Responsibility
of Ministers
A solemn
responsibility rests upon the watchmen. How careful should
they be rightly
to understand and explain the word of God. Blessed is he
that readeth,
and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those
things which are
written therein.” Says the prophet Ezekiel: The word
of the Lord came
unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of
thy people, and
say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if
the people of
the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their
watchman: if
when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the
trumpet, and
warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the
trumpet, and taketh
not warning; if the sword come, and take him away,
his blood shall
be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet,
and took not
warning; his blood shall be upon
15
him. But he that
taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman
see the sword
come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not
warned; if the
sword come, and take any person from among them, he is
taken away in
his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s
hand. So thou, O
son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house
of Israel;
therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them
from Me. When I
say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely
die; if thou
dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked
man shall die in
his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if
thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do
not turn from
his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered
thy soul.”
The
responsibility of the watchmen of today is as much greater than
in the days of
the prophet as our light is clearer and our privileges and
opportunities
greater than theirs. It is the minister’s duty to warn every
man, to teach
every man, in all meekness and wisdom. He is not to
conform to the
practices of the world, but, as God’s servant, he must
contend for the
faith once delivered to the saints. Satan is constantly at
work to break
down the strongholds which debar him from free access to
souls; and,
while our ministers are no more spiritually minded, while they
do not connect
closely with God, the enemy has great advantage, and the
Lord holds the
watchman accountable for his success.
I would, at this
time, sound the note of warning to those who shall
assemble at our
camp meeting. The end of all things is at hand. My
brethren,
ministers and laymen, I have been shown you must work in a
different manner
from what you have been in the habit of working. Pride,
envy,
self-importance, and unsanctified independence have marred your
labors. When men
permit themselves to be flattered and exalted by Satan,
the Lord can do
little for them or through them. To
16
what unmeasured
humiliation did the Son of man descend, that He might
elevate
humanity! Workers for God, not the ministers only, but the people,
need the
meekness and lowliness of Christ if they would benefit their
fellow men. As
God, our Saviour humbled Himself when He took upon
Him man’s
nature. But He went lower still. As a man, He humbled
Himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Would that I
could find language wherewith to present these thoughts
before you.
Would that the veil could be rent away and you could see
the cause of
your spiritual weakness. Would that you could conceive
of the rich
supplies of grace and power awaiting your demand. Those
who hunger and
thirst for righteousness will be filled. We must exercise
greater faith in
calling upon God for all needed blessings. We must strive,
agonize, to
enter in at the strait gate.
Says Christ: “Come
unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden,
and I will give
you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for
I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” I
testify to you,
my dear brethren, ministers, and people, you have not yet
learned this
lesson. Christ endured shame and agony and death for us.
“Let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Bear reproach
and abuse
without retaliation, without a spirit of revenge. Jesus died,
not only to make
atonement for us, but to be our pattern. Oh, wondrous
condescension!
matchless love! As you look upon the Prince of Life upon
the cross, can
you cherish selfishness? Can you indulge hatred or revenge?
Let the proud
spirit bow in humiliation. Let the hard heart be broken.
No longer pet
and pity and exalt self. Look, oh look upon Him whom
our sins have
pierced. See Him descending step by step the path of
humiliation to
lift us up; abasing Himself till He could go no lower, and
all to save us
who were fallen by sin! Why will we be so indifferent, so
cold, so formal,
so proud, so self-sufficient?
17
Who of us is
faithfully following the Pattern? Who of us has instituted
and continued
the warfare against pride of heart? Who of us has, in
good earnest,
brought himself to wrestle with selfishness until it should
no longer dwell
in the heart and be revealed in the life? Would to God
the lessons
given us, as we view the cross of Christ and see the signs
fulfilling which
bring us near to the judgment, might be so impressed
upon our hearts
as to render us more humble, more self-denying, more
kind to one
another, less self-caring, less critical, and more willing to bear
one another’s
burdens than we are today. I have been shown that, as a people, we are
departing from the simplicity of the faith and from the purity of the gospel.
Many are in great peril. Unless they change their course, they will be severed
from the True Vine as useless branches. Brethren and sisters, I have been shown
that we are
standing upon the threshold of the eternal world. We need now
to gain
victories at every step. Every good deed is as a seed sown, to bear
fruit unto
eternal life. Every success gained places us on a higher round
of the ladder of
progress and gives us spiritual strength for fresh victories.
Every right
action prepares the way for its repetition. Some are closing their probation;
and is it well with them? have they obtained a fitness for the future life?
Will not their record show wasted opportunities, neglected privileges, a life
of selfishness and worldliness that has borne no fruit to the glory of God? And
how much of the work which the Master has left for us to do has been left
undone. All around us are souls to be warned; but how often has the time been
occupied in
self-serving,
and the record gone up to God of souls passing to their graves
unwarned and
unsaved. The Lord still has purposes of mercy toward us. There is room for repentance.
We may become the beloved of God. I entreat you who have
put far off the
appearing of our Lord,
18
commence now the
work of redeeming the time. Study the word of
God. Let all at
this meeting make a covenant with God to put away light
and trifling
conversation and frivolous, unimportant reading, and, for the
coming year,
diligently and prayerfully study the Bible, that you may be
able to give to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is within
you, with
meekness and fear. Will you not, without delay, humble your
hearts before
God and repent of your backslidings?
Let none
entertain the thought that I regret or take back any plain
testimony I have
borne to individuals or to the people. If I have erred
anywhere, it is
in not rebuking sin more decidedly and firmly. Some
of the brethren
have taken the responsibility of criticizing my work and
proposing an
easier way to correct wrongs. To these persons I would say:
I take God’s way
and not yours. What I have said or written in testimony
or reproof has
not been too plainly expressed.
God has given me
my work, and I must meet it at the judgment. Those
who have chosen
their own way, who have risen up against the plain
testimonies
given them, and have sought to shake the faith of others in
them, must
settle the matter with God. I take back nothing. I soften
nothing to suit
their ideas or to excuse their defects of character. I have
not spoken as
plainly as the case required. Those who would in any way
lessen the force
of the sharp reproofs which God has given me to speak,
must meet their
work at the judgment.Within a few weeks past, standing face to face with death,
I have had a near look into eternity. If the Lord is pleased to raise me from
my present state of feebleness, I hope, in the grace and strength that comes from
above, to speak with fidelity the words which He gives me to speak.
All through my
life it has been terribly hard for me to hurt the feelings of any, or disturb
their self-deception, as I deliver the testimonies given me of God. It is contrary to my nature. It costs me great pain
19
and many
sleepless nights. To those who have taken the responsibility to
reprove me and,
in their finite judgment, to propose a way which appears
wiser to them, I
repeat: I do not accept your efforts. Leave me with God,
and let Him
teach me. I will take the words from the Lord and speak
them to the
people. I do not expect that all will accept the reproof and
reform their
lives, but I must discharge my duty all the same. I will walk
in humility before
God, doing my work for time and for eternity.
God has not
given my brethren the work that He has given me. It has
been urged that
my manner of giving reproof in public has led others to be
sharp and
critical and severe. If so, they must settle that matter with the
Lord. If others
take a responsibility which God has not laid upon them; if
they disregard
the instructions He has given them again and again through
the humble
instrument of His choice, to be kind, patient, and forbearing,
they alone must
answer for the results. With a sorrow-burdened heart, I
have performed
my unpleasant duty to my dearest friends, not daring to
please myself by
withholding reproof, even from my husband; and I shall
not be less
faithful in warning others, whether they will hear or forbear.
When I am
speaking to the people I say much that I have not premeditated.
The Spirit of
the Lord frequently comes upon me. I seem to be carried out
of, and away
from, myself; the life and character of different persons are
clearly
presented before my mind. I see their errors and dangers, and feel
compelled to
speak of what is thus brought before me. I dare not resist the
Spirit of God. I
know that some are displeased with my testimony. It does not suit
their proud,
unconsecrated hearts. I feel more and more deeply the loss
which our people
have sustained by their failure to accept and obey the
light which God
has given them. My younger brethren in the ministry, I
entreat you to
reflect
20
more upon your solemn
responsibility. If consecrated to God, you may
exert a powerful
influence for good in the church and the world; but you
lack heartfelt
piety and devotion. God has sent you to be a light to the
world by your
good works as well as by your words and theories. But
many of you may
truly be represented by the foolish virgins, who had no
oil in their
lamps. My brethren, heed the reproof and counsel of the True Witness, and God
will work for you and with you. Your enemies may be strong and
determined, but
One mightier than they will be your helper. Let the light
shine, and it
will do its work. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of
Jacob is our refuge.
REFFERENCE
Testimonies for the Church
Volume Five,Ellen G. White,1889
PAGE 15-20
Social Plugin