Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

304 Testimonies for the Church Volume 1[319]will grow strong, and shut out the rays of the sun from the preciousplants, until they grow sickly and die.We met your influence at-----. The division existing there wouldnot have been had you taken a right position, and received the wordof the Lord through His servants. But this you would not do. God’sservants had to deal plainly with your wrong course. Had they takenstronger ground, and been much more severe with the course youhad pursued, God would have approved them. It would have beenbetter had you remained entirely away from-----, for every time God’sservants exposed that fanaticism, the reproof hit Brother G, and youshrank, felt abused, neglected, etc. You pursued your blind courseamong different families in-----; you labored for sympathy, and createdopposition of feeling against Brethren C, D, and E. You felt wrong,felt slighted; you talked and acted out your feelings, and thus createdjealousy and distrust in many minds in regard to God’s servants whomHe had especially sent to you. Your course destroyed the force of theirtestimony on some minds; but some felt thankful that light had come,and that Satan’s snare was broken, and they had escaped. Others felthard, and decided against the testimony borne, and there was a divisionin the body. You can take the responsibility of this. We have had tolabor for the church in-----with distress of spirit to do away the wronginfluence and impressions you had created. You have a work to dothere.I saw that some have been very jealous for you, fearing that youwould not be rightly dealt with, and not have justice done you by yourministering brethren. Such should stand out of the way, and be faithfulto confess their own wrongs, and let all the censure and weight ofyour wrongs rest upon your own head. God designs that they shallrest there until you thoroughly remove them by repentance and heartyconfession. Those who have a perverted sympathy for you cannot helpyou. Let them manifest zeal in repenting of their own backslidings,and leave you to stand for yourself. You have been altogether out ofthe way, and unless you make thorough work, confess your wrongswithout censuring your brethren, and are willing to be instructed, youcan have no part with God’s people.You have stood aloof from those upon whom God has laid theheavy burden of His work. While my husband already had the laborand burden which three men should have shared, you have injured him