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Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
Effect of Genuine Conversion
Said Christ, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me.” The look of
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grief and sadness which Jesus gave Peter was not a hopeless look; it
broke the heart of Peter, who denied his Lord.
But Peter was converted, and then after the crucifixion and resur-
rection of Christ when before the rulers, he boldly declared for Jesus,
and charged the rulers with these words: “But ye denied the Holy
One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
and killed the Prince of life.” There Peter shows himself entirely a
different man after his conversion than the self-confident, boasting
Peter prior to his conversion. I presented before them the voice of
the world, the enemies of Christ, saying to Christ’s messengers, “Ye
should not teach in this name” and “bring this Man’s blood upon us.”
Did this threatening succeed? did it make cowards of the witnesses
of Christ? No; they proclaimed the message given them of God;
and they were shut up in prison, and God sent His angel to release
them. The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and
brought them forth, and said, “Go, stand and speak in the temple
to the people all the words of this life.” This voice from the heav-
enly angels was directly opposite to that voice from the authorities,
and which should they obey? “Then Peter and the other apostles
answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The
God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a
tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and
a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy
Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him. When they
heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.”
Then Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, pleaded in behalf of the apostles,
and his words prevailed. Well, this is a little part of the words the
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Lord gave me to speak to the people.
How to Treat the Erring
The words given me were of that character that I knew the people
needed, and which would benefit them if they would hear. One
discourse was upon how to treat those united with us in church