would be looking about them and trying to help others, instead of
claiming so much help themselves. And as the servants of God enter
the dark places, where the truth has not yet been proclaimed, they have
a wounded spirit caused by the needless trials of their brethren. In
addition to all this, they have to meet the unbelief and prejudice of
opposers and be trampled upon by some.