Earlier text: THE CAUSE IN VERMONT.

The earth is the Lord’s, and all the treasures it contains. The cattle upon a thousand hills are his. All the gold and silver belongs to him. He has intrusted his treasures to stewards, that with them they may advance his cause and glorify his name. He did not intrust these treasures to men that they might use them to exalt and glorify themselves, and have power to oppress those who were poor in this world’s treasure. God does not receive the offerings of any because he needs them, and cannot have glory and riches without them, but because it is for the interest of his servants to render to God the things653 which are his. The free-will offerings of the humble, contrite heart, he will receive, and will reward the giver with the richest blessings. He receives them as the sacrifice of grateful obedience. He requires and accepts our gold and silver as an evidence that all we have and are belongs to him. He claims and accepts the improvement of our time and of our talents, as the fruit of his love existing in our hearts. To obey is better than sacrifice. Without pure love, the most expensive offering is too poor for God to accept.

Many have their hearts so fixed upon their earthly treasure that they do not discern the advantage of laying up for themselves treasures in Heaven. They do not realize that their free-will offerings to God are not enriching him, but themselves. Christ counsels us to lay up treasures in Heaven. For whom? For God, that he may be enriched? Oh, no! The treasures of the entire world are his, and the indescribable glory and priceless treasures of Heaven are all his own, to give to whom he will. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” Men whom God has made stewards, are so infatuated by the riches of this world that they do not discern that by their selfishness and covetousness they are not only robbing the Lord in tithes and offerings, but robbing themselves of eternal riches. They could be daily adding to their heavenly treasure by doing the very work that the Lord has left them to do, and which he has intrusted them with means to carry out. The Master would have them watch for opportunities to do good, and, while they live, apply their means themselves to aid in the salvation of their fellow-men, and in the advancement of his cause in its various branches. In so doing, they only do that which God requires of them; they render to God the things that are his. Many willingly close their eyes and hearts, lest they should see and feel the wants of the Lord’s cause, and by helping in its advancement should lessen their654 increase by detracting from the interest or the principal. Some feel that what they give to advance the cause of God is really lost. They consider so many dollars gone, and feel dissatisfied unless they can immediately replace them, so that their earthly treasure may not decrease. They exercise closeness and even sharpness in dealing with their brethren, and also with worldlings. They do not scruple to overreach in deal, in order to advantage themselves and gain a few dollars.

Some, fearing they will suffer loss of earthly treasure, neglect prayer and the assembling of themselves together for the worship of God, that they may have more time to devote to their farms or their business. They show by their works which world they place the highest estimate upon. They sacrifice religious privileges, which are essential to their spiritual advancement, for the things of this life, and fail to obtain a knowledge of the divine will. They come short of perfecting Christian character, and do not meet the measurement of God. They make their temporal, worldly interests first, and rob God of the time which they should devote to his service. Such persons God marks, and they will receive a curse, rather than a blessing. Some place their means beyond their control by putting it into the hands of their children. Their secret motive is to place themselves in a position where they will not feel responsible to give of their property to spread the truth. These love in word, but not in deed and in truth. They do not realize that it is the Lord’s money they are handling, not their own.

Many would love to see souls converted if it could be done without any sacrifice on their part; but if their property is touched, they draw back, for it is of more value to them than the souls of men and women for whom Christ died. If those to whom God has intrusted means understood their responsibilities as his stewards, they would retain in their own hands655 that which God has lent them, that they might faithfully perform the duty devolving upon them to do their part in helping carry forward the work of God. If all could comprehend the plan of salvation, and the worth of even one soul purchased by the blood of Christ, they would make every other interest of minor consequence.

Parents should have great fear in intrusting children with the talents of means that God has placed in their hands, unless they have the surest evidence that their children have greater interest in, love for, and devotion to, the cause of God than they themselves possess, and that these children will be more earnest and zealous in forwarding the work of God, and more benevolent in carrying forward the various enterprises connected with it which call for means. But many place their means in the hands of their children, thus throwing upon them the responsibility of their own stewardship, because Satan prompts them to do it. In so doing, they effectually place that means in the enemy’s ranks. Satan works the matter to suit his own purpose, and keeps from the cause of God the means which it needs that it may be abundantly sustained. The efforts made to get the truth before the people are not half as thorough and extensive as they should be. Not a fiftieth part is now being done to extend the truth that might be done by scattering publications, and bringing within the sound of the truth all that can be induced to come.

The probation of many is closing. Satan is daily gathering his harvest of souls. Some are making final decisions against the truth, and many are dying without a knowledge of it. Their minds are unenlightened, and their sins unrepented of; and yet men professing godliness are hoarding up their earthly treasures, and directing their efforts to gaining more. They are insensible to the condition of men and women who come within the sphere of their influence, and who are perishing for want of knowledge. Welldirected656 labor, bestowed in love and humility, would do much to enlighten and convert their fellow-men; but the example of many who might do great good is virtually saying, Your souls are of less value to me than my worldly interests.

Many love the truth a little, but they love this world more. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Spiritual things are sacrificed for temporal. The fruit that such bear is not unto holiness, and their example will not be such as to convict sinners, and convert them from the error of their ways to the truth. They allow souls to go to perdition, when they might save them if they would make as earnest efforts in their behalf as they have made to secure the treasures of this life. To obtain more of the things of the world, which they do not really need, and which only increase their responsibility and condemnation, many labor on the high-pressure plan, and peril health and spiritual enjoyment, and the peace, comfort, and happiness of their families. They let souls go to perdition around them, because they fear that it will require a little of their time and means to save them. Money is their god. They decide that it will not pay to sacrifice their means to save souls.

The one to whom is intrusted one talent is not responsible for five, or for two, but for the one. Many neglect to lay up for themselves a treasure in Heaven by doing good with the means that God has lent them. They distrust God, and have a thousand fears in regard to the future. Like the children of Israel, they have evil hearts of unbelief. God provided this people with abundance, as their needs required; but they borrowed trouble for the future. They complained and murmured in their travels, that Moses had led them out to kill them and their children with hunger. Imaginary want closed their eyes and hearts from seeing the goodness and mercies of God in their journeyings, and they were ungrateful for all his bounties. So also are the distrustful,657 professed people of God, in this age of unbelief and degeneracy. They fear that they may come to want, or that their children may become needy, or that their grandchildren will be destitute. They dare not trust God. They have no genuine faith in Him who has intrusted them with the blessings and bounties of life, and who has given them talents to use to his glory in advancing his cause.

Many have such a constant care for themselves that they give God no opportunity to care for them. If they should be a little short at times, and be brought into strait places, it would be the best thing for their faith. If they would calmly trust in God, and wait for him to work for them, their necessity would be God’s opportunity; and his blessing in their emergency would increase their love for him, and lead them to prize their temporal blessings in a higher sense than they have ever done before. Their faith would increase, their hope would brighten, and cheerfulness would take the place of gloom, and doubts, and murmuring. The faith of very many does not grow for want of exercise.

That which is eating out the vitals of God’s people, is the love of money, and friendship with the world. It is the privilege of God’s people to be bright and shining lights in the world, to increase in the knowledge of God, and to have a clear understanding of his will. But the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches choke the seed sown in their hearts, and they bear no fruit to his glory. They profess faith, but it is not a living faith, because it is not sustained by works. Faith without works is dead, being alone. Those who profess great faith, yet have not works, will not be saved by their faith. Satan believes the truth, and trembles; yet this kind of faith possesses no virtue. Many who have made a high profession of faith, are deficient in good works. If they should show their faith by their works, they could exert a powerful influence on the side of truth. But they do658 not improve upon the talents of means lent them of God. Those who think to ease their consciences by willing their property to their children, or by withholding from God’s cause, and suffering it to pass into the hands of unbelieving, reckless children, for them to squander, or hoard up and worship, will have to render an account to God; they are unfaithful stewards of their Lord’s money. They allow Satan to outgeneral them through these children, whose minds are under his control. Satan’s purposes are accomplished in many ways, while the stewards of God seem stupefied and paralyzed; they do not realize their great responsibility, and the reckoning which must shortly come.

Those who have property, and whose minds are darkened by the god of this world, seem to be controlled by Satan in the disposal of it. If they have true, believing children, and also children whose affections are wholly upon the things of the world, in making a transfer of their means to their children, they generally give a larger amount to those children who do not love God, and who are serving the enemy of all righteousness, than to those who are serving God.

They place in the hands of the unfaithful children the very things that will prove a snare to them, and that will be obstacles in the way of their making a surrender to God. While they make large presents to the unbelieving children, they make very stinted gifts to those who are of the same faith with themselves. This very fact should startle the men of means who have pursued this course. They should see that the deceitfulness of riches has perverted their judgment. If they could see the influence operating upon their minds, they would understand that Satan had these matters very much according to his own purposes and plans. Instead of God’s controlling the mind, and sanctifying the judgment, it is controlled by exactly the opposite power. The659 ones who have been with them in the faith, they sometimes even neglect, and are frequently very close and exacting in all their deal with them; while they have an open hand to the unbelieving, world-loving children, who they know will not use the means they have placed in their hands to advance the cause of God. The Lord requires that those to whom he has lent talents of means, make a right use of them, having the advancement of his cause prominent. Every other consideration should be inferior to this.

The talents of means, be they five, two, or one, are to be improved. Those who have a large amount of means, are responsible for a large number of talents. But the comparatively poor men are not released from responsibility. Those who have but little of this world are represented as having one talent. Yet they are in just as great danger of having too great love for that little, and of selfishly retaining it from the cause of God, as are the more wealthy. They do not sense their danger. They apply the stirring reproofs addressed in the word of God to the lovers of this world, to the rich alone, while they themselves may be in even greater danger than the more wealthy. Whether they have much or little, all are required to put their talents out to the exchangers, that when the Master comes he may receive his own with usury. They are also required to maintain a consecration to God, and an unselfish interest in his cause and work. Seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, they are to believe his promise, that all things shall be added. In comparison with every other consideration, the salvation of the souls of their fellow-men should be primary; but this is not generally the case. If there is a neglect anywhere, it is the cause of God that must suffer. God has lent men talents, not to foster their pride, or to excite in them envy, but to be used by them to his glory. He has made these men agents to disperse the means with which to carry forward the work of the salvation of660 men. Christ has given them an example in his life. He left all his heavenly riches and splendor, and for our sakes became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made rich. It is not the plan of God to rain down means from Heaven in order that his cause may be sustained. He has intrusted, or deposited, ample means with men, that there shall be no lack in any department of his work. He proves those who profess to love him by placing means in their hands, and then tries them, to see if they love the gift better than the Giver. God will reveal, in time, the true feelings of the heart.

In order to advance the cause of God, means are necessary. God has provided for this necessity by placing an abundance in the hands of his agents, to use in any department of the work where it may be required in the labor of saving souls. Every soul saved is a talent gained. If truly converted, the one brought to a knowledge of the truth will, in his turn, use the talents of influence and of means which God has given him, in working for the salvation of his fellow-men. He will engage with earnestness in the great work of enlightening those who are in darkness and error. He will be instrumental in saving souls. Thus the talents of influence and means are continually exchanging and constantly increasing. When the Master comes, the faithful servant is prepared to return him both principal and interest. By his fruits he can show the increase of talents that he has gained to return to the Master. The faithful servant will then have done his work, and the Master, whose reward is with him to give every man according as his work shall be, will return to that faithful servant both principal and interest.

In his word the Lord has plainly revealed his will to those who have riches. But because his direct commands have been slighted, he mercifully presents their dangers before them through the Testimonies. He does not give new light, but calls their attention661 to the light that has already been revealed in his word. If those who profess to love the truth are holding on to their riches, and, failing to obey the word of God, do not seek opportunities to do good with that which he has intrusted to them, he will come closer, and will scatter their means. He will come near to them with judgments. He will in various ways scatter their idols. Many losses will be sustained. The souls of the selfish shall be unblest. But “the liberal soul shall be made fat.” Those who honor God, he will honor.

The Lord made a covenant with Israel, that if they would obey his commandments, he would give them rain in due season, the land should yield her increase, and the trees of the field should yield their fruit. He promised that their threshing should reach unto the vintage, and the vintage unto the sowing-time, and that they should eat their bread to the full, and dwell in their land safely. He would make their enemies to perish. He would not abhor them, but would walk with them, and would be their God, and they should be his people. But if they disregarded his requirements, he would deal with them entirely contrary to all this. His curse should rest upon them in place of his blessing. He would break their pride of power, and would make the heavens over them as iron and the earth as brass. “Your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if ye walk contrary unto me,” “then will I also walk contrary unto you.”

Those who are selfishly withholding their means, need not be surprised if God’s hand scatters. That which should have been devoted to the advancement of the work and cause of God, but which has been withheld, may be intrusted to a reckless son, and he may squander it. A fine horse, the pride of a vain heart, may be found dead in the stable. Occasionally a cow may die. Losses of fruit or other crops may662 come. God can scatter the means he has lent to his stewards, if they refuse to use it to his glory. Some, I saw, may have none of these losses to remind them of their remissness in duty, but their cases may be the more hopeless.

Jesus warned the people, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” He then addressed his disciples, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.”

These warnings are given for the benefit of all. Will they improve the warnings given? Will they be benefited? Will they regard these striking illustrations of our Saviour, and shun the example of the foolish rich man? He had an abundance; so have many who profess to believe the truth, and they are acting over the case of the poor, foolish rich man. Oh that they would be wise, and feel the obligations resting upon them to use the blessings that God has given them in blessing others, instead of turning them into a curse. God will say to all such, as to the foolish rich man, “Thou fool.”

Men act as though they were bereft of their reason.663 They are buried up in the cares of this life. They have no time to devote to God, no time to serve him. Work, work, work, is the order of the day. All about them are required to labor upon the high-pressure plan, to take care of large farms. To tear down and build greater is their ambition, that they may have wherewith to bestow their goods. Yet these very men who are weighed down with their riches pass for Christ’s followers. They have the name of believing that Christ is soon to come, that the end of all things is at hand; yet they have no spirit of sacrifice. They are plunging deeper and deeper into the world. They allow themselves but little time to study the word of life, and to meditate and pray. Neither do they give others in their family, or those who serve them, this privilege. Yet these men profess to believe that this world is not their home, that they are merely pilgrims and strangers upon the earth, preparing to move to a better country. The example and influence of all such is a curse to the cause of God. Hollow hypocrisy characterizes their professed Christian lives. They love God and the truth just as much as their works show, and no more. A man will act out all the faith he has. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” The heart is where the treasure is. Their treasure is upon this earth, and their hearts and interests are also here.

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” When those who profess the faith show their lives to be consistent with their faith, then we shall see a power attending the presentation of the truth,—a power that will convict the sinner, and draw souls nigh to Christ.

A consistent faith is rare among rich men. Genuine faith, sustained by works, is seldom found. But all who possess this faith will be men who will not lack664 influence. They will copy after Christ; they will possess that disinterested benevolence, that interest in the work of saving souls, that he had. The followers of Christ should value souls as he valued them. Their sympathies should be with the work of their dear Redeemer, and they should labor to save the purchase of his blood, at any sacrifice. What are money, houses, and lands, in comparison with even one soul?

Christ made a full and complete sacrifice; a sacrifice sufficient to save every son and daughter of Adam who should show repentance toward God for having transgressed his law, and manifest faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet notwithstanding the sacrifice was ample, but few consent to a life of obedience that they may have this great salvation. Few are willing to imitate his amazing privations, to endure his sufferings and persecutions, and to share his exhausting labor to bring others to the light. But few will follow his example in earnest, frequent prayer to God for strength to endure the trials of this life and perform its daily duties. Christ is the captain of our salvation, and by his own sufferings and sacrifice he has given an example to all his followers, that watchfulness and prayer, and persevering effort, were necessary on their part if they would rightly represent the love which dwelt in his bosom for the fallen race.

Men of property are dying spiritually because of their neglect to use the means God has placed in their hands to aid in saving their fellow-men. Some become aroused at times, and resolve that they will make to themselves friends with the unrighteous mammon, that they may finally be received into everlasting habitations. But their efforts in this direction are not thorough. They commence, but not being heartily and thoroughly in earnest in the work, they make a failure. They are not rich in good works. While lingeringly retaining their love and grasp of their earthly treasures, Satan outgenerals them.

A flattering prospect may be presented to invest in patent-rights, or some other supposed brilliant enterprise, around which Satan throws a bewitching enchantment. The prospect of getting more money, fast and easily, allures them. They reason that, although they had resolved to put this money into the treasury of God, they will use it in this instance, and will greatly increase it, and will then give a larger sum to the cause. They can see no possibility of a failure. Away goes the means out of their hands, and they soon learn, to their regret, that they have made a mistake. The brilliant prospects have faded. Their expectations are not realized. They were deceived. Satan outgeneraled them. He was more shrewd than they; and he managed to get their means into his ranks, and thus deprive the cause of God of that which should have been used to sustain it in extending the truth, and saving souls for whom Christ died. They lost all they had invested, and robbed God of that which they should have rendered to him.

Some who have been intrusted with only one talent, excuse themselves because they have not as large a number of talents as those to whom are intrusted many talents. Like the unfaithful steward, they hide the one talent in the earth. They are afraid to render to God that which he has intrusted to them. They engage in worldly enterprises, but invest little, if anything, in the cause of God. They expect that those who have large talents will bear the burden of the work, while they feel that they are not responsible for its advancement and success.

When the Master comes to reckon with his servants, the unwise servants will acknowledge with confusion, “I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed; and I was afraid [Afraid of what? That the Lord would claim some portion of the small talent intrusted to them], and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou666 hast that is thine.” His Lord will answer, “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers; and then, at my coming, I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath, shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Many who have but little of this world are represented by the man with one talent. They are afraid to trust God. They are afraid that he will require something which they claim to be their own. They hide their talent in the earth, fearing to invest it anywhere, lest they will be called to give back the improvements to God. Instead of putting the talent out to the exchangers, as God required, they bury it, or hide it, where neither God nor man can be benefited by it. Many who profess to love the truth, are doing this very work. They are deceiving their own souls, for Satan has blinded their eyes. In robbing God, they have robbed themselves more. Because of covetousness and an evil heart of unbelief, they have deprived themselves of the heavenly treasure. Because they have but one talent, they are afraid to trust it with God, and so hide it in the earth. They feel relieved of responsibility. They love to see the truth progress, but do not think that they are called upon to practice self-denial, and aid the work by their own individual effort, and by their means, although they have not a large amount.

All should do something. The case of the widow who cast in her two mites is placed upon record for the benefit of others. Christ commended her for the sacrifice she made, and called the attention of his667 disciples to the act: “Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury; for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” Christ esteemed her gift more valuable than the large offerings of the most wealthy. They gave of their abundance. They would not feel the least privation because of their offerings. But the widow had deprived herself of even the necessaries of life to make her little offering. She could not see how her future wants were to be supplied. She had no husband to support her in want. She trusted God for the morrow. The value of the gift is not estimated so much by the amount that is given, as by the proportion, and by the motive which prompts the gift. When Christ shall come, whose reward is with him, he will give every man according as his work shall be.

All, both high and low, rich and poor, have been intrusted by the Master with talents; some more, some less, according to their several ability. The blessing of God will rest upon the earnest, loving, diligent workers. Their investment will be successful, and will secure souls to the kingdom of God, and an immortal treasure to themselves. All are moral agents, and all are intrusted with the goods of Heaven. The talents are proportioned according to the capabilities possessed by each.

God gives to every man his work, and he expects returns according to the various trusts bestowed. He does not require the increase of ten talents from the man to whom he has given only one talent. He does not expect the man of poverty to give alms as the man who has riches. He does not expect of the feeble and suffering, the activity and strength which the healthy man has. The one talent, used to the best account, God will accept, “according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”

God calls us servants, which implies that we are668 employed by him to do a certain work and bear certain responsibilities. He has lent us capital for investment. It is not our property; and we displease God if we hoard up our Lord’s goods, or spend them as we please. We are responsible for the use or abuse of that which God has thus lent us. If this capital which the Lord has placed in our hands, lies dormant, or we bury it in the earth, even if it is only one talent, we shall be called to an account by the Master. He requires, not ours, but his own with usury.

Every talent which returns to the Master, will be scrutinized. The doings and trusts of God’s servants will not be considered an unimportant matter. Every individual will be dealt with personally, and will be required to give an account of the talents intrusted to him, whether he has improved or abused them. The reward bestowed will be proportionate to the improvement of the talents. The punishment awarded will be according as the talents have been abused.

The inquiry of each one should be, What have I of my Lord’s, and how shall I use it to his glory? “Occupy,” says Christ, “till I come.” The heavenly Master is on his journey. Our gracious opportunity is now. The talents are in our hands. Shall we use them to God’s glory, or shall we abuse them? We may trade with them to-day; but to-morrow our probation may end, and our account be forever fixed.

If our talents are invested for the salvation of our fellow-men, God will be glorified. Pride and position are made apologies for extravagance, vain show, ambition, and profligate selfishness. The Lord’s talents, lent to man as a precious blessing, will, if abused, reflect upon him a terrible curse. Riches may be used by us to advance the cause of God, and to relieve the wants of the widow and the fatherless. In so doing, we gather to ourselves rich blessings. Not only shall we receive expressions of gratitude from the recipients of our bounties, but the Lord669 himself, who has placed the means in our hands for this very purpose, will make our souls like a watered garden, whose waters fail not. When the reaping time shall come, who of us will have the inexpressible joy of seeing the sheaves we have gathered, as a recompense of our fidelity, and our unselfish use of the talents the Lord has placed in our hands to use for his glory?

With many in Vermont there has been a decided failure to come up to the requirements of God. Some have fallen into a cold and lifeless condition spiritually, because they are unfaithful servants. The love of the world has so filled their hearts, that they have lost their relish for heavenly things, and have become dwarfs in spiritual attainments. The State has been deprived of the right kind of labor. Bordoville has been the center of attraction. All the large gatherings have been held in one locality, which has been like putting light under a bushel; its rays have not benefited the people of the State at large. Many are still in darkness, who might now be rejoicing in the knowledge of the truth. The talents and special efforts have been drawn to one locality. This is not as the Lord would have it. He designs that the warning, testing message should be given to the world, and that his people, who are the light of the world, should be scattered as witnesses amid the moral darkness of the world; that their lives, their testimony, and their example, may be a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death.

The Brn. D will need to be guarded, that they do not thwart the purposes of God by plans of their own. They are in danger of narrowing down the work of God, which is deep and extended.

Bro. D will be in danger of taking too narrow views of the work. God has given him an experience which will be of value, if he makes the right use of it. But there is danger that his peculiarities will shape that experience, and that other minds will become670 affected. Bro. D’s usefulness as a laborer is not what it otherwise would be, if he were not so prone to concentrate the strength of his mind upon one idea. He dwells upon incidents, and upon thoughts that he has had, and repeats them at length, when they are unimportant to others.

His mind was aroused in reference to the subject of his health. He concentrated the strength of his mind on this point. Himself and his symptoms were the principal subjects of conversation. He was particular to go through with the course he had established in his mind; and when seeking his own accommodation, he failed to consider how inconvenient he made it for others. His mind has been, to a great extent, shut up to his own case. This was the burden of his thoughts, and the theme of his conversation. In this precise, systematic course, he has failed to receive the benefit, in point of health, that he might have realized if he had been more forgetful of himself, and, from day to day, engaged in physical exercise, which would have diverted his mind from himself.

The same deficiencies have marked his labor in the gospel field. In speaking to the people, he has many apologies to make and many preliminaries to repeat, and the congregation become wearied before he reaches his real subject. As far as possible, ministers should avoid apologies and preliminaries.

Bro. D is too specific. He dwells upon minutiae. He takes time to explain points which are really unimportant, and would be taken for granted without producing proof; for they are self-evident. But the real, vital points should be made as forcible as language and proof can make them. They should stand forth as prominent as mile-posts. He should avoid many words over little particulars, which will weary the hearer before the important points are reached.

Bro. D has large concentrativeness. When he671 gets his mind in a certain direction, it is difficult for him to place it anywhere else; he lingers tediously upon one point. In conversation, he is in danger of wearying the listener. His writings lack a free, easy style. The habit of concentrating the mind upon one thing, to the exclusion of other things, is a misfortune. This should be understood by him, and he should labor to restrain and control this power of the mind, which is too active. Too great activity of one organ of the mind strengthens that organ to the enfeebling of other organs. If Bro. D would make a successful laborer in the gospel field, he should educate his mind. The large development of this organ impairs his health and his usefulness. There is a lack of harmony in the organization of his mind, and his body suffers in consequence.

It would be greatly for the interest of Bro. D to cultivate simplicity and ease in his writings. He needs to avoid dwelling at length upon any point that is not of vital importance; and even the most essential, manifest truths, those which are of themselves clear and plain, may be so covered up with words as to be made cloudy and indistinct.

Bro. D may be sound upon all points of present truth, and yet not be qualified in every respect to give the reasons of our hope to the French people in writing. He can aid in this work. But the matter should be prepared by more than one or two minds, that it may not bear the stamp of any one’s peculiarities. The truth which was reached and prepared by several minds, and which in God’s time was brought out link after link in a connected chain by the earnest searchers after truth, should be given to the people, and it will be adapted to meet the wants of many. Brevity should be studied, in order to interest the reader. Long, wordy articles are an injury to the truth which the writer aims to present.

Bro. D should have his mind less occupied with himself, and talk less of himself. He should keep672 himself out of sight, and, in conversation, avoid making reference to himself, and making his peculiarities of life a pattern for others to imitate. He should encourage genuine humility. He is in danger of thinking his life and experience superior to that of others.

Bro. D can be of value to the cause of God if there is a harmony in the character of his labors. If he can see and correct the imperfections of his peculiar organization, which have a tendency to injure his usefulness, God can use him to acceptance. He should avoid lengthy preaching and long prayers. These are no benefit to himself or to others. Long and violent exercise of the vocal organs has irritated his throat and lungs, and injured his general health, more than his precise round of rules for eating and resting have benefited him. One over-exertion or strain of the vocal organs, may not soon be recovered from, and may cost the life of the speaker. A calm, unhurried, yet earnest manner of speaking, will have a better influence upon a congregation than to let the feelings become excited, and control the voice and manners. As far as possible, the speaker should preserve the natural tones of the voice. It is the truth presented that affects the heart. If the speaker makes these truths a reality, he will, with the aid of the Spirit of God, be able to impress the hearers with the fact that he is in earnest, without straining the fine organs of the throat or the lungs.

Bro. D is deeply interested in his domestic life; yet there is danger, in conversation, of his cultivating the habit of concentrating his whole mind upon the things which especially interest him, but which cannot interest or profit others. He tries to maintain a system which, in itself, is correct; but here again it will be seen that those things which are useful of themselves, may become wearisome and burdensome by dwelling too much upon them, and by seeking to carry them out under all circumstances.673 There is danger of neglecting the weightier matters.

The Brn. D should avoid being tedious in their labor. Their influence has been good in the main. Bro. D is naturally a good manager in temporal things. His instruction and example in this direction have helped those who were humble enough to be advised. But the jealousy, distrust, rebellion, complaining, and murmuring which have existed in the church, have been disheartening. These brethren should guard against being too exacting.

In order to perfect Christian character, we should not cultivate merely a life of quiet, prayerful abstraction, nor a life of all outward zeal and busy excitement, while personal piety is neglected. But the present time requires us to be waiting for the coming of the Lord, and vigilantly working for the salvation of our fellow-men. “Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” God will not accept the most exalted services, unless they are first consecrated by the surrender of the soul to him and his love. With a certain class of minds, there is danger of systematizing away the Spirit of God and the vitality of the religion of Christ, and preserving an exact round of wearisome duties and ceremonies.

We are living in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, and our nice and exact plans cannot always be carried out to the advantage of all. If we stand back upon our dignity, we shall fail to help those who need help the most. The servants of Christ should accommodate themselves to the varied conditions of the people. They cannot carry out exact rules, if they meet the cases of all. Labor will have to be varied to meet the people where they are. “Of some have compassion, making a difference; and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

The apostle counsels his Corinthian brethren, “Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever674 ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” 1 Cor. 10:31-33. “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” 1 Cor. 9:19. “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” Verse 22. “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” Rom. 15:1-3.

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