Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Jealousy and Faultfinding 303have been embarrassed temporally as well as spiritually, and nearlyruined by this deception of Satan. Brother G, you have run to greatlengths in this sad fanaticism; your body has been affected as well asyour mind, and you now seek to charge it all upon others. You havenot a true sense of your position and course in the past. You are freeto confess that which others have done, and that which you did not do;but you have failed to confess that which you did do.Your influence in-----has been injurious. You were opposed toorganization, and preached against it in an indefinite manner, not soboldly as some might have done, but you went just as far as you daredto go. In this way you have many times gratified your envious feelings,and created distrust and uncertainty in the minds of many, when ifyou had come out openly, you would have been plainly understoodand could have done but little mischief. When charged with advocatingsentiments contrary to the faith of the body, you would notacknowledge it, but mystified your position, and made it appear thatthe brethren misunderstood you, when you know that the charge wascorrect. As you now are, the church cannot depend on you. Whenyou manifest the fruits of an entire reform, and give evidence that youare converted, and have overcome your jealousy, then God will againtrust His flock to your care. But until you make thorough restitution,you will exert the best influence by staying at home, and being “notslothful in business.”By your noncommittal position, and by your course in this fanati- [318]cism you have done more injury to the cause of God in Wisconsinthan you have done good in all your life. Our faith has been madedisgusting to unbelievers; a wound, an incurable wound, has beengiven to the cause of God, and yet many, with yourself, seem astonishedthat so much is said and made of this fanaticism. One evil seedsown takes root, grows rank, and bears fruit, and there is an abundantharvest. Evil flourishes and needs no culture while the good seed sownneeds to be watered, carefully tended, and continually nourished, orthe precious plants will die. Satan, evil angels, and wicked men aretrying to root up and destroy the good, and it requires the greatestvigilance, and the most constant care, to have it live and flourish. Anevil seed sown cannot be easily rooted out. It spreads, and springs upin every direction, to crush out the precious seed; and if left alone it