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Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2 - Ellen G. White

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Chapter 23<br />

Closeness in Deal<br />

Dear Bro<strong>the</strong>r H: I have been waiting <strong>for</strong> an<br />

opportunity to write you, but have been hindered.<br />

After my last vision I felt it to be my duty to<br />

speedily lay be<strong>for</strong>e you what <strong>the</strong> Lord was pleased<br />

to present to me. I was pointed back and shown<br />

that <strong>for</strong> years in <strong>the</strong> past, even be<strong>for</strong>e your<br />

marriage, <strong>the</strong>re had been in you a disposition to<br />

overreach in trade. You possessed a spirit of<br />

acquisitiveness, a disposition <strong>for</strong> close dealing,<br />

which was detrimental to your spiritual<br />

advancement and greatly injured your influence.<br />

Your fa<strong>the</strong>r's family viewed <strong>the</strong>se matters from <strong>the</strong><br />

world's standpoint ra<strong>the</strong>r than from <strong>the</strong> high,<br />

exalted standard quoted by our divine Lord: "Thou<br />

shalt love <strong>the</strong> Lord thy God with all thy heart, and<br />

with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with<br />

all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." In this<br />

you have failed. To deal in any way closely and<br />

unjustly is displeasing to God. He will not pass<br />

262

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