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from the one whom he supposes to be in error. If he wishes to help the erring one, let him do it by love and kindness.

     "If two brethren are at variance, the one that is wise and a true follower of Christ, though not at fault at all, will ask the erring one

to forgive him rather than to argue

and wrangle to prove himself just and the other at fault. The following example is the one that all Christians ought to follow.

     "Years ago, when the company of believers in the soon coming of Christ was very small, the Sabbath-keepers at Topsham, Maine, met for worship in the large kitchen in the home of Brother Stockbridge Howland. One Sabbath morning Brother Howland was absent. We were surprised at this, because he was always so punctual. Soon he came in, his face aglow, shining with the glory of God. 'Brethren,' he said, `I have found it. I have found that we can pursue a course of action regarding which the guarantee of God's word is: 'Ye shall never fall. I am going to tell you about it.'

    "He then told us that he had noticed that one brother, a poor fisher-man, had been feeling that

he was not as highly respected as he ought to be, and that Brother Howland and others thought

themselves above him. This was not true, but it seemed true to him; and for several weeks he had

not attended the meetings. So Brother Howland went to his house, and knelt before him, saying 'My brother, forgive me. What is it that I have done?' The man took him by the arm, and tried to raise him to his feet. `No,' said Brother Howland, 'what have you against me?' 'I have nothing against you.' 'But you must have,' said Brother Howland, 'because once we could speak to one another, but now you do not speak to me at all, and I want to know what is the matter.'

      "Get up, Brother Howland,' he said. `No,' said Brother Howland, 'I will not.' `Then I must get down,' he said, and he fell on his knees, and confessed how childish he had been and how many evil surmising he had cherished. 'And now,' he said, 'I will put them all away.'

     "As Brother Howland told this story, his face shone with the glory of the Lord. Just as he had finished, the fisher-man and his family came in, and we had an excellent meeting."

     "Suppose that some of us should follow the course pursued by Brother Howland. If when our

brethren surmise evil, we would go to them, saying, `Forgive me if I have done anything to harm you,' we might break the spell of Satan, and set our brethren free from their temptations. Do not let anything interpose between you and your brethren. If there is anything that you can do by sacrifice to clear away the rubbish of suspicion, do it. God wants us to love one another as brethren. He wants us to be pitiful and courteous. He wants us to educate ourselves to believe that our brethren love us, and to believe that Christ loves us. . . . Love begets love'"' (Testimonies, pp. 191-193). 4


By Penny Payne

_______________________________


1. Ellen White, Testimonies for the 

    Church, Vol. 4, p. 656

2. Ellen White, Thoughts from the

    Mount of Blessing, pp. 113-116

3. Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 97

4. Anti-typical Elijah The Symbolic

Code, Vol. 4, Nos. 10-12, pp. 10, 11

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