E - Testimony of Jesus
Let your life be controlled by the wide, generous principles of the Bible, the principles of good will, kindness, & courtesy. ML 235
If we would humble ourselves before God, & be kind & courteous & tenderhearted & pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one. T9 189
The Holy Scriptures give us marked examples of the exercise of true courtesy. Abraham was a man of God. When he pitched his tent, he at once erected his altar for sacrifice, & invited God to abide with him. Abraham was a courteous man. His life is not marred with selfishness, so hateful in any character, & so offensive in the sight of God. Witness his conduct when about to separate from Lot. Though Lot was his nephew, & much younger than himself, & the first choice of the land belonged to Abraham, courtesy led him to forego his right, & permit Lot to select for himself that part of the country which seemed to him most desirable. Behold him as he welcomes the 3 travelers in the heat of the day, & hastens to provide for their necessities. Again observe him as he engages in a business transaction with the sons of Heth, to purchase a burying-place for Sarah. In his grief he does not forget to be courteous. He bows before them, although he is God’s nobleman. Abraham knew what genuine politeness was, & what was due from man to his fellow-man. The great apostle Paul was firm where duty & principle were at stake; he preached Christ with great boldness; but he was never harsh & impolite. He had a tender heart, & was ever kind & thoughtful of others. Courtesy was a marked trait of his character, & this gave him access to the better class of society. His reasoning was so clear & convincing that it made the profligate king tremble as Paul dwelt upon his experience, showing what had wrought the change in his religious views which aroused the malice of the Jews. He exalted Jesus Christ as the world’s Redeemer. Grace, like an angel of mercy, makes his voice heard sweet & clear, repeating the story of the cross, the matchless love of Jesus. Paul attracted warm hearts wherever he went; his soul was linked to the soul of his brethren. When he parted with them, knowing & assuring them that they would never see his face again, they were filled with sorrow, & so earnestly besought him to still remain with them that he exclaimed, “What mean ye to weep & to break mine heart?” His sympathetic heart was breaking as he witnessed & felt their grief at this final separation. They loved him, & felt that they could not give him up. What Christian does not admire the character of Paul? Firm as a rock when standing in defense of the truth, he was affectionate & gentle as a child when surrounded by his friends. We should learn lessons of Paul, who was often found relating his experience. There is too little conversation upon the facts of religious experience, & the mercy & goodness of God. Love & gratitude are not cherished in the heart as they should be. Little, delicate acts of courtesy are sadly neglected. Words of cheer & encouragement to one another might be spoken with the best of results. But in Christ a greater example has been given us than that of either patriarch or apostle. Here we have genuine courtesy illustrated. This virtue ran parallel with his life, clothing it with a softened & refined beauty, & shedding its luster over every action. The Saviour uttered no word of reproach or censure, though he was constantly besieged & his hours for repose & retirement broken in upon. In the streets of the crowded city, in the groves, or by the lake-side, he was ever greeted by the complaints & requests of suffering humanity. ...Publicans & sinners throng about the blessed Saviour for one word of hope, for one touch of his finger to heal their various maladies. He had a kind word & look for every one. Though he was the Majesty of heaven, he did not proclaim his exalted character, & claim the reverence which rightfully belonged to him. But he traversed the earth, weary, hungry, & often sad, because men did not feel their need of the blessings he came to give them. This is the example of true courtesy which we must all copy if we would be indeed followers of Jesus. RH Sept. 8, 1885
Christ was courteous, even to His persecutors; & His true followers will manifest the same spirit. AH 425
What Christ was on this earth, the Christian worker should strive to be. He is our example, not only in His spotless purity, but in His patience, gentleness, & winsomeness of disposition. His life is an illustration of true courtesy. He had ever a kind look & a word of comfort for the needy & the oppressed. His presence brought a purer atmosphere into the home. His life was as leaven working amid the elements of society. Pure & undefiled, He walked among the thoughtless, the rude, the uncourteous; among unjust publicans, unrighteous Samaritans, heathen soldiers, rough peasants, & the mixed multitude. He spoke a word of sympathy here & a word there. As He saw men weary, & compelled to bear heavy burdens, He shared their burdens, & repeated to them the lessons He had learned from nature, of the love, the kindness, the goodness of God. He sought to inspire with hope the most rough & unpromising, setting before them the assurance that they might attain such a character as would make them manifest as children of God. GW 121
These lessons should be so impressed upon our minds that we will consider how our words & actions appear to those who behold them. We should studiously cultivate Christian courtesy at all times, which will keep us from neglecting that which is due to others. RH Nov. 16, 1886
All the real tenderness & courtesy in the world, even among those who do not acknowledge His name, is from Him. And He desires these characteristics to be perfectly reflected in His children. It is His purpose that in us men shall behold His beauty. AH 425
Jesus taught his followers that they should exercise a Christian courtesy toward all who came within their influence, that they should not be forgetful in deeds of mercy, & that when solicited for favors, they should show a benevolence superior to that of the worldling. 2SP 224
Those who believe in Christ possess the character of Christ, have the love of Christ, are one with him. They lean on Christ as their only staff & sufficiency. They are Christ’s living witnesses. By their spirit, by their words, by their deportment, by their courtesy, by all their actions, they testify to the power of Christ. A power goes out from those who believe in Christ, & their testimony carries with it the conviction that they are laboring together with God; that they have communion with the Saviour. RH Mar. 24, 1896
Thus they may give evidence that they possess tact & qualifications for the greatest work ever intrusted to men. They should be constantly improving in mind, in manners, in speech, learning how to become successful laborers. They should cultivate tact & courtesy, & manifest the spirit of Christ. Let them never cease to learn. Onward & upward should be their constant endeavor. GW 285
The Saviour of the world would have his co-laborers represent him; & the more closely a man walks with God, the more faultless will be his manner of address, his deportment, his attitude, & his gestures. Coarse & uncouth manners were never seen in our Pattern, Christ Jesus. He was a representative of Heaven, & his followers must be like him. We are to make daily improvement; our ways & manners are to become more like the ways & manners of the holy angels. Every uncouth gesture & coarse & uncultivated expression, should be put far away. Every imperfection may be overcome if we learn of Jesus & closely follow his example. RH Feb. 5, 1880
The disciples lived so entirely for the glory of Christ that their lives witnessed to the power of his grace, & by their zeal for God, they declared to the world that they sought a better country, even a heavenly, thus pointing the world heavenward. The Lord could trust them as representatives of his character; for from their meekness, lowliness, piety, & goodness, men could take knowledge of the character & teaching of their Master. In beneficence, in courtesy, in gentleness, in forbearance, in love, in untiring zeal for the salvation of souls, they made manifest the character of Christ. RH Feb. 21, 1893
Those who take hold of the work aright, will feel the necessity of having Jesus with them at every step, & they will feel that the cultivation of the mind & the manners is a duty due to themselves & required by God, - a duty which is essential to the success of the work. GW 77
Integrity, justice, & Christian kindness, blended, make a beautiful combination. Courtesy is one of the graces of the Spirit. It is an attribute of heaven. The angels never fly into a passion, never are envious, selfish, & jealous. No harsh or unkind words escape their lips. And if we are to be the companions of angels, we too must be refined & courteous. RH Sept. 1, 1885
We are to talk of heavenly things. Our conversation must be holy. We must train our minds to dwell upon pure & holy thoughts. When the enemy thrusts into our souls his subtle doubts & temptations, we are to close the door quickly, & dispel the influence of his suggestion, by repeating the Scripture. Jesus met & overpowered Satan with, “It is written.” Speak forth the promises of God. Talk of the wondrous love that he has manifested toward fallen man. Dwell upon the theme of salvation. RH Aug. 7, 1888
Angels are listening to hear what kind of report you are bearing to the world about your heavenly Master. Let your conversation be of Him who liveth to make intercession for you before the Father. When you take the hand of a friend, let praise to God be on your lips & in your heart. This will attract his thoughts to Jesus. SC 119
Perfect conformity to the will of God is the high aim to be constantly before the Christian. He will love to talk of God, of Jesus, of the home of bliss & purity which Christ has prepared for them that love Him. The contemplation of these themes, when the soul feasts upon the blessed assurances of God, the apostle represents as tasting the powers of the world to come. CCh 345
In order to be at home in heaven, we must have heaven enshrined in our hearts here. GW92 133
...if we would enter the city of God, & look upon Jesus in His glory, we must become accustomed to beholding Him with the eye of faith here. The words & the character of Christ should be often the subject of our thoughts & of our conversation; & each day some time should be especially devoted to prayerful meditation upon these sacred themes. If we would develop a character which God can accept, we must form correct habits in our religious life. Daily prayer is as essential to growth in grace, & even to spiritual life itself, as is temporal food to physical well-being. We should accustom ourselves to often lift the thoughts to God in prayer. If the mind wanders, we must bring it back; by persevering effort, habit will finally make it easy. We cannot for one moment separate ourselves from Christ with safety. We may have His presence to attend us at every step, but only by observing the conditions which He has Himself laid down. MYP 114
Here are your life-insurance papers. This is not an insurance policy the value of which someone else will receive after your death; it is a policy that assures you a life measuring with the life of God - even eternal life. O what an assurance! What a hope! Let us ever reveal to the world that we are seeking for a better country, even a heavenly. Heaven has been made for us, & we want a part in it. We cannot afford to allow anything to separate us from God & heaven. In this life we must be partakers of the divine nature. Brethren & sisters, you have only one life to live. O let it be a life of virtue, a life hid with Christ in God! HP 29
If our conversation were upon heaven & heavenly things, evil-speaking would soon cease to have any attraction for us. RH Feb. 25, 1904
...our conversation is in heaven, whence we look for the Saviour; the soul is reaching out after God for pardon & peace, for righteousness & true holiness. Converse with God & contemplation of things above transform the soul into the likeness of Christ. 2T 144
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men... 2 Timothy 2:24
The very best example to give to others is to be right ourselves, & then leave ourselves, our reputation, with God... OHC 237
The consistent life, the patient forbearance, spirit unruffled under provocation, is always the most conclusive argument & the most solemn appeal. If you have had opportunities & advantages that have not fallen to the lot of others, consider this, & be ever a wise, careful, gentle teacher. In order to have the wax take a clear, strong impression of the seal, you do not dash the seal upon it in a hasty, violent way; you carefully place the seal on the plastic wax, & quietly, steadily press it down, until it has hardened in the mold. In like manner deal with human souls. The continuity of Christian influence is the secret of its power, & this depends on the steadfastness of your manifestation of the character of Christ. Help those who have erred, by telling them of your experiences. Show how, when you made grave mistakes, patience, kindness, & helpfulness on the part of your fellow workers gave you courage & hope. Until the judgment you will never know the influence of a kind, considerate course toward the inconsistent, the unreasonable, the unworthy. When we meet with ingratitude & betrayal of sacred trusts, we are roused to show our contempt or indignation. This the guilty expect, they are prepared for it. But kind forbearance takes them by surprise, & often awakens their better impulses, & arouses a longing for a nobler life. CSW 101
To speak evil of no man... Titus 3:2
Let not one evil word escape our lips, because our lips, our voice, belong to the Lord, & must be consecrated to the Lord & to His service. These lips must not dishonor Jesus, for they belong to Him. He has bought them & I must speak nothing that will offend Jesus. My ears must be closed to evil. Thus day by day we can consecrate ourselves to God. 21MR 307
The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, & easy to be intreated... James 3:17
The principle here laid down is the natural outgrowth of the Christian religion. Especially will those who are engaged in proclaiming the last solemn message to a dying world seek to fulfill this scripture. Although possessing different temperaments & dispositions, they will see eye to eye in all matters of religious belief. They will speak the same things; they will have the same judgment; they will be one in Christ Jesus... LHU 309
You may create an unreal world in your own mind & picture an ideal church where the temptations of Satan no longer prompt to evil, but perfection exists only in your imagination. The world is a fallen world, & the church is a place represented by a field in which grow tares & wheat. They are to grow together until the harvest. It is not our place to uproot the tares, according to human wisdom, lest under the suggestions of Satan, the wheat may be rooted up under the supposition that it is tares. The wisdom that is from above will come to him who is meek & lowly in heart, & that wisdom will not lead him to destroy but to build up the people of God. 2MCP 636
The wisdom that is from above “is first pure.” Into the city of God there will enter nothing that defiles. All who are to be dwellers there will here have become pure in heart. In one who is learning of Jesus, there will be manifest a growing distaste for careless manners, unseemly language, & coarse thought. When Christ abides in the heart, there will be purity & refinement of thought & manner. MB 24
...the Saviour’s appearance had greatly changed... But as the people looked upon Him, they saw a face where divine compassion was blended with conscious power. Every glance of the eye, every feature of the countenance, was marked with humility, & expressive of unutterable love. He seemed to be surrounded by an atmosphere of spiritual influence. While His manners were gentle & unassuming, He impressed men with a sense of power that was hidden, yet could not be wholly concealed. DA 137
In the school of Christ, students never graduate. Among the pupils are both the old & the young. Those who give heed to the instructions of the Divine Teacher, constantly advance in wisdom, refinement, & nobility of soul, & thus they are prepared to enter that higher school, where advancement will continue throughout eternity. Infinite Wisdom sets before us the great lessons of life, - the lessons of duty & of happiness. These are often hard to learn, but without them we can make no real progress. They may cost us effort & tears, & even agony, but we must not falter or grow weary. We shall at last hear the Master’s call, “Child, come up higher.” RH Jul. 11, 1882
The apostle plainly outlined the attitude that believers should sustain toward the civil authorities: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors... Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” AA 522
We have men placed over us for rulers, & laws to govern the people. Were it not for these laws, the condition of the world would be worse than it is now. I saw that it is our duty in every case to obey the laws of our land, unless they conflict with the higher law which God spoke with an audible voice from Sinai, & afterward engraved on stone with His own finger... The wisdom & authority of the divine law are supreme. The government under which Jesus lived was corrupt & oppressive; on every hand were crying abuses - extortion, intolerance, & grinding cruelty. Yet the Saviour attempted no civil reforms. He attacked no national abuses, nor condemned the national enemies. He did not interfere with the authority or administration of those in power. He who was our example kept aloof from earthly governments. Not because He was indifferent to the woes of men, but because the remedy did not lie in merely human & external measures. To be efficient, the cure must reach men individually, & must regenerate the heart. Again & again Christ had been asked to decide legal & political questions. But He refused to interfere in temporal matters. CCh 314
Those who teach the Bible in our churches & our schools are not at liberty to unite in making apparent their prejudices for or against political men or measures, because by so doing they stir up the minds of others, leading each to advocate his favorite theory. There are among those professing to believe present truth, some who will thus be stirred up to express their sentiments & political preferences, so that division will be brought into the church. The Lord would have His people bury political questions. On these themes silence is eloquence. Christ calls upon His followers to come into unity on the pure gospel principles which are plainly revealed in the word of God. We cannot with safety vote for political parties; for we do not know whom we are voting for. God’s children are to separate themselves from politics, from any alliance with unbelievers. Do not take part in political strife. Separate from the world, & refrain from bringing into the church or school ideas that will lead to contention & disorder. CCh 316
...love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. 1 Peter 3:8
The value of courtesy is too little appreciated. Many who are kind at heart lack kindliness of manner. Ed 240
We should be self-forgetful, ever looking out for opportunities, even in little things, to show gratitude for the favors we have received of others, & watching for opportunities to cheer others & lighten & relieve their sorrows & burdens by acts of tender kindness & little deeds of love. These thoughtful courtesies that, commencing in our families, extend outside the family circle help make up the sum of life’s happiness; & the neglect of these little things makes up the sum of life’s bitterness & sorrow. AH 428
Christian courtesy should reign in every household. It is cheap, but it has power to soften natures which would grow hard & rough without it. AH 421
Christian politeness should be cultivated by daily practice. That unkind word should be left unspoken, that selfish disregard for the happiness of others should give place to sympathy & thoughtfulness. True courtesy, blended with truth & justice, will make the life not only useful, but fragrant. RH Sept. 1, 1885
Much may be gained by self discipline in the home... Let each make life as pleasant as possible for the other. Cultivate respect in the speech. Preserve unity & love. Satan will have no power over those who fully control themselves in the home. ML 84
Hardly was the prayer uttered before the answer was given. Among the women at the well, the courteous manners of one attracted his attention. As she came from the well, the stranger went to meet her, asking for some water from the pitcher upon her shoulder. The request received a kind answer with an offer to draw water for the camels also. Thus the desired sign was given. The maiden “was very fair to look upon,” & her ready courtesy gave evidence of a kind heart & an active, energetic nature. EP 108
Courtesy cannot take the place of a holy life; neither can the life be perfect in the absence of this fine filling up, which is like the delicate penciling in a picture. RH Sept. 8, 1885
Let us heed the words of inspiration, which exhort us to “be pitiful, be courteous.” Boaz represented the character of the Christian gentleman. Like Abraham, he commanded his household after him to keep the way of the Lord to do justice & judgment. He showed courtesy to all his servants, & as he passed among his workmen in the field, he said unto the reapers, “The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.” Here is a lesson for both masters & servants, for employers & the employed. The servants are strengthened in their hearts to do righteously, to be faithful to masters who manifest respectful kindness & courtesy towards them. Christians should be the most courteous people in the world. HM Dec. 1, 1894
It is an easy matter to irritate & to destroy; but it takes tact & Christlike wisdom to deal tenderly & kindly & lovingly with those with whom you associate. We are to love as brethren, showing that love in sympathy & courtesy. RH Jan. 2, 1894
As a people we should cultivate kindliness & courtesy in our association with those whom we meet. Let us avoid any abruptness of manner, & strive always to present the truth in an easy way. This truth means life, eternal life to the receiver. Study therefore to pass easily & courteously from subjects of a temporal nature to the spiritual & eternal. A most courteous manner characterized the work of the Saviour. Seek in the most gentle way to introduce your mission. While walking by the way, or seated by the wayside, you may drop into some heart the seed of truth. CH 435
No man can be a Christian without having the Spirit of Christ; & if he has the Spirit of Christ, it will be manifested in kind words & a refined, courteous deportment... RH Sept. 1, 1885
Some with whom you are brought in contact may be rough & uncourteous, but do not, because of this, be less courteous yourself. He who wishes to preserve his own self-respect must be careful not to wound needlessly the self-respect of others. This rule should be sacredly observed toward the dullest, the most blundering. What God intends to do with these apparently unpromising ones, you do not know. He has in the past accepted persons no more promising or attractive to do a great work for Him. His Spirit, moving upon the heart, has roused every faculty to vigorous action. The Lord saw in these rough, unhewn stones precious material, which would stand the test of storm & heat & pressure. God does not see as man sees. He does not judge from appearances, but searches the heart & judges righteously. GW 122
They will manifest no feeble, undecided character. Their minds are enlarging, their manners are becoming more refined. They should place no bounds to their improvement, but every day be better fitted to do good work. CEv 53
All should learn how to labor with tact & with courtesy, & with the Spirit of Christ. They should never cease to become learners, but should ever continue to dig for truth & for the best ways of working, as they would dig for buried gold. FE 108
Let every soul be honest & sincere, & never be satisfied with anything that does not rightly represent our faith. We must know more of eternal things. We must meditate upon the Scriptures, & let the heart open to receive divine enlightenment. Let the truth abide in the heart, & talk of Jesus. Conversation on heavenly things should become natural with Christians. YI Jun. 28, 1894
In all your transactions with your fellow men never forget that you are dealing with God’s property. Be kind; be pitiful; be courteous. Respect God’s purchased possession. Treat one another with tenderness & courtesy. ML 235
It is impossible to love Christ & at the same time act uncourteously toward one another. It is impossible to have the Christ-love in the heart, & at the same time draw apart from one another, showing no love or sympathy. The more love we have for Christ, the more love we will have for one another. 10MR 144
Be courteous, be tender, be affectionate, respect the feelings of one another every time. Do not be betrayed even once in indulging in a perverse, irritable temper. If you do, you will soon lose respect for one another... 3MR 296
Reverence should be shown for God’s representatives – for ministers, teachers, & parents who are called to speak & act in His stead. In the respect shown to them He is honored. Ed 244
Do not cherish a spirit of controversy. Little good is accomplished by denunciatory speeches. The surest way to destroy false doctrine is to preach the truth. Keep to the affirmative. Let the precious truths of the gospel kill the force of evil. Show a tender, pitiful spirit toward the erring. Come close to hearts. Ev 304
The essence of true politeness is consideration for others. The essential, enduring education is that which broadens the sympathies & encourages universal kindliness. Ed 241
The most Christlike professors are those who are the most kind, pitiful, & courteous; their convictions are firm & their characters strong; nothing can swerve them from their faith or allure them from their duty. RH Sept. 8, 1885
When His people are thrown into the society of unbelievers, whether walking, working, riding, trading, or visiting, they should, as they have opportunity, introduce the subject of religion, & speak of the things which concern their eternal interest. They should not do this abruptly, but with tact. This was the way in which our Saviour taught concerning the kingdom of God. RH Aug. 28, 1879
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 fisherman, had been feeling that he was not as highly respected as he ought to be & that Brother Howland & others thought themselves above him. This was not true, but it seemed true to him; & for several weeks he had not attended the meetings. So Brother Howland went to his house & knelt before him, saying: “My brother, forgive me. What is it that I have done?” The man took him by the arm & 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, & 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, & he fell on his knees, & confessed how childish he had been & how many evil surmisings 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 fisherman & his family came in, & 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 & set our brethren free from their temptations. Do not let anything interpose between you & 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 & courteous. He wants us to educate ourselves to believe that our brethren love us, & to believe that Christ loves us. Love begets love. Do we expect to meet our brethren in heaven? If we can live with them here in peace & harmony we could live with them there. But how could we live with them in heaven if we cannot live with them here without continued contention & strife? CCh 289-290
The golden rule is the principle of true courtesy, & its truest illustration is seen in the life & character of Jesus. Oh, what rays of softness & beauty shone forth in the daily life of our Saviour! What sweetness flowed from His very presence! The same spirit will be revealed in His children. Those with whom Christ dwells will be surrounded with a divine atmosphere. Their white robes of purity will be fragrant with perfume from the garden of the Lord. Their faces will reflect light from His, brightening the path for stumbling & weary feet. AH 424