I saw that many souls have been destroyed by their brethren unwisely sympathizing with them, when their only hope was to be left to see and realize the full extent of their wrongs. But as they eagerly accept the sympathy of unwise brethren, they receive the idea that they are abused; and if they attempt to retrace their steps, they make halfhearted work. They divide the matter to suit their natural feelings, lay blame upon the reprover, and so patch up the matter. It is not probed to the bottom, and is not healed, and they again fall into the same wrong, because they were not left to feel the extent of their wrong, and humble themselves before God, and let Him build them up. False sympathizers have worked in direct opposition to the mind of Christ and ministering angels. (1T 213.1) MC VC

Ministers of Christ should arise and engage in the work of God with all their energies. God’s servants are not excused if they shun pointed testimony. They should reprove and rebuke wrong, and not suffer sin upon a brother. I must here introduce a portion of a letter addressed to Brother C: (1T 213.2) MC VC

“I was shown some things in regard to you. I saw that the living, pointed testimony had been crushed in the church. You have not been in harmony with the straight testimony. You have shunned to lay your hand decidedly upon wrong, and you have been tried with those who felt compelled to do so. Disaffected ones have had your sympathy. This has had a tendency to make you a weak man. You have not been in union with pointed, cutting testimony which has been sent home to the individual.” (1T 214.1) MC VC

“God’s servants are not excused if they shun pointed testimony. They must reprove and rebuke wrong, and not suffer sin upon a brother. You have often stretched out your hands to shield persons from the censure which they deserved, and the correction which the Lord designed they should have. If these persons fail to reform, their lack is set to your account. Instead of watching for their danger, and warning them of it, you have cast your influence against those who have followed the convictions of duty, and reproved and warned the erring.” (1T 214.2) MC VC

“These are perilous times for the church of God, and the greatest danger now is that of self-deception. Individuals professing to believe the truth are blind to their own danger and wrongs. They reach the standard of piety which has been set up by their friends and themselves, they are fellowshiped by their brethren, and are satisfied, while they entirely fail to reach the gospel standard set up by our divine Lord. If they regard iniquity in their hearts, the Lord will not hear them. But with many it is not only regarded in the heart, but openly carried out in the life; yet in many cases the wrongdoers receive no rebuke.” (1T 214.3) MC VC

“I was pointed back to -----. Your feelings were wrong there. You should have stood side by side with Elder D and made straight work, taken hold of and reproved individual wrongs. The burden you cast upon Elder D you deserved yourself, for your lack of moral courage to lay your hand upon wrong. You influenced others. The good work which God designed should be accomplished for certain ones was not accomplished, and they have been puffed up by Satan. If you had stood in the counsel of God at that time, an influence would have been cast which would have told upon the cause of God. The Spirit of the Lord was grieved. And this lack of union discourages those upon whom God lays the burden of reproof.” (1T 214.4) MC VC