Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

I was shown that God would not select a person with a mind constituted like yours,and lay heavy burdens upon him, and call him to fill the most responsible positions;for self-esteem would be so prominent that it would be ruinous to himself and toGod’s people. Had you esteemed yourself less, you would have had less jealousyand suspicion.Brother G, had you fully united with the body, and stood in union and sympathywith those whom God has seen fit to place at the head of the work; had you acceptedthe gifts which God has placed in the church, and committed yourself fully in regardto them; had you established yourself decidedly upon all points of present truth, anddrawn in even cords with those of experience in the cause, you and yours would havebeen perfectly free and safe from this delusion. You would have had an anchor whichwould have held you. But you have taken an indefinite position, fearing that you wouldgratify those whose whole soul was in the work and cause of God. God requires youto stand firmly, decidedly, upon the platform with your brethren. God and holy angelswere displeased with your course, and would bear with your folly no longer. Youwere left to follow your own judgment which you had so highly esteemed, until youshould wish to be taught, and without jealous, stubborn feelings, without complainingor censuring others, learn of those who have felt the burden and weight of the cause ofGod. You have been reaching out for an original position of your own, seeking to leadout independent of the body, where you would be approved and exalted, until I sawthat God had given you up to manage and manifest that wisdom you thought superiorto others, and you were left to your blind judgment to figure in the most unreasonable,foolish, wild fanaticism that ever cursed Wisconsin.And yet I was shown that you did not realize the influence of your past course uponthe cause, and your present position and duty in regard to that fanaticism. Instead ofworking312