Fragments
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are many who have not received a right education; their characters
are warped, they are hard and gnarled, and seem to be crooked in
every way. But the grace of Christ can transform them. Never cast
them aside, never drive them to discouragement or despair by saying,
“You have disappointed me, and I will not try to help you.” A few
words spoken hastily under provocation,—just what we think they
deserve,—may cut the cords of influence that should have bound their
hearts to ours.
The consistent life, the patient forbearance, the spirit unruffled
under provocation, is always the most conclusive argument and the
most solemn appeal. If you have had opportunities and advantages
that have not fallen to the lot of others, consider this, and be ever a
wise, careful, gentle teacher.
In order to have the wax take a clear, strong impression of the seal,
you do not dash the seal upon it in a hasty, violent way; you carefully
place the seal on the plastic wax, and quietly, steadily press it down,
until it has hardened in the mold. In like manner deal with human
souls. The continuity of Christian influence is the secret of its power,
and this depends on the steadfastness of your manifestation of the
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character of Christ. Help those who have erred, by telling them of your
experiences. Show how, when you made grave mistakes, patience,
kindness, and helpfulness on the part of your fellow workers gave you
courage and hope.
Until the judgment you will never know the influence of a kind,
considerate course toward the inconsistent, the unreasonable, the un-
worthy. When we meet with ingratitude and betrayal of sacred trusts,
we are roused to show our contempt or indignation. This the guilty
expect, they are prepared for it. But kind forbearance takes them
by surprise, and often awakens their better impulses, and arouses a
longing for a nobler life.—
The Ministry of Healing, 494-495
.
Every association of life calls for the exercise of self-control, for-
bearance, and sympathy. We differ so widely in disposition, habits,
education, that our ways of looking at things vary. We judge differ-
ently. Our understanding of truth, our ideas in regard to the conduct of
life, are not in all respects the same. There are no two whose experi-
ence is alike in every particular. The trials of one are not the trials of
another. The duties that one finds light, are to another most difficult
and perplexing.