Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 166, 1907

Testimony Regarding Elder and Mrs. Rice

1907

Previously unpublished.

I must speak decidedly. [Concerning] the things which have transpired in the course pursued toward Elder Rice and his wife, I am to say: The Lord condemns that men and women should encourage in any movements of their action [or] take a power upon themselves as though they were to act the part toward their fellow beings as if they were God and their words must be treated in their decisions as God’s. Any man in office that shall go over this ground has entirely mistaken his duty. No souls are to be treated as these two have been treated. We need the spread and success of their own individual plans. The Lord forbids you to pass over similar ground toward any persons who claim to be Christians. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 1

If you are so confused you cannot see, you need the converting power of God upon heart and soul and character. There has been no call for any such exhibitions. If the church do not all see alike, such movements as man taking a controlling, objectionable influence against his fellow worker [are wrong when] the evidence is given that it is the Lord who has given Elder Rice and his wife [a work] to do. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 2

[There are] the women who have through envy and jealousy reported things which it is now their duty to explain. These women [who have been] permitted to become workers have not been thus appointed. It is a haphazard work. They have not a capital to work upon. They need now to have much less opinion of themselves and give due weight and respect to those whom the Lord has appointed. These laborers are Elder Rice and wife, [and they] are not that which you have supposed they were. They can be very useful in a church that can discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 3

Now I should, if I had the privilege of another meeting, lift off the reproach that has been placed upon these workers of the Rice family. They have, without any officiousness, set forth their principles, explaining from the Word of God, letting scripture explain scripture. They will stand forth consistent with the Spirit of the Word of God. They have put themselves to task to be inconvenienced to accommodate others in an emergency. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 4

We have before us in San Francisco [examples of] how little people can make themselves when they put their own selves into contest. We see how little in the contest of San Francisco. Those who claim to be guardians of the people care so little for the sacredness of truth. Men will insinuate falsehood which they dare not utter. The place in this contest is San Francisco, if it suits their purpose on words and works, if they can diminish their influence. Truth alone will bear away the victory. They might [have had] little trouble in the church [and] have had this whole matter adjusted if they had [had] the interest and the cause of the work of the Lord at stake. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 5

All this difficulty I shall not explain, although I know it. I leave that for all who have acted a prominent part in confusing the right [way]. They might, had the Lord been working on the human mind, have adjusted if they had done by others as they would have others do by them when they are brought into difficulty. The truth is a very sacred thing, altogether too sacred to be treated as appears at the present time. The truth is the expression of that which is. I may fail to express myself intelligently—that which is. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 6

If they go beyond the true facts of truth, they have a special work to do before they shall be guiltless before God. God calls upon every church member to weigh his words and be sure that facts correspond to their words. [Those who] have not facts to substantiate their suppositions [tell] a falsehood. We have the Word of the living God to study. There has been much talk with nothing sufficient to rest upon. We need to cultivate a conscience that is free from every trait of exaggeration. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 7

Christians are to define Christ in their characters, as Christ came to define God to the world, and [in their] example which shows forth to the world in goodness, in mercy, in charity. God’s Holy Spirit is working on human hearts to find expression in characters true and clean in representation. We are to heed fully the prayer of Christ. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 8

Christ came to our world to represent a faultless character. This evil heart of suspicion of others’ character is an evil heart of unbelief which Christ has not left us as an inheritance. If anyone has this evil heart of unbelief, it is your first business to subdue and overcome the same. This is part of the work we each must engage in from day to day to reduce and overcome the results if expression is given to lead others to view a brother or a sister unkindly. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 9

When any person enters into the work of sowing the seeds of distrust of a brother or a sister, especially those who are stretching every spiritual sinew and muscle to draw with Christ, and a supposed brother or a sister shall sow the evil seed by reporting things that they are not able to prove, they will never be introduced into the heavenly courts because they take a mischief-making propensity with them which the Lord knows all about; and therefore words are written, Weighed in the balance of the Lord’s measuring scales and found wanting. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 10

It belongs to Christians [to become] new men and women in Christ Jesus. Two spirits are striving for the mastery. Be guarded in giving expression to evil thoughts which the evil heart of suspicion is seeking for victory in expression. The Holy Spirit is working on the reason and on the conscience, and leading to expressions of commendation and love which will be expressed under the influence of holiness and charity. No evil seed is dropped in your words. The holy angels are ever seeking to imbue the mind with kindly thoughts, with uplifting, encouraging words. This is the battle we have to fight, the satanic, evil will. 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 11

Just go by yourself and not speak evil words, but pray. Put on the new man, which is peace, grace, righteousness. This is the very advice that every church needs. I, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore He said, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. And He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists, and [manuscript ends here.] 22LtMs, Ms 166, 1907, par. 12