Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)
Ms 111, 1893
“Are Ye Not Then Partial To Yourselves?”
NP
Circa 1893
Previously unpublished.
In every Institution among us there is great need of elevating the standard of Christianity. Unless a decided reformation is brought about in the management, those who hold responsible positions will be removed, and the Lord will commit his sacred work to others who will have a better realization of what the responsibilities of the work involve. If having a position of prominence makes men self-sufficient, if it encourages them to yield to temptation, if they become self-serving, and look out for their own advantage, ready to be bought or sold for gain, they will not long be entrusted with the work of God. Those who are covetous will defile the work of God by avarice. They will manifest the disposition that made the Lord abhor his people anciently. God bears long with men, giving them an opportunity for test and trial, that the character may be developed, and it is made manifest whether or not they will do justice and judgment. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 1
The commandment is given, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” [Leviticus 19:18.] Every hand employed in our Institutions is to be treated as the purchase of Christ’s blood. One may not say to the rich or favored, “Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit thou under my footstool.” James says, “Are ye not then partial in your selves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor.” [James 2:3-6.] The temptations that come to those who have been unjustly treated, will be charged to those who dealt partially with them. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 2
God sees when confederacy is formed for the bestowal of favors upon a select number, and yet these chosen ones may not be more highly regarded by the Lord than those who are neglected and set aside, who are assigned to hard places to carry with their burdens a grieved and wounded spirit. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 3
“If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. ... for he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy.” [Verses 8, 9, 13.] <May the Lord pity the deceived souls.> If it were known that the Lord would visit with immediate punishment the wrongs committed against Jesus in the person of his saints, many would fear to work the injuries that now are so common. From selfish motives, to avoid punishment, many would exercise great care in keeping the letter of the law, who now seem unmoved by entreaties, exhortations, warnings and prayers; for they do not make permanent reformation. But although punishment is delayed for a time, yet it will come, for the Lord has declared, “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: but it shall not be well with the wicked.” [Ecclesiastes 8:12, 13.] 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 4
God is not like man, quick, decisive, condemnatory, visiting the guilty according to their deserts with immediate retribution. He displays long-suffering and kindness; but he is not unmindful of the prayers of the injured. In the courts of heaven their plea is recorded, and justice and equity will be done. It is natural for men to love those who love them, to worship those who worship them; but God is not a man that can be moved by bribed or flattery to countenance fraud and robbery, to pass by the indulgence of selfishness, and wink at dishonesty and injustice. He will by no means clear the guilty. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 5
There is eternal justice in the principles of God’s dealings. A register is kept of the transactions of men with their fellows. Not only are their deeds recorded, but their harsh words are written down, for words of condemnation and reproach often hurt the soul worse than blows hurt the body. Injustice and oppression practiced by men in high position makes a deeper wound on the soul than does the same injustice from a source where less responsibility rests, where godliness is not professed. God sees the evil that those do who claim to be his children as well as that which is practiced by unbelievers. Every wrong committed in the land is registered with unerring accuracy, and unless the unfaithful stewards repent and make reformation, their deeds of evil will stand against them in the judgment. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 6
God bears long with men. He sends them message after message, entreating them with calls to repentance that he may forgive, and write pardon against their names; but when his appeals are unheeded, his overtures of mercy ignored, and there is no repentance, no falling upon the Rock and being broken, but utter rejection of his mercy, he turns away, the limit of his forbearance is reached. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 7
The spell of Satan must be broken ere it be too late; for terrible will be the results of failing to do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 8
We raise a voice of warning. Idolatry must be put away. The command of God is, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” [Matthew 4:10.] If you serve self, you make self an idol, and sacrifice at its unworthy shrine all that is worth your keeping. If you grasp for money, taking as high wages as you can obtain, while others who work harder than you do, are made to feel that they must be content with low wages, you are robbing the laborer of his hire through the practice of injustice. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 9
Jesus says, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. ... Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” [Matthew 22:37, 39.] “This do,” said Christ, “and thou shalt live.” [Luke 10:28.] I call upon all who are managers in our Institutions to awake, and reason from high principles, and determine what shall be your future course. Will you break the spell that Satan has put upon you? Will you seek to be cleansed from the guilty record that is registered against you? God has honored you by giving you a connection with his work; but if this connection with sacred responsibilities does not increase your piety in practical life, does not aid you in the cultivation of mercy, long-suffering and goodness, does not make you tender-hearted, pitiful, courteous, Christlike, then your condemnation will be in proportion to the responsibility of the position you have accepted. It will be in proportion as your example in transgression as a responsible man is of influence to work injury in representing the attributes of Satan instead of those of the Father in heaven. Great light has come to this people and the work of wrath is a strange work for God, but when it is necessary he will vindicate his name, bringing forth his judgment as the light and his righteousness as the noonday. 8LtMs, Ms 111, 1893, par. 10