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| Many do not look upon preaching as Christ's appointed means of instructing His people and therefore always to be highly prized. They do not feel that the sermon is the word of the Lord to them and estimate it by the value of the truths spoken; but they judge it as they would the speech of a lawyer at the bar--by the argumentative skill displayed and the power and beauty of the language. The minister is not infallible, but God has honored him by making him His messenger. If you listen to him as though he were not commissioned from above you will not respect his words nor receive them as the message of God. Your souls will not feed upon the heavenly manna; doubts will arise concerning some things that are not pleasing to the natural heart, and you will sit in judgment upon the sermon as you would upon the remarks of a lecturer or a political speaker. As soon as the meeting closes you will be ready with some complaint or sarcastic remark, thus showing that the message, however true and needful, has not profited you. You esteem it not; you have learned the habit of criticizing and finding fault, and you pick and choose, and perhaps reject the very things that you most need. {5T 298.2} |
| very similar to |
| Many do not look upon preaching as Christ's appointed means of instructing his people, and therefore always to be highly prized. They do not feel that the sermon is the word of the Lord to them, and estimate it by the value of the truths spoken; but they judge it as they would the speech of a lawyer at the bar,--by the argumentative skill displayed, and the power and beauty of the language. The minister is not infallible, but God has honored him by making him his messenger. If his hearers listen to him as though he were not commissioned from above, they will not respect his words, nor receive them as the message of God. Their souls will not feed upon the heavenly manna; doubts will arise concerning some things that are not pleasing to the natural heart, and they will sit in judgment upon the sermon, as they would upon the remarks of a lecturer or a political speaker. As soon as the meeting closes, they will be ready with some complaint or sarcastic remark, thus showing that the message, however true and needful, has not profited them. They esteem it not; they have learned the habit of criticising and finding fault, and they pick and choose, and perhaps reject the very things that they most need. {RH, April 7, 1885 par. 2} |
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There are ministers who have not fed the flock of God. While their salaries have been paid, they are not men who are converted to God. There must be a weeding out of ministers; for they are not converted. We want to have the talent right in among us that has worked up to be used in our conference. But if there is no spirituality to discern where that talent is, or to train and discipline it for the work, what then? Why if there is talent in other fields, do not say, "We are going to furnish our own talent here in Michigan, and we do not want anybody to work in Michigan unless they are Michigan men." Who told you to prescribe for God? Who told you to say what men should be over you? This is contrary to all the light that God has given me. You have no right to pick and choose according to your plans. No, indeed. Ask God to send out the very men who will help you most; to send you the very men that are qualified to take and elevate and carry the churches in your place to a higher standard. That is what you are to do. When you do this, God will work with you. When we do this, He will lift what we are trying to lift. {1SAT 169.3} |
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| Supposing that Christ should deal with all his sons and daughters who learn of him, as the human agent, as teachers deal with those under their charge; that when the law of the Lord, his rules, his injunctions, have been disregarded by us, the guilty were expelled or suspended, turning the erring away from his saving, uplifting, educating influences, leaving him to pick and choose his own way and course of action without Christ's divine assistance; what would become of our souls? Christ's constant, forgiving love is binding up our souls' interest with himself. O the mightiness of the love of Jesus overwhelms me as I consider it. The yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden is light. When we enter more entirely into the love of Jesus by practice, we shall see far different results in our own advancement as Christians, and in the molding of the characters of those brought into relationship with us. The most difficult business for individuals is the giving up of that which one thinks is his right. Love seeketh not her own. Heaven-born love strikes deeper then the surface. Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Fortified with the grace of Christ, love doth not behave itself unseemly. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God. God is love. We all need love, gentleness, tenderness, compassion, forbearance. Expel from the soul every vestige of selfishness of human dignity. {SpM 145.3} {FE 282.1} |
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| pick and choose their conpanions |
| Studies should generally be few and well chosen, and those who attend our colleges are to have a different training than that of the common schools of the day. They have been generally taught upon Christian principles, if they have wise and God-fearing parents. The word of God has been respected in their homes, and its teachings made the law of the home. They have been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the gospel, and when they come to the schools, this same education and training is to go on. The world's maxims, the world's customs and practices, are not the teaching they need; but they are to see that the teachers in the schools care for their souls, that they will take a decided interest in their spiritual welfare, and religion is to be the great principle inculcated; for the love and fear of God are the beginning of wisdom. Youth removed from the domestic atmosphere, from the home rule and guardianship of parents, if left to themselves to pick and choose their companions, meet with a crisis in their history not generally favorable to piety or principle. {CE 47.2} {FE 115.1} |
| God's word must be opened to the youth, but a youth should not be placed in the position to do this. Those who must have an eye upon them constantly to insure their good behavior, will require to be watched in any position where they may be. Therefore the mold given the character in youth by such a system of training, is wholly deleterious. Aim for mental discipline and the formation of right moral sentiments and habits. Studies should generally be few and well chosen, and those who attend our colleges are to have a different training than that of the common schools of the day. They have been generally taught upon Christian principles, if they have wise and God-fearing parents. The word of God has been respected in their homes, and its teachings made the law of the home. They have been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the gospel, and when they come to the schools, this same education and training is to go on. The world's maxims, the world's customs and practices, are not the teaching they need; but they are to see that the teachers in the schools care for their souls, that they will take a decided interest in their spiritual welfare, and religion is to be the great principle inculcated; for the love and fear of God are the beginning of wisdom. Youth removed from the domestic atmosphere, from the home rule and guardianship of parents, if left to themselves to pick and choose their companions, meet with a crisis in their history not generally favorable to piety or principle. {RH, June 21, 1887 par. 5} |
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