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Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

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Our Ministers 437not be eyeservants and seek to please <strong>the</strong>mselves, but will consecrate<strong>the</strong>mselves and all <strong>the</strong>ir interests to this solemn work.Some in <strong>the</strong>ir public labors with <strong>the</strong> churches are in danger ofmaking mistakes from a lack of thoroughness. It is <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir owninterest and that of <strong>the</strong> cause that <strong>the</strong>y should search closely, try <strong>the</strong>irmotives, and be certain to divest <strong>the</strong>mselves of selfishness. Theyshould watch lest, while <strong>the</strong>y preach straight truths to o<strong>the</strong>rs, <strong>the</strong>y failto live by <strong>the</strong> same rule, and allow Satan to substitute something else<strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> deep heartwork. They should be thorough with <strong>the</strong>mselves andwith <strong>the</strong> cause of God lest <strong>the</strong>y work <strong>for</strong> wages and lose sight of <strong>the</strong>important and exalted character of <strong>the</strong> work. They should not let selfrule instead of Jesus, and <strong>the</strong>y should be careful not to say to <strong>the</strong> sinner [469]in Zion, It shall be well with <strong>the</strong>e, when God has pronounced a curseupon him.Ministers must arouse and manifest a life, zeal, and devotion towhich <strong>the</strong>y have <strong>for</strong> quite a length of time been almost strangers because<strong>the</strong>y have failed to walk with God. The cause of God in manyplaces is not improving. Soul work is needed. The people are overchargedwith surfeiting and drunkenness and <strong>the</strong> cares of this life.They are entering deeper and deeper into a spirit of worldly enterprise.They are ambitious to get gain. Spirituality and devotion are rare. Thespirit that prevails is to work, to accumulate, and to add to that which<strong>the</strong>y already possess. “What will be <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong>se things?” was <strong>the</strong>burden of my inquiry.Conference meetings have accomplished no lasting good. Thosewho attend <strong>the</strong> meetings carry a spirit of traffic with <strong>the</strong>m. Ministersand people frequently bring <strong>the</strong>ir merchandise to <strong>the</strong>se large ga<strong>the</strong>rings,and <strong>the</strong> truths spoken from <strong>the</strong> desk fail to impress <strong>the</strong> heart. The swordof <strong>the</strong> Spirit, <strong>the</strong> word of God, fails to do its office work; it falls tamelyupon <strong>the</strong> hearers. The exalted work of God is made to connect tooclosely with common things.The ministers must be converted be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong>y can streng<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>irbrethren. They should not preach <strong>the</strong>mselves, but Christ and Hisrighteousness. A re<strong>for</strong>mation is needed among <strong>the</strong> people, but itshould first begin its purifying work with <strong>the</strong> ministers. They arewatchmen upon <strong>the</strong> walls of Zion, to sound <strong>the</strong> note of warning to <strong>the</strong>careless, <strong>the</strong> unsuspecting; also to portray <strong>the</strong> fate of <strong>the</strong> hypocrite inZion. It seemed to me that some of <strong>the</strong> ministers had <strong>for</strong>gotten that

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