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

given in their hearing general principles, close,
pointed truths, and all should be open to conviction
to see, to feel, and understand whether or not they
are condemned. You have not dealt closely and
faithfully with your own soul. Said the angel: "I
will prove him, I will test him, I will walk contrary
unto him, until he acknowledges the hand of God
in thus dealing with him."
I saw that while in ——- those connected with
your family did not move right. You manifested a
close spirit, savoring of overreaching and
dishonesty. You could have had no influence for
good in that place until you had redeemed the past
by an entire change of conduct in dealing with your
fellow men. Your light was darkness to the people,
and your influence while there was a great
detriment to the cause of present truth. You
brought reproach upon the truth, and your close
dealing caused your name to be a byword among
the people. You frequently fell below the standard
of many worldlings in regard to honorable dealing.
Elder I can do no good in ——-. His words are as
water spilled upon the ground, for the reason that
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