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Welfare Ministry
ment. Angels are waiting to see if we embrace opportunities within
our reach of doing good—waiting to see if we will bless others, that
they in their turn may bless us....
I have heard many excuse themselves from inviting to their homes
and hearts the saints of God. “Why, I have nothing prepared, I have
nothing cooked; they must go to some other place.” And at that place
there may be some other excuse invented for not receiving those who
need hospitality, and the feelings of the visitors are deeply grieved,
and they leave with unpleasant impressions in regard to the hospitality
of these professed brethren and sisters. If you have no bread, sister,
imitate the case brought to view in the Bible. Go to your neighbor and
say, “Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey
is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.” We have not
an example of this lack of bread ever being made an excuse to refuse
entrance to an applicant. When Elijah came to the widow of Sarepta,
she shared her morsel with the prophet of God, and he wrought a
miracle, and caused that in that act of making a home for his servant,
and sharing her morsel with him, she herself was sustained, and her
life and that of her son preserved. Thus will it prove in the case of
many, if they do this cheerfully, for the glory of God.—
Testimonies
for the Church 2:27-29
.
Church Body Accountable for Negligence of Members—God
will hold the church at _____ responsible, as a body, for the wrong
course of its members. If a selfish and unsympathizing spirit is allowed
to exist in any of its members toward the unfortunate, the widow, the
orphan, the blind, the lame, or those who are sick in body or mind, He
will hide His face from His people until they do their duty and remove
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the wrong from among them. If any professing the name of Christ so
far misrepresent their Saviour as to be unmindful of their duty to the
afflicted, or if they in any way seek to advantage themselves to the
injury of the unfortunate, and thus rob them of means, the Lord holds
the church accountable for the sin of its members until they have done
all they can to remedy the existing evil. He will not hearken to the
prayer of His people while the orphan, the fatherless, the lame, the
blind, and the sick are neglected among them.—
Testimonies for the
Church 3:517, 518
.
Heaven Keeps a Faithful Record—Christ regards all acts of
mercy, benevolence, and thoughtful consideration for the unfortu-