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Solemn Appeal to Ministers
127
how hateful sin is, they would not tolerate it, nor educate themselves
in it. They would reform in life and character. Secret faults would
be overcome. If you are to be saints in heaven, you must first be
saints upon the earth.
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There is great need that our brethren overcome secret faults.
The displeasure of God, like a cloud, hangs over many of them.
The churches are weak. Selfishness, uncharitableness, covetousness,
envy, evil-surmising, falsehood, theft, robbery, sensuality, licentious-
ness, and adultery, [
See appendix.
] stand registered against some
who claim to believe the solemn, sacred truth for this time. How
can these accursed things be cleansed out of the camp, when men
who claim to be Christians are practicing them constantly? They are
somewhat careful of their ways before men, but they are an offense
to God. His pure eyes see, a witness records, all their sins, both open
and secret; and unless they repent and confess their sins before God,
unless they fall on the Rock and are broken, their sins will remain
charged against them in the books of record. Oh, fearful histories
will be opened to the world at the judgment—histories of sins never
confessed, of sins not blotted out! Oh, that these poor souls might
see that they are heaping up wrath against the day of wrath! Then
the thoughts of the heart, as well as the actions, will be revealed.
I tell you, my brethren and sisters, there is need of humbling your
souls before God. “Cease to do evil,” but do not stop here; “learn to
do well.” You can glorify God only by bearing fruit to His glory.
Ministers, for Christ’s sake, begin the work for yourselves. By
your unsanctified lives you have laid stumbling blocks before your
own children and before unbelievers. Some of you move by impulse,
act from passion and prejudice, and bring impure, tainted offerings
to God. For Christ’s sake cleanse the camp by beginning, through the
grace of Christ, the personal work of purifying the soul from moral
defilement. A jovial minister in the pulpit, or one who is stretching
beyond his measure to win praise, is a spectacle that crucifies the Son
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of God afresh and puts Him to open shame. There must be thorough
repentance, faith in our Saviour Jesus Christ, vigilant watchfulness,
unceasing prayer, and diligent searching of the Scriptures. God
holds us responsible for all that we might be if we would improve
our talents. We shall be judged according to what we ought to have
been, but were not; what we might have done, but did not accomplish