To Brother J. N. Andrews And Sister H. N. Smith

Future Course

It has been a matter of great perplexity to me to know just what course to pursue with the messages given for individuals. I have often written messages of reproof for different ones, and they have laid the messages away, said nothing about them, whether they received them or not, but their fruit have shown in many instances that they were not affected at all by the message, for they pursued the same course of action, and the church are affected by their influence, believing them to be right, for they were ignorant of the reproof given the erring ones. My course is now clear to wrong the church no longer. If reproofs are given I dare not commit it alone to the individual to be buried up by them, but shall read what the Lord has seen fit to give me, to a select company, those of experience in the church, and if the case demands I shall bring it before the whole church. The great delicacy which some have manifested lest others should learn that they have been reproved, proceeds from a lack of humility, and a lack of willingness to acknowledge their wrongs. The minds of many have been abused by individuals that have been reproved by vision, and their minds prejudiced, because they had no knowledge of what the Lord had revealed. I shall keep these things secret no longer. God's people must know what the Lord has been pleased to reveal, that they be not deceived and led astray by a wrong spirit. PH016 38.2

For a long time I have been convicted that I was taking a wrong course by thus hiding matters from those in the church who should be acquainted with them, but have received censure and abuse by the one reproved if I considered it necessary to open the matter to individuals liable to be affected by their wrong influence. I have feared to take a course which I believed it often my duty to take. And then persons, and even churches, who have been led astray by these ones who had been reproved and did not reform, have censured me and been much tried because I suffered them to remain in darkness when the light had been given me. I see it is impossible to take a course but that I shall receive censure and blame from someone, and for the future shall follow my convictions of duty, that the church be not deceived, and trust the result with God. PH016 39.1

E. G. White