1T 656
(Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 656)
“The next morning we attended meetings again in the meetinghouse. Your father spoke in the morning. But just before he spoke, the enemy made a poor, weak brother feel that he had a most astonishing burden for the church. He walked the slip, talked, and groaned, and cried, and had a terrible something upon him, which nobody seemed to understand. We were trying to bring those who professed the truth to see their state of dreadful darkness and backsliding before God, and to make humble confessions of the same, thus returning unto the Lord with sincere repentance, that He might return unto them, and heal their backslidings. Satan sought to hinder the work by pushing in this poor, distracted soul to disgust those who wished to move understandingly. I arose and bore a plain testimony to this man. He had taken no food for two days, and Satan had deceived him, and pushed him over the mark.” (1T 656.1) MC VC
“Then your father preached. We had a few moments’ intermission, and then I tried to speak upon the health and dress reforms, and bore a plain testimony to those who had been standing in the way of the young and of unbelievers. God helped me to say plain things to Brother Ball, and to tell him in the name of the Lord what he had been doing. He was considerably affected.” (1T 656.2) MC VC
“Again we held an evening meeting at Brother Farnsworth’s. The weather was stormy during the meetings, yet Brother Ball did not remain away from one of them. The same subject was resumed, the investigation of the course he had pursued. If ever the Lord helped a man talk, He helped Brother Andrews that night, as he dwelt upon the subject of suffering for Christ’s sake. The case of Moses was mentioned, who refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of reward. He showed that this is one of many instances where the reproach of Christ was esteemed above worldly riches and honor, high-sounding titles, a prospective crown, and the glory of a kingdom. The eye of faith was fixed upon the glorious future, and the recompense of the reward was regarded of such value as to cause the richest things which earth can offer to appear valueless. The children of God endured mockings, scourgings, bonds, and imprisonments; they were stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, wandering about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, tormented, and, sustained by hope and faith, they could call these light afflictions; the future, the eternal life, appeared of so great value that they accounted their sufferings small in comparison with the recompense of the reward.” (1T 656.3) MC VC