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

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will receive its merited reward; your life will be a<br />

failure.<br />

One of <strong>the</strong> greatest reasons <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> declension<br />

of <strong>the</strong> church at ——- is <strong>the</strong>ir measuring<br />

<strong>the</strong>mselves by <strong>the</strong>mselves and comparing<br />

<strong>the</strong>mselves among <strong>the</strong>mselves. There are but few<br />

who have <strong>the</strong> living principle in <strong>the</strong> soul and who<br />

serve God with an eye single to His glory. Many at<br />

——- will not consent to be saved in God's<br />

appointed way. They will not take <strong>the</strong> trouble to<br />

work out <strong>the</strong>ir own salvation with fear and<br />

trembling. The latter <strong>the</strong>y do not experience; and,<br />

ra<strong>the</strong>r than be at <strong>the</strong> trouble of obtaining an<br />

experience through individual ef<strong>for</strong>t, <strong>the</strong>y will run<br />

<strong>the</strong> risk of leaning upon o<strong>the</strong>rs and trusting in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

experience. They cannot consent to watch and<br />

pray, to live <strong>for</strong> God and Him only. It is more<br />

pleasant to live in obedience to self.<br />

The church at ——- are filled with <strong>the</strong>ir own<br />

backslidings, and <strong>the</strong>y need not dream of<br />

prosperity until those who name <strong>the</strong> name of Christ<br />

are careful to depart from all iniquity, until <strong>the</strong>y<br />

708

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