No Harsh Words nor Debating Spirit
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no higher than the standard raised for them by the ministers. Men
who are standing between the living and the dead should be just right.
The minister should not be off his guard for a single moment. He is
laboring to elevate others by bringing them up upon the platform of
truth. Let him show to others that the truth has done something for him.
He should see the evil of these careless, rough, vulgar expressions,
and should put away and despise everything of this character. Unless
he does this, his converts will pattern after him.—
Testimonies for the
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Church 1:445, 446
.
Closed and Locked Doors—Let everyone bear in mind that we
are in no case to invite persecution. We are not to use words that are
harsh and cutting. Keep them out of every article written, drop them
out of every address given. Let the Word of God do the cutting, the
rebuking; let finite men hide and abide in Jesus Christ. Let the Spirit
of Christ appear. Let all be guarded in their words, lest they place
those not of our faith in deadly opposition against us, and give Satan
an opportunity to use the unadvised words to hedge up our way. “Do
nothing before the time.” When God gives a close, cutting message it
will be His work, not prompted by the impulse of finite beings. Man’s
cutting and slashing with the two-edged sword will hedge up our way,
so that we shall find doors closed and locked against us.—
Manuscript
95, 1894
No Reference to Opponents’ Claims—The Holy Spirit will ap-
ply the word that is spoken in love to the soul. But let it be understood
that no good is accomplished when the voice or the pen expresses
that which is harsh, or even expresses the truth in a harsh manner.
Let the region of human passion be passed by, lest the truth be mis-
apprehended, misinterpreted, and misconstrued. The truth will have
quickening power that is spoken under the full influence of the grace
of Christ. God’s plan is first to reach the heart. Speak the truth and let
Him carry forward the reformatory power and principle; but let us not
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work according to our own individual impulse.
What matter of good can be accomplished for souls who are in
darkness by castigating them with denunciations? Those who have not
a knowledge of the truth, who are blinded and warped in judgment,
do not understand what it means. Speak the truth in love. Let the
tenderness of Christ come in to the soul. Make no special reference to
what opponents say, but let the truth alone be spoken—“It is written.”