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Correct Influence ( 25 )

Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .

correct influence

Related Phrase: exert a correct influence ( below ) - - influence for Good ( 368 )

That peace and harmony is not worthy of the name which is secured by mutual concessions to avoid all differences of opinion. On points of feeling between man and man, concessions should sometimes be made; but never should one iota of principle be sacrificed in order to obtain harmony. All our words and actions pass in review before God, and if we wish to stand in the judgment as having done all that we could to have a correct influence over our fellowmen, we must repay kind acts for acts of mischief and malice. Christ is our Pattern; He would have us follow Him. { 15MR 160.1 }

Well balanced minds and symmetrical characters are required of teachers in every line. Give not this work into the hands of young women and young men who know not how to deal with human minds. This has been a mistake, and it has brought evil upon the children and youth under their charge. They know so little of the controlling power of grace upon their own hearts and characters that they have to unlearn, and learn entirely new lessons in Christian experience. They have never learned to keep their own soul and character under discipline to Jesus Christ, and bring even the thoughts into captivity to Jesus Christ. Oh if you all who have any voice and influence in these important decisions of selecting teachers, would be more God-fearing, and would be more certain that you are making wise choices for the good of the children and the glory of God, there would be an improved condition of things in every way. There are all kinds of characters to deal with in the children and youth. Their minds are impressible. Anything like a hasty, passionate exhibition on the part of the teacher may cut off her influence for good over the students whom she is having the name of educating. And will this education be for the present and future eternal good of the children and youth? There is the correct influence to be exerted upon them for their spiritual good. Instruction is to be constantly given to encourage the children in the formation of correct habits in speech, in voice, in deportment. { SpM 108.2 }

Well balanced minds and symmetrical characters are required as teachers in every line. Give not this work into the hands of young women and young men who know not how to deal with human minds. They know so little of the controlling power of grace upon their own hearts and characters that they have to unlearn, and learn entirely new lessons in Christian experience. They have never learned to keep their own soul and character under discipline to Jesus Christ, and bring even the thoughts into captivity to Jesus Christ. There are all kinds of characters to deal with in the children and youth. Their minds are impressible. Anything like a hasty, passionate exhibition on the part of the teacher may cut off her influence for good over the students whom she is having the name of educating. And will this education be for the present and future eternal good of the children and youth? There is the correct influence to be exerted upon them for their spiritual good. Instruction is to be constantly given to encourage the children in the formation of correct habits in speech, in voice, in deportment. { CE 151.1 } { FE 266.2 }

We must arise, and co-operate with Christ.... Obey the gospel commission; go forth into the highways and hedges. Visit as many places as possible. Conduct simple, spirited Bible readings, which will have a correct influence upon minds.—Manuscript 53, 1910. { Ev 481.1}

Much importance is attached to hearing and practising the sayings of Christ. When the divine Teacher gave His sermon on the mount, He was surrounded by a large congregation. After specifying the characters that should be blessed, He said, “Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.” All must possess Christlike attributes of character if they have any saving influence on the world. Profession of faith is nothing. Unless the truth is a living principle in the heart, it will not be revealed in precious talents of appropriate speech. No one can impart that which he has not. If we receive grace from the source of all correct influence, from the great fountain of good, it is that we may impart. If we have not in our character the precious attributes of Christ, if we do not cherish His meekness, patience, longsuffering, kindness, and love, we may profess to know Christ, but we know Him not. { BTS October 1, 1916, par. 4 }

Of the one who has been working with intensity of effort to keep up a name, God says, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” He has been so occupied with keeping up a name that he has neglected responsibilities of a most solemn character. God looks upon the name as dead, so far as correct influence is concerned. Those who follow in his tread will be dead, destroyed by false representations. There is nothing more dangerous to a professing Christian than to have merely a “name.” { SpTA12 6.2 } { SpTB07 28.2 }

We do not want to lose sight of the peculiar sacredness of this mission of ministering in word and in doctrine to the people. It is the work of the minister to speak the words of truth to the people, solemn, sacred truth. Some form the habit of relating anecdotes in their discourses, which have a tendency to amuse and remove from the mind of the hearer the sacredness of the Word which they are handling. Such should consider that they are not giving to the people the Word of the Lord. Too many illustrations do not have a correct influence; they belittle the sacred dignity that should ever be maintained in the presentation of the Word of God to the people.—The Review and Herald, February 22, 1887. { PaM 193.1}

There are all kinds of characters to deal with in the children and youth. Their minds are impressible. Anything like a hasty, passionate exhibition on the part of the teacher may cut off her influence for good over the students whom she is having the name of educating. And will this education be for the present good and future eternal good of the children and youth? There is the correct influence to be exerted upon them for their spiritual good.— Manuscript 34, 1893. { 1MCP 191.3}

do not have a correct influence

We do not want to lose sight of the peculiar sacredness of this mission of ministering in word and in doctrine to the people. It is the work of the minister to speak the words of truth to the people, solemn, sacred truth. Some form the habit of relating anecdotes in their discourses, which have a tendency to amuse and remove from the mind of the hearer the sacredness of the word which they are handling. Such should consider that they are not giving to the people the word of the Lord. Too many illustrations do not have a correct influence; they belittle the sacred dignity that should ever be maintained in the presentation of the Word of God to the people.—The Review and Herald, February 22, 1887. { Ev 208.3}

Too many illustrations do not have a correct influence; they belittle the sacred dignity that should ever be maintained in the presentation of the Word of God to the people.—Evangelism, 209. { VSS 278.3}

exert a correct influence

Those who love Jesus and the souls for whom he had died will follow after the things which make for peace. But they must take care lest in their efforts to prevent discord, they surrender truth; lest in warding off division, they sacrifice principle. True brotherhood can never be maintained by compromising principle. As Christians approach the Christlike model, and become pure in spirit and action, they will feel the venom of the serpent. The opposition of the children of disobedience is excited by a Christianity that is spiritual. At this crisis is the time to decide who are God's faithful servants, who will be true to principle, who will bear in mind that truth is too dearly purchased for its least principle to be surrendered. That peace and harmony which are secured by mutual concessions to avoid all differences of opinion are not worthy of the name. On points of feeling between man and man, concessions should sometimes be made; but never should one iota of principle be sacrificed to obtain harmony. All our words and actions pass in review before God; and if we wish to stand in the Judgment as having done all that we could do to exert a correct influence over our fellow men, we must return kind acts for acts of mischief and malice. Christ is our pattern; we must follow him. {RH, January 16, 1900 par. 6}

In view of all these influences which are at work in the world to instill infidel sentiments into the minds of the rising generation, shall those parents who have the light of truth aid in this work? Shall they, by their example, their influence, give the impression to their own children and to the world that it makes little difference whether they obey God in every particular? We all need both sound Bible doctrine and pure heart religion in order that we may represent the truth as it is in Jesus. We need continually to breathe the vitalizing atmosphere of heaven that we may have spiritual health and strength. The law of God must be an abiding, active principle in the heart, if we would exert a correct influence over others. It must have a controlling influence upon the conscience and the understanding, and upon the thoughts, and words, and deeds. { RH May 4, 1886, par. 5 } { ST April 8, 1886, par. 11 }

We cannot exert a correct influence when we are under a cloud of anxiety and depression. We must reach out the hand of faith, and grasp the hand of our Redeemer. We must not wait for the latter rain. It is coming upon all who will recognize and appropriate the dew and showers of grace that fall upon us. When we gather up the fragments of light, when we appreciate the sure mercies of God, who loves to have us trust Him, then every promise will be fulfilled. “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” ( Isaiah 61:11). Letter 151, 1897, pp. 1, 2. (To James Edson and Emma White, August 29, 1897.) { 1MR 177.2 }

The youth who attend our school for the first time, are not prepared to exert a correct influence in any city as lights shining amid the darkness. They will not be prepared to reflect light until the darkness of their own erroneous education is dispelled. In the future our school will not be the same as it has been in the past. Among the students there have been reliable, experienced men who have taken advantage of the opportunity to gain more knowledge in order to do intelligent work in the cause of God. These have been a help in the school, for they have been as a balance wheel; but in the future the school will consist mostly of those who need to be transformed in character, and who will need to have much patient labor bestowed upon them; they have to unlearn, and learn again. It will take time to develop the true missionary spirit, and the farther they are removed from the cities and the temptations that are flooding them, the more favorable will it be for them to obtain the true knowledge and develop well-balanced characters. { FE 324.3}

We had in the school in-----unruly students, who were disposed to disregard the instructions given from the word of God, and by their course of action betray sacred trusts. The Lord looked down from heaven upon them, and beheld their deceptive practices, and their false denial of their actions. They were labored for faithfully; but they were altogether too near the city, and temptations were constantly arising. They forgot to be true and loyal to God’s holy law. They transgressed His commandments. They were infatuated, and revealed that as students they had not moral integrity to be true. There seemed to be a Satanic agency at work to discourage the teachers and demoralize the school. Some acting as teachers did not exert a correct influence. When every jot of influence should have been placed on the side of discipline and order, these teachers, though knowing all the trials that disorderly students were bringing upon the principal and his co-workers, who were burdened and oppressed, and who were seeking the Lord most earnestly, showed sympathy for the ones who were serving the enemy most earnestly. The students—the wrongdoers—knew this. A few took courage to brave out their wrong course of action, until it was brought home so strongly to them that they acknowledged that they had disobeyed the rules of the school, and had then tried to hide behind falsehood. { FE 454.1 }

The youth who attend our school for the first time, are not prepared to exert a correct influence in any city as lights shining amid the darkness. They will not be prepared to reflect light until the darkness of their own erroneous education is dispelled. In the future our school will not be the same as it has been in the past. Among the students there have been reliable, experienced men who have taken advantage of the opportunity to gain more knowledge in order to do intelligent work in the cause of God. These have been a help in the school, for they have been as a balance-wheel; but in the future the school will consist mostly of those who need to be transformed in character, and who will need to have much patient labor bestowed upon them; they have to unlearn, and learn again. It will take time to develop the true missionary spirit, and the farther they are removed from the cities and the temptations that are flooding them, the more favorable will it be for them to obtain the true knowledge and develop well-balanced characters. { SpTEd 102.2 }

We have no time to complain or to disparage others. God calls upon us to carry our work forward in right lines, for Christ’s sake exerting a correct influence in the daily life. He calls upon us to lead others to His throne. He teaches us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is..” { KC 22.6 }

I have a deep interest for your soul, but I dare not withhold the truth from you. You might have been much farther advanced than you are now in genuine religious experience. Angels of God are looking upon the most secret actions of your life. I tell you in the fear of God, you are not a Christian. To be a Christian is to be Christlike. You are not practicing truth. You are not open; you are not frank. You are not exerting a correct influence. You are not pure in thought or in actions. { 18MR 255.1 }

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