I saw some in Israel had been half starved for food and when the purest truth was presented to them, they grasped at it as half-starved children. Said the angel, "Can ye stand in the battle in the day of the Lord? Ye need to be washed, and live in newness of life." . . . 8MR 220

Now we see need of workers in the opening fields before us, but where are the men who can be trusted, men who have been year by year growing into a better knowledge of God and his ways, and the movings of his providence? I want to sound in the ears of these sleepy, half paralyzed souls the words spoken to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." There is need to ask God with all the heart, to elevate the standard. The commonness, the cheapness of conversation reveal the measure of spirituality of the members of the church. Now, those who have lived years in this same experience know not God nor Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; and should such go forth as representatives of Jesus Christ? These men will never give the right mold to other minds. They have not grown up to the full stature of men and women in Jesus Christ. They simply live the name of Christian, but are not fitted for the work of God, and never will be until they are born again, and learn their A.B.C.'s in the religion of Jesus Christ. There is hope in one direction. Take the young men and women and place them where they will come as little as possible in contact with our churches, that the low grade of piety which is current in this day shall not leaven their ideas of what it means to be a Christian. The worshippers of God are in need of transforming grace to subordinate the world to religion. In the place of making the temporal interest first, exhausting soul, body, and spirit to secure temporal advantages, Jesus points us to the heavenly treasure, and tells us not to lay up our treasure in earth which will perish, but to lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven which will not perish, for where our treasure is there will our heart be also. Jesus would have all that profess to believe in him deal in the currency of heaven, handling those things upon which God has stamped his image and superscription. These he presents before us of infinite value. We see the need of a deep and thorough work in our churches; but the Lord alone can by his Holy Spirit make the hearts that are as steel, soft and sympathetic, and true to the service of Christ. We are far behind because the churches have folded their hands in a peace and safety attitude, and are at ease in Zion, doing almost nothing when the living zeal should be in their hearts as never before. Satan is stirring the powers from beneath to make one last desperate effort to convert the world to his own principles. He has his plans laid with Satanic subtlety, and destruction cometh suddenly while these that have the light, the warnings that such a crisis is before us are almost unmoved. . . PC 344

Had Elder Smith exercised more firmness and boldness in defending the right and condemning the wrong, my husband would not have been forced to take such firm, decided positions. This disposition on the part of Elder Smith to overlook wrong, and leave evils uncorrected, which, though small at first, would increase till they finally destroyed the purity of the church, has forced my husband to act, and caused his course, in contrast with Elder Smith's, to seem very severe and dictatorial. Had Elder Smith stood as a bold soldier for Jesus Christ, had he called sin, fraud, and dishonesty by their right names, had he given these evils their just rebuke, less of such disagreeable work would have fallen upon my husband, and less cause would have been given for temptation in regard to his course of action.

God would have the facts appear as they are. Elder Smith has neglected to cultivate those traits of character which it is so needful that all who are engaged in the work of God should possess. Pleasing or unpleasing to human nature, faithfulness, vigilance, and boldness must be exercised, or sin will triumph over righteousness. A failure to see and sense the wants of the cause for this time, and to reprove sin, is called by some, meekness; God calls it unfaithfulness, and spiritual sloth. He gives no credit to those who shun the cross and neglect the disagreeable duties, thereby imperiling his church. Envy, jealousy, dishonesty, falsehoods, and evil surmisings have ever had to be met. They existed in the time of ancient Israel, and will ever be found in modern Israel. Some one must meet this element, and whoever does will displease some; it cannot be otherwise, for there will ever be those who will sympathize with wrong-doers. Those who have shunned that part of the work which requires anxiety and care, boldness and fortitude, will receive no reward for their silence and their peaceful demeanor; but condemnation will be written against them....

This exactly represents the case of ministers in our day. It is an evil day. Satan is continually at work to press his temptations among us. At first he presents little deviations from right; then after the senses have become accustomed to this slight departure from the light which God has given, he presents another temptation to lead away from former positions and principles. Then as the mind becomes accustomed to that, he presents a still greater departure from the simplicity of our faith, until the barriers are broken down, and idolatry in various forms is at home in our midst. God then moves upon those who will not shun to declare his whole counsel, and charges them, "Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, . . . as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God." Those who ought to be humiliating their souls before God will then begin to justify themselves:--

"What an easy, happy time we were having. The church was in a pleasant condition. We were doing well. But, lo! here come Elder White and his wife, the disturbers of Israel. They always create a trouble whenever they come. If they only had the sweet spirit of Elder Smith; he never hurts any one's feelings, he never says sharp and cutting things." But these blind ones do not see that this very pleasing, careless indifference on the part of men at Battle Creek who have failed to keep the fort, has created the necessity for the alarm to be sounded and the cutting rebukes to be given. Where would the church drift, were it not for the plain, close, searching testimonies to arouse them from their slumber? PH043 9-13,16

Whatever may be the position of trust that a man occupies, he is not raised above the frailties of humanity. His position does not make him sinless or divine. He must receive wisdom and goodness and power from the same source as others; and this source of supply is open to the lowliest and the least. Jesus has invited you to come unto him; and you are not obeying Christ when you go to human sources for support and consolation. Is not this the reason that the people of God are destitute of the fruits of the Holy Spirit? Is not this one reason why their religious experience is of so dwarfed a character? RH AUG.14,1894

The greatest detriment to our churches, that which brings them into weakness and disfavor with God, is unhappy jealousies and differences. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, liciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Then let every soul examine himself, and see if he is approaching the committal of any such sins. RH JUN.28,1887

There is great need that our brethren overcome secret faults. The displeasure of God, like a cloud, hangs over many of them. The churches are weak. Selfishness, uncharitableness, covetousness, envy, evil-surmising, falsehood, theft, robbery, sensuality, licentiousness, and adultery, stand registered against some who claim to believe the solemn, sacred truth for this time. How can these accursed things be cleansed out of the camp, when men who claim to be Christians are practicing them constantly? They are somewhat careful of their ways before men, but they are an offense to God. His pure eyes see, a witness records, all their sins, both open and secret; and unless they repent, and confess their sins before God, unless they fall on the Rock and are broken, their sins will remain charged against them in the books of record. O, fearful histories will be opened to the world at the judgment,--histories of sins never confessed, of sins blotted out! O that these poor souls might see that they are heaping up wrath against the day of wrath! Then the thoughts of the heart, as well as the actions, will be revealed. I tell you, my brethren and sisters, there is need of humbling your souls before God. "Cease to do evil;" but do not stop here: "Learn to do well." You can glorify God only by bearing fruit to his glory. SPTA NO.1 4