Testimony for the Church — No. 16

Epistle Number Two

Dear Bro. ——: I have been waiting for an opportunity to write to you, but have been hindered. After my last vision I felt it to be my duty to speedily lay before you what the Lord was pleased to present to me. T16 48.1

I was pointed back and shown that for years in the past, even before your marriage, there had been a disposition to overreach in trade. You possessed a spirit of acquisitiveness, a disposition for close dealing, which was detrimental to your spiritual advancement, and greatly injured your influence. Your father's family viewed these matters from a worldling's standpoint, rather than from the high, exalted standard quoted by our divine Lord: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself.” In this you have failed. T16 48.2

To deal in any way closely and unjustly is displeasing to God. He will not pass over errors and sins in this direction without thorough confessing and forsaking. T16 48.3

I was pointed far back, and shown the loose manner in which you regarded these things. The Lord noticed—he marked the transaction of carrying to the market that load of —— that were so inferior that they could not be profitable to keep, therefore, were made to be food and carried to the market to be bought and introduced into the stomach as food. That —— was placed upon the table for some time to feed our large family in the days of our poverty. You were not the only one to be blamed in this. Others of your family were alike guilty as yourself. It matters not whether that —— was designed to be bought by us and eaten by us, or by worldlings who would purchase them of you. It is the principle of the thing which displeased God. You transgressed the commandment of God. You did not love your neighbor as yourself; for you would have been unwilling to have one do the same thing to you. You would have considered yourself insulted. An avaricious spirit led to this departure from Christian principles to descend to a species of trading, advantaging yourself at others’ disadvantage. T16 49.1

When the meat-eating question was presented before me five years since, showing how little the people knew what they were eating for food in the shape of flesh-meats, this transaction of yours was shown me. The effects upon those who eat the meat of these unhealthy animals, are fevers, diseased blood, and sickness. Many instances of the kind were shown me as being acted over daily by worldlings. You, my dear brother, have not seen this wrong on your part as the Lord sees it. You have never felt over this matter, that it was a great sin on your part. Many things of like character have taken place in your life which you will find the recording angel has faithfully chronicled, and you will meet them again, unless by repentance and confession you make these wrongs right. T16 49.2

I was bidden to wait and see. I was directed to speak plainly, give general principles, and leave you to make the application yourself. I was shown that God would not frequently point out wrongs that were committed by his people, but would cause to be given in their hearing general principles, close, pointed truths, and all should be open to conviction to see, to feel, and understand whether “In this saying thou condemnest us also.” 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.” T16 50.1

I saw that while in W. those connected with your family did not move aright. You manifested a close spirit, savoring of overreaching and dishonesty. You could have had no influence for good in that place until you should redeem 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 caused your name to be a by word before the people for your close dealing. In this you worked frequently below the standpoint of many worldlings in regard to honorable dealing. Elder —— can do no good in W. His words are as water spilt upon the ground, for the reason that he was connected with you, and took part in this close trading. He became like a worldling in many respects in business transactions. He was close, and fast becoming selfish. His course in many things was calculated to destroy his influence, and was not becoming a minister of Christ. T16 50.2

Said the angel, in the vision given at Rochester, 1866, “My hand shall bring adversity. He may gather, but I will scatter until he redeems the past, and makes clean work for eternity.” Every true Christian should feel above condescending to the low, bartering, trading, spirit of worldlings. T16 51.1

You are not a miser; you love to be benevolent, free, open-hearted and open-handed, but it is the spirit mentioned in this letter, of not loving your neighbor as yourself; this neglect of seeing and making right your wrongs, when the clear, pure, forcible, light of truth has told you too plainly your duty, that is wrong in you. You are a lover of hospitality, and God will not give you over to be deceived by the great deceiver of mankind; but will come directly to you and show you where you err that you may retrace your steps. God now calls upon you to redeem the past, and to come up upon a higher plane of action, and let your life record be unspotted with avarice, or selfish love of gain. T16 51.2

Your judgment in worldly things will become foolishness unless you dedicate all to God. You and your wife are not devotional. Your spirituality is not what God would have it to be. Paralysis seems to be upon you; yet you are both capable of exerting a strong influence for God and for his truth, if you adorn your profession with well-ordered lives and godly conversation. You frequently get in too great a hurry, and then order in a hurried manner your help. You are frequently impatient, and fret. This is all detrimental to your spiritual advancement. T16 51.3

Time is short, and you have no time to delay the preparation of heart necessary to labor earnestly and faithfully for your own souls, and for the salvation of your friends and neighbors, and all who come under your influence. Ever aim to so live in the light that your influence can be sanctifying upon those with whom you are associated in business capacity, or in common intercourse. T16 52.1

There is a fullness in Jesus. Strength you can obtain from him which will qualify you to walk even as he walked. No separation is allowed in your affections from God. He requires the entire man, the soul, body, and spirit. The Lord will work for you, and bless you, and strengthen you by his rich grace, when you do all on your part which he requires. T16 52.2

E. G. W.

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