Four Unholy Ministers
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marriage vows, refusing, in thought, word, or deed, to spoil your record
as a man who fears God and obeys His commandments. You have
been imbibing spiritualistic ideas. But if you will now turn wholly to
God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be imparted to you, and
truth will triumph in your life.—
Letter 231, 1903
.
A Public Reproof [
Written to a young unmarried minister.
]—We
have some hard labor to do here. There was a spirit of lightness [on the
ground]. The young men were mating [pairing] up [with] the young
girls, and when reproved, were, some of them, defiant, hardhearted,
reckless. We had to get this cleared away before we could get the
spirit of freedom into our meeting. But Sabbath everything seemed
to break away. Elder Y, who has been preaching, has been running
after the girls, married women, and widows, and this seemed to be his
inclination out of the desk from State to State. Sunday morning I called
him out by name and told him and all present we had no use for any
such men, for they would only make the work of the burden-bearing
laborers double what it is now.
If they would only take themselves out of the way and act out just
what was in their heart, without doing this evil work under a pretense of
godliness, the cause would be relieved. He has made no confession yet.
Do not know as he will do so. But light came into our meetings, and
the young who had been following his example came out decidedly
and confessed their wrong course of action. When will those who
profess Christ be wise?—
Letter 53, 1884
.
[203]
Invitation to Work in Another Country [
A letter written to a
repentant minister who had broken the seventh commandment.
]—
Dear Brother V: I have this morning received and read your letter, and
if I do not answer at once I fear it will pass from my mind....
In regard to your changing your location, I would mention to you
England. There is a large field and but few workers, plenty of work to
be done in which all may act a part—all of your family, if they desire
to give themselves to the Lord and act a part in His cause. You will
find room enough to work, and if you go forth to labor in meekness
and humility, redeeming the past errors of your life, God will accept
you. There is need of laborers in England, and the advantage of that
country over other parts of Europe is that our American brethren do
not have to work through an interpreter....