Testimony to the Church — No. 21a

Epistle Number Two.

Bro. Francisco: Dec. 10, 1871, I was shown your case, that you did not know what manner of spirit you were of. You have not a well-balanced mind; you arean extremist, and you should not rely upon your own judgment. Satan is deceiving you terribly, and you will make shipwreck of faith, unless you change your course. You are self-sufficient. T21a 94.2

You think you understand health reform; but you are merely a novice in this matter. You are too great a talker; you talk, talk, talk, and people are not made better by it. Your words are not in meekness and wisdom. You exalt yourself, but not Jesus Christ. You have much to say in regard to your knowledge and experience, when you do only harm. You are puffed up, conceited, unsanctified in heart and life. What have you to do to declare the statutes of the Lord? You only mar his work and reproach his cause. If you get some proselytes, they will need a greater work done for them to bring them to a correct knowledge of the truth than if you had made no effort for them, and they had remained in ignorance of the truth altogether. Your strength is to keep quiet, and set your own heart right before God. You have no work to do in preaching or talking the truth to thers. T21a 95.1

You will certainly bring a reproach upon the cause of God unless you attend to your own personal case. God does not lay upon you any burden for others. It is the nicest work ever committed to mortals to deal with minds. You are not qualified for this work; you are ardent, impulsive, and unreasonable. In short, you have not a sound mind; and unless there is a great change in you, you will not be able to so perfect Christian character as to obtain eternal life. You would, with your present spirit, make wonderful discord in Heaven. Your spirit could not unite and harmonize with the pure, heavenly angels in glory. You are blind to your own faults, and your self-sufficient spirit is grievous to the people of God, and hateful in the sight of the Lord. You have a greater work to do for yourself than you can possibly have to do for others. T21a 95.2

You have no time to lose. You are unready for the coming of your Lord. You need to soften and humble your heart, and let the self-sufficient spirit that you possess die. You need the planing knife of God to pass over you and remove your roughness, severity, and overbearing, spirit, and make you meek, gentle, and childlike. You talk against your brethren. Like the enemy of souls, you are the accusers of your brethren. You are the greatest enemy to yourself that you have. T21a 96.1

Your feelings that you have had in reference to Bro. Owens family have been unjust and cruel. God loves that family. They are seeking to love and serve him from the heart, while you have not been ing this, but have been exalting and glorifying yourself. God does not approbate your course, neither does he require you to take responsibilities of the church upon you. Labor for yourself. Talk less, and pray in secret more. Cease your complaints of your brethren. You have been a sore trial to them. Speak and write bitter things only against yourself. May the Lord help you to get right. T21a 96.2

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