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about him, soul and body, and that the clouds that have shadowed his
pathway be removed, and Christ come to his soul to revive and bless
it. Christ will lift the heavy burden from weary shoulders, and give
rest and peace to those who will wear His yoke and lift His burdens.
Appeal to a Leading Worker—I will say, Elder H, What can be
the character of your experience when in the face of many warnings
and reproofs you continue to pursue a course condemned of God?
Can you think well of yourself? Just think of Jesus, crowned with
thorns and nailed to the cross for our sins, and let it humble—yes, let
it break—your heart. Look at the meekness of Christ, His loveliness,
and then bow in the dust with shame and humiliation.
Will you please think what you would do in case one of our leading
men should be found in the position you are in? Could you, without
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any greater evidence on his part of the sense of his sin than you have
given, advise that he have credentials as one of pure and holy purposes
before God? Cannot you see you are placing your fellow laborers in a
very unpleasant and unenviable position? Will they venture to become
responsible for your character and your influence in the future in the
work and cause of God?
Responsibility of Greater Light—Your case has been shown me
to be worse than that of Elder R, because you had greater light, ca-
pacity, and influence; and his course is a beacon to warn you off from
following in his steps. Elder R’s credentials were taken away from
him; he is a deeply repentant man, humbled in the dust.
Supposing David should, after being reproved by Nathan, have
repeated the same offense, would the Lord then have had compassion
upon him? But he repented bitterly; he declared his transgression was
ever before him. Hear his humiliating confession, and listen to his
despairing cries.
Cleansing of the Camp—We must as a people arouse and cleanse
the camp of Israel. Licentiousness, unlawful intimacy, and unholy
practices are coming in among us in a large degree; and ministers
who are handling sacred things are guilty of sin in this respect. They
are coveting their neighbors’ wives, and the seventh commandment is
broken. We are in danger of becoming a sister to fallen Babylon, of
allowing our churches to become corrupted, and filled with every foul
spirit, a cage for every unclean and hateful bird; and will we be clear
unless we make decided movements to cure the existing evil?