Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1

Chapter 51—The Cause in the West

I have seen that men of worth have embraced the truth West who will yet be pillars to the cause. When they can place their temporal affairs in a condition where they can use a portion of their means, they will do their part toward sustaining the cause. I also saw that some were willing to receive the truth, brought to them by the liberalities of their Eastern brethren, without its costing them anything. The brethren West should arouse and meet the expenses of their own states. God requires this at their hands, and they should feel it a privilege to do so. The Lord will prove them, He will try them to see if they will withdraw their affections from the world and make their faith perfect by works. 1T 250.1

I saw that God's hand was stretched out to gather in souls in the West. He has been bringing out men who can teach the truth to others, whose duty it will be to bear the message into new fields. I saw that if the men who have moved from the East to the West and have endured the hardships of settling in a new country, receive present truth understandingly, they will manifest a perseverance and decision of character in regard to the truth, similar to that manifested in securing to themselves temporal possessions, and will engage as heartily in the work of advancing the truth. If this corresponding zeal is lacking, the truth has not yet had its saving, sanctifying influence upon them. 1T 250.2

I was pointed back to a meeting in ——. Brother P felt the burden of the cause, but R had a spirit of opposition. His testimony was not in union with the work of God, and he brought grief and burden upon those who were laboring for its advancement. But it would have been better for the cause had he been suffered a time longer, and the brethren borne the confusion he caused. I saw that Brother P moved unwisely in his case. It gave R and the enemies of our faith the advantage. Brother P should have waited until R's religious character was more fully developed. He would soon either have united with the remnant people of God or been left one side. But R obtained sympathy on account of his age. He had partaken of the spirit of the Messenger party, and his whole course was darkened by it. His wife has an excitable, bitter spirit, and has been zealous to spread false reports. She acts the part to her husband that Jezebel did to Ahab, and stirs him up to fight against the servants of God, who bear a pointed testimony. 1T 250.3

Their influence East has been decidedly against the spirit of the truth and those who have devoted their lives to labor for its advancement. There is a class East who profess to believe the truth, but who cherish secret feelings of dissatisfaction against those who bear the burden in this work. The true sentiments of such do not appear until some influence opposed to the work of God arises, and then they manifest their true character. Such readily receive, cherish, and circulate reports which have no foundation in truth, to destroy the influence of those who are engaged in this work. All who wish to draw off from the body will have opportunity. Something will arise to test everyone. The great sifting time is just before us. The jealous and the faultfinding, who are watching for evil, will be shaken out. They hate reproof and despise correction. Those who love the spirit of the third angel's message can have no union with the spirit of R and his wife. 1T 251.1

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