Basic HTML Version
To God’s Workmen
319
of truth. The desire to grasp large wages, with a determination to de-
prive others of their God-given rights, has its origin in Satan’s mind;
and by their obedience to his will and way, men place themselves
under his banner. Little dependence can be placed on those that have
been taken in this snare, unless they are thoroughly converted and
renovated; for they have been leavened by wrong principles, which
they could not perceive were deleterious in their effect.
Oh, if those in the various fields, in America and all over the
world, were working according to the Bible rule, and were striving
to uproot selfishness, what a work would be accomplished for the
church! But sins which have from time to time been pointed out are
lying at the door of many, sins which the Lord regards as of no light
character. If men would only give up their Spirit of resistance to the
Holy Spirit,—the spirit which has long been leavening their religious
experience,—God’s Spirit would address itself to their hearts. It
would convince of sin. What a work! But the Holy Spirit has been
insulted, and light has been rejected. Is it possible for those who
for years have been so blinded, to see? Is it possible that in this late
stage of their resistance their eyes will be anointed? Will the voice
of the Spirit of God be distinguished from the deceiving voice of the
enemy?
There are men who will soon evidence which banner they are
standing under, the banner of the Prince of life, or the banner of
the prince of darkness. If they could only see these matters as they
are presented to me, if they could see that, as far as their souls are
[394]
concerned, they are as men standing on the brink of a precipice,
ready to slide over to the depths below, I do not think they would
stand trembling on the brink another instant, if they had any regard
for their salvation.
It is not the will of God that any shall perish, but that all shall
have everlasting life. Oh, could I be assured that in the coming
conference my brethren would feel a sense of what pure principles
mean to them and to all with whom they are associated, my heart
would leap with joy! If those that have wandered so far from God
and true righteousness would show that the Holy Spirit was striving
with them, that they were conscious of their guiltiness in departing
from the word of God and acting as blind leaders of the blind, I
should have hope. When these do awake from their paralysis, they