And so it is with Christians. Leave them in the open
common of the world, and they gradually come down to a level with the
tastes and manners of the world. Place them within the guarded
enclosures of the Church, and they rise to the dignity and glory of
saints. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of
fools shall be destroyed." Hence "the Lord added to the Church daily
such as should be saved."
When you get into the Church, stay there as long as you honestly can;
and honor it by a truly Christian life; and aid it by your labors; and
support it liberally with your money. The best spent money in the world
is that which is employed in promoting the spread of Christianity. And
try to live in peace both with your pastor and your fellow-members. Obey
the rules. Do not dream of unlimited liberty; you cannot have it; and it
would do you no good if you could, but harm. And unlimited liberty for
one, would be slavery or martyrdom for the rest. Judge the Church and
your pastors charitably, as you would like to be judged yourself. Expect
to find imperfections in them, and make as much allowance for them as
you can, that they may be led to make allowances for the imperfections
they find in you. Look more at the good that is in your brethren than at
the evil; it will cause you to love them the more, and make you feel
happier in their company.
Pages:
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722