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Working Together
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all classes of persons. Dangers beset the faith of every soul who is
not closely connected with God.—
Letter 1, 1882
.
Lessons From a Detrimental Union With a Superficial
Group
—Temperance societies, and clubs have been formed among
those who make no profession of the truth.
[Note: In the latter half of
the nineteenth century a number of popular temperance organizations
were formed with large memberships. These were relatively short-
lived and are not known today by the general public.—Compilers.]
... I was shown that the condition of the church at-----was peculiar.
Many who, had they given as much zeal, and manifested as much
missionary spirit in the work of reform among us as a people as they
have given to the Red-Ribbon Club, their course would have been
sanctioned by God. But the different organizations upon temperance
are very limited in their ideas of reform.
Those who give so great influence to the agitation of this ques-
tion and at the same time are devotees of tobacco, drink tea and
coffee, and indulge in health-destroying food at their tables, are not
temperance people. They make weak and spasmodic movements,
full of zeal and excitement, but they do not go to the bottom of
true reform, and in a short time will show flagging interest, and a
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returning of many to their old wicked indulgences, because they
merely picked off the leaves of the tree instead of laying the ax at its
root. This matter of temperance must go to the root of the evil or it
will be of but little avail.
Our Influence Must Be With Loyal and True
—While our
people mingle with the class who are enemies of Christ and the
truth, they neither gain nor give strength.... We must not be exclusive
as a people; our light is diffusive, constantly seeking to save the
perishing. But while we are doing this our strength of influence must
ever be found with the loyal and true....
God’s House Desecrated
—The house dedicated to the worship
of God is not the place to bring in the class that come into the house
of God, and defile the temple of God with their intemperance in the
use of tobacco while they profess to be temperance advocates. The
coarse speeches, the noisy talk and actions, are not a credit to these
brethren....
It is impossible for our people to harmonize with any party or
temperance club, when our faith is so dissimilar....