Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

made straight work, taken hold of and reproved individual wrongs. The burden youcast upon Elder D you deserved yourself, for your lack of moral courage to lay yourhand upon wrong. You influenced others. The good work which God designed shouldbe accomplished for certain ones was not accomplished, and they have been puffed upby Satan. If you had stood in the counsel of God at that time, an influence would havebeen cast which would have told upon the cause of God. The Spirit of the Lord wasgrieved. And this lack of union discourages those upon whom God lays the burden ofreproof.“I was shown that you had been wrong in sympathizing with E. The course youhave taken in regard to him has injured your influence, and has greatly injured thecause of God. It is impossible for E to be fellowshiped by the church of God. Hehas placed himself where he cannot be helped by the church, where he can have nocommunion with nor voice in the church. He has placed himself there in the face oflight and truth. He has stubbornly chosen his own course, and refused to listen toreproof. He has followed the inclinations of his corrupt heart, has violated the holylaw of God, and has disgraced the cause of present truth. If he repents ever so heartily,the church must let his case alone. If he goes to heaven, it must be alone, without thefellowship of the church. A standing rebuke from God and the church must ever restupon him, that the standard of morality be not lowered to the very dust. The Lord isdispleased with your course in these things.“You have injured the cause of God; your willful course has wounded the heartsof God’s people. Your influence encourages a slack state of things in the church. Youshould bear a living, pointed testimony. Stand out of the way of the work of God, stepnot in between God and His people. You have too long wrapped up the sharp testimony,and stood opposed to the severe censure which God lays upon215