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Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
sition a seeming support; but why is it that they did not present
that which for years has been the burden of my message—the unity
of the church? Why did they not quote the words of the angel,
“Press together, press together, press together”? Why did they not
repeat the admonition and state the principle, that “in union there
is strength, in division there is weakness”? It is such messages as
these men have borne that divide the church, and put us to shame
before the enemies of truth; and in such messages is plainly revealed
the specious working of the great deceiver, who would hinder the
church from attaining unto perfection in unity. These teachers fol-
low the sparks of their own kindling, move according to their own
independent judgment, and cumber the truth with false notions and
theories. They refuse the counsel of their brethren, and press on in
their own way until they become just what Satan would desire to
have them—unbalanced in mind.
I warn my brethren to guard against the working of Satan in every
form. The great adversary of God and man is exulting today that he
has succeeded in deceiving souls, and in diverting their means and
ability into harmful channels. Their money might have been used
[57]
to advance present truth, but instead of this it has been expended in
presenting notions that have no foundation in truth.
Another Example
In 1845 a man by the name of Curtis [
See appendix.
] did a
similar work in the State of Massachusetts. He presented a false
doctrine, and wove into his theories sentences and selections from
the testimonies, and published his theories in the
Day Star
, and in
sheet form. For years these productions bore their baleful fruit, and
brought reproach upon the testimonies that, as a whole, in no way
supported his work. My husband wrote to him, and asked him what
he meant by presenting the testimonies interwoven with his own
words, in support of that which we were opposed to, and requested
him to correct the impression that his work had given. He flatly
refused to do so, saying that his theories were truth, and that the
visions ought to have corroborated his views, and that they virtually
did support them, but that I had forgotten to write out the matters
that made his theories plain.