Earlier text: THE WORK AT BATTLE CREEK.

THE PRODIGAL SON.

My attention was called to the parable of the prodigal son. He made a request that his father should give him his portion of the estate. He desired to separate his interest from that of his father, and to manage his share as best suited his own inclination. His father complied with the request, and the son selfishly withdrew from his101 father, that he might not be troubled with his counsel or reproofs.

The son thought he should be happy when he could use his portion according to his own pleasure, without being annoyed by advice or restraint. He did not wish to be troubled with mutual obligation. If he shared his father’s estate, his father had claims upon him as a son. But he did not feel under any obligation to his generous father, and he braced his selfish, rebellious spirit with the thought that a portion of his father’s property belonged to him. He requested his share, when rightfully he could claim nothing, and should have had nothing.

After his selfish heart had received the treasure, of which he was so undeserving, he went his way at a distance from his father, that he might even forget that he had a father. He despised restraint, and was fully determined to have pleasure in any way and manner that he chose. After he had, by his sinful indulgences, spent all that his father had given him, the land was visited by a famine, and he felt pinching want. He then began to regret his sinful course of extravagant pleasure; for he was destitute, and needed the means that he had squandered. He was obliged to come down from his life of sinful indulgence to the low business of feeding swine.

After he had come as low as he could, he thought of the kindness and love of his father. He then felt the need of a father. He had brought upon himself his position of friendlessness and want. His own disobedience and sin had resulted in his separating himself from his father. He thought of the privileges and bounties that the hired servants of his father’s house freely enjoyed, while he who had alienated himself from his father’s house was perishing with hunger. Humiliated through adversity, he decided to return to his father by humble confession. He was a beggar, destitute of comfortable, or even decent clothing. He was wretched in consequence of privation, and was emaciated with hunger.

While at a distance from his home, his father saw the102 wanderer, and his first thought was of that rebellious son who had left him years before to follow a course of unrestrained sin. The paternal feeling was stirred. Notwithstanding all the marks of his degradation, the father discerned his own image. He did not wait for his son to come all the distance to him, but hastened to meet him. He did not reproach him, but with the tenderest pity and compassion, that, in consequence of his own course of sin, he had brought upon himself so much suffering, he hastened to give him proofs of his love and tokens of his forgiveness.

Although his son was emaciated and his countenance plainly indicated the dissolute life he had passed, although he was clothed with beggar’s rags and his naked feet were soiled with the dust of travel, the father’s tenderest pity was excited as the son fell prostrate in humility before him. He did not stand back upon his dignity; he was not exacting. He did not array before his son his past course of wrong and sin, to make him feel how low he had sunk. He lifted him up and kissed him. He took the rebellious son to his breast, and wrapped his own rich robe about the nearly naked form. He took him to his heart with such warmth, and evinced such pity, that if the son had ever doubted the goodness and love of his father, he could do so no longer. If he had a sense of his sin when he decided to return to his father’s house, he had a much deeper sense of his ungrateful course when he was thus received. His heart, before subdued, was now broken because he had grieved that father’s love.

The penitent, trembling son, who had greatly feared that he would be disowned, was unprepared for such a reception. He knew he did not deserve it, and he thus acknowledged his sin in leaving his father: “I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” He begged only to be accounted as a hired servant. But the father requested his servants to pay him special tokens of respect, and to clothe him as if he had ever been his own obedient son.

The father made the return of his son an occasion of special rejoicing. The elder son in the field knew not that his brother had returned, but he heard the general demonstrations of joy, and inquired of the servants what it all meant. It was explained that his brother, whom they had thought dead, had returned, and that his father had killed the fatted calf for him, because he had received him again as from the dead.

The brother was then angry, and would not go in to see or receive his brother. His indignation was stirred that his unfaithful brother, who had left his father and thrown the heavy responsibility upon him of fulfilling the duties which should have been shared by both, should now be received with such honor. This brother had pursued a course of wicked profligacy, wasting the means his father had given him until he was reduced to want, while his brother at home had been faithfully performing the duties of a son; and now this profligate comes to his father’s house, and is received with respect and honor beyond anything that he himself had ever received.

The father entreated his elder son to go and receive his brother with gladness, because he was lost, and is found; he was dead in sin and iniquity, but is alive again; he has come to his moral senses, and abhors his course of sin. But his elder son pleads, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends; but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

He assured his son that he was ever with him, and that all he had was his, but that it was right that they should show this demonstration of joy, for “thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” The fact that the lost is found, the dead is alive again, overbears all other considerations with the father.

This parable was given by Christ to represent the manner in which our heavenly Father receives the erring and repenting. The father is the one sinned against;104 yet he, in the compassion of his soul, full of pity and forgiveness, meets the prodigal and shows his great joy that his son, whom he believed to be dead to all filial affection, has become sensible of his great sin and neglect, and has come back to his father, appreciating his love, and acknowledging his claims. He knows that the son who has pursued a course of sin and now repents, needs his pity and his love. This son has suffered; he has felt his need, and he comes to his father as the only one who can supply this great need.

The return of the prodigal son was a source of the greatest joy. The complaints of the elder brother were natural, but not right. Yet this is frequently the course that brother pursues toward brother. There is too much effort to make those in error feel where they have erred, and to keep reminding them of their mistakes. Those who have erred need pity, they need help, they need sympathy. They suffer in their feelings, and are frequently desponding and discouraged. Above everything else, they need free forgiveness.

LABOR AMONG THE CHURCHES.

In the work done for the church at Battle Creek in the spring of 1870, there was not all that dependence upon God that the important occasion demanded. Brn. R and S did not make God their trust, and move in his strength and with his grace, as fully as they should.

When Bro. S thinks a person is wrong, he is frequently too severe. He fails to exercise that compassion and consideration that he would have shown toward himself under like circumstances. He is also in great danger of misjudging and erring in dealing with minds. It is the nicest and most critical work ever given to mortals, to deal with minds. Those who engage in this work should have clear discernment, and good powers of discrimination. True independence of mind is an element entirely different from rashness. That quality of independence which leads to a cautious, prayerful, deliberate opinion, should not be easily yielded;105 not until the evidence is sufficiently strong to make it certain that we are wrong. This independence will keep the mind calm and unchangeable amid the multitudinous errors which prevail, and will lead those in responsible positions to look carefully at the evidence on every side, and not be swayed by the influence of others, or by the surroundings, to form conclusions without intelligent, thorough knowledge of all the circumstances.

The investigation of cases in Battle Creek was very much after the order in which a lawyer criticises a witness, and there was a decided absence of the Spirit of God. There were a few united in this work who were active and zealous. Some were self-righteous and self-sufficient, and their testimonies were relied upon, and their influence swayed the judgment of Brn. R and S. Because of some trivial deficiency, Sisters T and U were not received as members of the church. Brn. R and S should have had judgment and discrimination to see that these objections were not of sufficient weight to keep these sisters out of the church. Both of them had been long in the faith, and had been true to the observance of the Sabbath for eighteen or twenty years.

Sister V, who brought up these things, should have urged against herself more weighty reasons why she should not have become a member of the church. Was she without sin? Were all her ways perfect before God? Was she perfect in patience, self-denial, gentleness, forbearance, and calmness of temper? If she were without the weaknesses of common women, then she could cast the first stone. Those sisters who were left out of the church were worthy of a place in it; they were beloved of God. But they were dealt with unwisely, without sufficient cause. There were others whose cases were handled with no more heavenly wisdom, and without even sound judgment. Bro. S.’s judgment and power of discrimination have been perverted for very many years through the influence of his wife, who has been a most effective medium of Satan. If he had possessed the genuine quality of independence, he would have had proper self-respect, and with becoming dignity106 would have built up his own house. When he has started upon a course designed to command respect in his family, he has generally carried the matter too far, and has been severe, and has talked harshly and overbearingly. Becoming conscious of this after a time, he would then go to the opposite extreme, and come down from his independence.

In this state of mind he would receive reports from his wife, give up his judgment, and be easily deceived by her intrigues. She would sometimes feign to be a great sufferer, and would relate what privations she had endured, and what neglect from her brethren, in the absence of her husband. Her prevarications and cunning artifices to abuse the mind of her husband have been great. Bro. S has not fully received the light which the Lord has given him in times past in regard to his wife, or he would not have been deceived by her as he has been. He has been brought into bondage many times by her spirit, because his own heart and life have not been fully consecrated to God. His feelings kindled against his brethren, and he oppressed them. Self has not been crucified. He should seek earnestly to bring all his thoughts and feelings into subjection to the obedience of Christ. Faith and self-denial would have been Bro. S’s strong helpers. If he had girded on the whole armor of God, and chosen no other defense than that which the Spirit of God and the power of truth gives him, he would have been strong in the strength of God.

But Bro. S is weak in many things. If God required him to expose and condemn a neighbor, to reprove and correct a brother, or to resist and destroy his enemies, it would be to him a comparatively natural and easy work. But a warfare against self, subduing the desires and affections of his own heart, and searching out and controlling the secret motives of the heart, is a more difficult warfare. How unwilling is he to be faithful in such a contest as this! The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. The yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of God, and being clothed with humility, possessing that love that is107 pure, peaceable, and easy to be entreated, full of gentleness and good fruits, is not an easy attainment. And yet it is his privilege and his duty to be a perfect overcomer here. The soul must submit to God before it can be renewed in knowledge and true holiness. The holy life and character of Christ is a faithful example. His confidence in his heavenly Father was unlimited. His obedience and submission were unreserved and perfect. He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister to others. He came not to do his own will, but the will of Him that sent him. In all things he submitted himself to Him that judgeth righteously. From the lips of the Saviour of the world were heard these words, “I can of mine own self do nothing.”

He became poor, and made himself of no reputation. He was hungry, and frequently thirsty, and many times weary in his labors; but he had not where to lay his head. When the cold, damp shades of night gathered about him, the earth was frequently his bed. Yet he blessed those who hated him. What a life! what an experience! Can we, the professed followers of Christ, cheerfully endure privation and suffering as did our Lord, without murmuring? Can we drink of the cup, and be baptized with the baptism? If so, we may share with him his glory in his heavenly kingdom. If not, we shall have no part with him.

Bro. S has an experience to gain, without which his work will do positive injury. He is affected too much by what others tell him of the erring; he is apt to decide according to the impressions made upon his mind, and he deals with severity, when a milder course would be far better. He does not bear in mind his own weakness, and how hard it is for him to have his course questioned, even when he is wrong. When he decides that a brother or sister is wrong, he is inclined to carry the matter through, and press his censure, although in doing so he hurts his own soul, and endangers the souls of others.

Bro. S should shun church trials, and should have nothing to do in settling difficulties, if he can possibly avoid it. He has a valuable gift, which is needed in the108 work of God. But he should separate himself from influences which draw upon his sympathies, confuse his judgment, and lead him to move unwisely. This should not and need not be. He exercises too little faith in God. He dwells too much upon his bodily infirmities, and strengthens unbelief by dwelling upon poor feelings. God has strength and wisdom in store for those who seek for it earnestly, in faith believing.

I was shown that Bro. S is a strong man upon some points, while upon others he is as weak as a child. His course in dealing with the erring has had a scattering influence. He has confidence in his ability to labor in setting things in order where he thinks it is needed, but he does not view the matter aright. He weaves into his labors his own spirit, and he does not discriminate, but often deals without tenderness. There is such a thing as overdoing the matter in performing strict duty to individuals. “And 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.”

Duty, stern duty, has a twin sister, which is kindness. If duty and kindness are blended, decided advantage will be gained; but if duty is separated from kindness, if tender love is not mingled with duty, there will be a failure, and much harm will be the result. Men and women will not be driven, but many can be won by kindness and love. Bro. S has held aloft the gospel whip, and his own words have frequently been the snap to that whip. This has not had an influence to spur others to greater zeal, and to provoke them to good works; but it has aroused their combativeness to repel his severity.

If Bro. S had walked in the light, he would not have made so many serious failures. “If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.” The path of obedience is the path of safety. “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely.” Walk in the light, and109 “then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.” Those who do not walk in the light will have a sickly, stunted religion. Bro. S should feel the importance of walking in the light, however crucifying to self. It is earnest effort, prompted by love for souls, which strengthens the heart and develops the graces.

My brother, you are naturally independent and self-sufficient. You estimate your ability to do, more highly than it will bear. You pray for the Lord to humble you and fit you for his work, and when he answers your prayer, and puts you under the course of discipline necessary for the accomplishment of the object, you frequently give way to doubts and despondency, and think you have reason for discouragement. When Bro. W has cautioned and held you back from engaging in church difficulties, you have frequently felt that he was restraining you.

I was shown your labors in Iowa. There was a decided failure to gather with Christ. You distracted, confused, and scattered the poor sheep. You had a zeal, but it was not according to knowledge. Your labors were not in love, but in sternness and severity. You were exacting and overbearing. You did not strengthen the sick and bind up the lame. Your injudicious harshness pushed some out of the fold who can never be reached and brought back. Words fitly spoken are like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Words unfitly spoken are the reverse. Their influence will be like desolating hail.

You have felt restless under restraint when Bro. W has cautioned, advised, and reproved you. You have thought that if you could be free and act yourself, you could do a good and great work. But your wife’s influence has greatly injured your usefulness. You have not ruled well your own house; you have failed to command your household after you. You have thought that you understood how to manage your home matters. But how have you been deceived! You have too often followed the promptings of your own spirit, which has110 resulted in perplexities and discouragements, and these have clouded your discernment and weakened you spiritually, so that your labors have been marked with great imperfection.

The labors of Brn. R and S in —— were premature. These brethren had their past experience with its mistakes before them, which should have been sufficient to guard them from engaging in a work that they were not qualified to perform. There was enough that needed to be done. It was a hard place in which to raise up a church. Opposing influences surrounded them. Every move made should have been with due caution and prayerful consideration.

These two brethren had been warned and reproved repeatedly for moving injudiciously, and they should not have taken the responsibilities upon themselves that they did. Oh, how much better would it have been for the cause of God in —— had they been laboring in new fields! Satan’s seat is in ——, as well as in other wicked cities; and he is a wily foe to contend with. There were disorderly elements among the Sabbath-keepers in —— that were hindrances to the cause. But there is a proper time to speak and act, a golden opportunity which will show the best results of labor put forth.

If things had been left to more fully develop before they were touched, there would have been a separation of the disorderly, unconsecrated ones, and there would not have been an opposition party. This should ever be saved if possible. The church might better suffer much annoyance, and exercise the more patience, than to get in a hurry, drive matters, and provoke a combative spirit. Those who really loved the truth for the truth’s sake, should have pursued their course with the glory of God in view, and let the light of truth shine out before all.

They might expect that the elements of confusion and dissatisfaction among them would make them trouble. Satan would not remain quiet, and see a company raised up in —— to vindicate truth, and to dispel sophistry and error. His ire would be kindled, and he would institute111 a war against those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. But this should not have made the faithful believers impatient or discouraged. These things should have had an influence to make the true believer more guarded, watchful, and prayerful—more tender, pitiful, and loving, to those who were making so great a mistake in regard to eternal things. As Christ has borne, and continues to bear, with our errors, our ingratitude, and our feeble love, so should we bear with those who test and try our patience. Shall the followers of the self-denying, self-sacrificing Jesus be unlike their Lord? Christians should have hearts of kindness and forbearance.

THE GOSPEL SOWER.

The parable of the gospel sower, which Christ presented before his hearers, contains a lesson that we should study. Those who preach present truth and scatter the good seed, will realize the same results as the gospel sower. All classes will be affected more or less by the presentation of pointed and convincing truth. Some will be wayside hearers. They will be affected by the truths spoken; but they have not cultivated the moral powers, they have followed inclination rather than duty, and evil habits have hardened their hearts until they have become like the hard, beaten road. These may profess to believe the truth, but they will have no just sense of its sacred, elevated character. They do not separate from the friendship of the lovers of pleasure and corrupt society; but they place themselves where they are constantly tempted; and may well be represented by the unfenced field. They invite the temptations of the enemy, and finally lose the regard they seemed to have for the truth when the good seed was dropped into their hearts.

Some are stony-ground hearers. They readily receive anything new and exciting. The word of truth they receive with joy. They talk earnestly, with ardor and zeal, in reference to their faith and hope, and may even administer reproof to those of long experience for some112 apparent deficiency or for their lack of enthusiasm. But when they are tested and proved by the heat of trial and temptation, when the pruning-knife of God is applied, that they may bring forth fruit unto perfection, their zeal dies, their voices are silent. No longer do they boast in the strength and power of truth.

This class are controlled by feeling. They have not depth and stability of character. Principle does not reach down deep, underlying the springs of action. They have in word exalted the truth, but are not doers of it. The seed of truth has not rooted down below the surface. The heart has not been renewed by the transforming influence of the Spirit of God. And when the truth calls for working men and women, when sacrifices have to be made for the truth’s sake, they are somewhere else; and when trials and persecution come, they fall away because they have no depth of earth. The truth, plain, pointed, and close, is brought to bear upon the heart, and reveals the deformity of character. Some will not bear this test, but frequently close their eyes to their imperfections; although their consciences tell them that the words spoken by the messengers of God, which bear so closely upon their Christian characters, are truth, yet they will not listen to the voice. They are offended because of the word, and yield the truth rather than submit to be sanctified through it. They flatter themselves that they may get to Heaven an easier way.

Still another class is represented in the parable. Men and women who listen to the word are convinced of the truth, and accept it without seeing the sinfulness of their hearts. The love of the world holds a large place in their affections. In deal, they love to get the best of the bargain. They prevaricate, and by deception and fraud gain means which will ever prove as a thorn to them; for it will overbalance their good purposes and intentions. The good seed sown in their hearts is choked. Frequently they are so full of care and anxiety, fearing that they will not gain means, or that they will lose what they have gained, that they make their temporal matters primary. They do not nourish the good seed.113 They do not attend meetings where their hearts can be strengthened by religious privileges. They fear that they will meet with some loss in temporal things. The deceitfulness of riches leads them to flatter themselves that it is duty to toil and gain all they can, that they may help the cause of God; and yet the more they increase their earthly riches, the less are their hearts inclined to part with their treasure, until their hearts are fully turned from the truth they loved. The good seed is choked, because overgrown with unnecessary worldly cares and needless anxiety—with love for the worldly pleasures and honors which riches give.

THE WHEAT AND TARES.

In another parable which Jesus presented to his disciples, he likened the kingdom of Heaven to a field wherein a man sowed good seed, but in which, while he was sleeping, the enemy sowed tares. The question was asked the householder, “Didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?” He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” If faithfulness and vigilance had been preserved, if there had been no sleeping or negligence upon the part of any, the enemy would not have had so favorable an opportunity to sow tares among the wheat. Satan never sleeps. He is watching, and he improves every opportunity to set his agents to scatter error, which finds good soil in many unsanctified hearts.

The sincere believers of truth are made sad, and their trials and sorrows greatly increased, by the elements among them which annoy, dishearten, and discourage them in their efforts. But the Lord would teach his servants a lesson of great carefulness in all their moves. “Let114 both grow together.” Do not forcibly pull up the tares, lest in rooting them up, the precious blades will become loosened. Both ministers and church members should be very cautious, lest they get a zeal not according to knowledge. There is danger of doing too much to cure difficulties in the church, which, if let alone, will frequently work their own cure. It is bad policy to take hold of matters in any church prematurely. We shall have to exercise the greatest care, patience, and self-control, to bear these things, and not go to work in our own spirit to set them in order.

The work done in — was premature, and caused an untimely separation in that little church. If the servants of God could have felt the force of our Saviour’s lesson in the parable of the wheat and tares, they would not have undertaken the work they did. Before steps are taken which will give even those who are utterly unworthy the least occasion to complain of being separated from the church, the matter should always be made a subject of the most careful consideration and earnest prayer. Steps were taken in — which created an opposition party. Some were wayside hearers, others were stony-ground hearers; and still others were of that class who received the truth while the heart had a growth of thorns which choked the good seed; these would never have perfected Christian characters. But there were a few who might have been nourished and strengthened, and have become settled and established in the truth. But the positions taken by Brn. R and S brought a premature crisis, and then there was a lack of wisdom and judgment in managing the faction.

If persons are as deserving of being separated from the church as Satan was of being cast out of Heaven, they will have sympathizers. There is always a class who are more influenced by individuals than they are by the Spirit of God and sound principles; and in their unconsecrated state, these are ever ready to take sides with the wrong, and give their pity and sympathy to the very ones who least deserve it. These sympathizers have a powerful influence with others; things are seen in a115 perverted light, and great harm is done, many souls are ruined. Satan, in his rebellion, took a third part of the angels. They turned from the Father and from his Son, and united with the instigator of rebellion. With these facts before us, we should move with the greatest caution. What can we expect but trial and perplexity in our connection with men and women of peculiar minds? We must bear this, and avoid the necessity of rooting up the tares, lest the wheat be rooted up also.

“In the world ye shall have tribulation,” says Christ; but in me ye shall have peace. The trials to which Christians are subjected in sorrow, adversity, and reproach, are the means appointed of God to separate the chaff from the wheat. Our pride, selfishness, evil passions, and love of worldly pleasure, must all be overcome; therefore God sends us afflictions to test and prove us, and show us that these evils exist in our characters. We must overcome through his strength and grace, that we may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. “For our light affliction,” says Paul, “which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Afflictions, crosses, temptations, adversity, and our varied trials, are God’s workmen to refine us, sanctify us, and fit us for the heavenly garner.

The harm done to the cause of truth by premature moves can never be fully repaired. The cause of God in — has not advanced as it might, and will not stand in as favorable a light before the people as before this work was done. There are frequently persons among us whose influence seems to be but a cipher on the right side. Their lives seem to be useless; but let them become rebellious and combative, and they become zealous workmen for Satan. This work is more in accordance with the feelings of the natural heart. There is great need of self-examination and secret prayer. God has promised116 wisdom to those who ask him. Missionary labor is frequently entered upon by those unprepared for the work. Outward zeal is cultivated, while secret prayer is neglected. When this is the case, much harm is done, for these laborers seek to regulate the consciences of others by their own rule. Self-control is much needed. Hasty words stir up strife. Bro. S is in danger of indulging a spirit of sharp criticism. This does not become ministers of righteousness.

Bro. S, you have much to learn. You have been inclined to charge your failures and your discouragements to Bro. W; but close investigation of your motives and of your course of action, would reveal other causes which exist in yourself for these discouragements. Following the inclinations of your own natural heart, brings you into bondage. The severe, torturing spirit in which you sometimes indulge cuts off your influence. My brother, you have a work to do for yourself which no other person can do for you. Each must give an account of himself to God. He has given us his law as a mirror into which we may look and discover the defects in our characters. We are not to look into this mirror for the purpose of seeing our neighbor’s faults reflected, of watching to see if he comes up to the standard, but to see the defects in ourselves, that we may remove them. Knowledge is not all that we need; we must follow the light. We are not left to choose for ourselves, and to obey that which is agreeable to us, and to disobey when it best suits our convenience. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Continue reading: TO WEALTHY PARENTS.