Like Streams From a Pure Fountain

Directors and helpers, ... I speak to you as Christians, as to men and women whose souls are united to Christ as the branch is united to the living vine. If you have not been renewed in the spirit of your mind, for your soul's sake make no delay to have your life hidden with Christ in God. This is the first business of your life. When Christ is abiding in the heart, you will not be light, chaffy, and immodest, but circumspect, and reliable in every place, sending forth pure words like streams from a pure fountain, refreshing all with whom you come in contact.MM 144.2

If you decide to continue your idle talk and frivolous conduct, go into some other place where your influence and example will not be so widely felt, contaminating other souls. What you all need is such a sense of the purity and holiness of Christ as will lead you to despise this pretense of religion which blesses no one, gives no peace of conscience, no repose of faith.MM 144.3

Let all connected with these institutions that God has ordained for the saving of souls seek divine wisdom, heavenly grace, that they may have an elevating influence upon others. Unless they are constantly receiving strength from Jesus, looking to Him, trusting in Him, by faith drawing from His divine grace, they will become an easy prey to temptation.MM 145.1

There are so many forward misses, and bold, forward women, who have a faculty of insinuating themselves into notice, putting themselves in the company of young men, courting the attentions, inviting flirtations from married or unmarried men, that unless your face is set Christward, firm as steel, you will be drawn into Satan's net.MM 145.2

Educate to Purity of Thought

It is time that we as Christians reach a higher standard. God forbid that any institution that He has planted shall become a means of decoying souls, a place where iniquity is taught. Let all learn in the school of Christ, lowliness of heart; let them lean their helpless souls on Jesus. Live in the light from the oracles of God. Educate your minds and hearts to pure, elevated, holy thoughts; “be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” Whatever influence you have, let it be directed to exalt Jesus. Unless you do this, you are a false guideboard, leading souls away from the truth, the life, the light of the world; and the more pleasing and attractive your manners, the greater injury you do to souls....MM 145.3

There will be no taste for trifling conversation in those who are looking to Jesus for strength, depending upon His righteousness for salvation. By faith they accept Jesus as their personal Saviour, and become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.MM 145.4

While men and women in an institution for health should be kind and courteous, while they are required to be affable and congenial toward all, they should shun even the appearance of undue familiarity. And not only should they themselves observe the strictest propriety of conduct, but by precept and example they should educate others to be modest and to shun looseness, jesting, flattery, and nonsensical speeches.MM 145.5

Avoid Favoritism

Everything savoring of unbecoming familiarity should be discarded by physicians, superintendent, and helpers. There should be no giving of special favors or special attentions to a few, no preferring of one above another. This has been done, and it is displeasing to God. There are worthy persons who are afflicted and suffering, but do not complain, who are in need of special attentions. These men and women are often passed by with indifference and with a hardness of heart that is more like Satan's character than like Christ's, while young, forward misses, who in no way need or deserve favors, receive special attentions. All this neglect is written in the books of heaven. All these things are developing character.MM 146.1

Let all who are connected with the institution as helpers bear in mind the words of Inspiration: “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” When you pass by one who is in need of your sympathy, of your kindly acts, and give them not, but turn to the forward ones and bestow upon them your favors, remember that Jesus is insulted in the person of His afflicted ones. He says, “I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was ... naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.” And when the surprised inquiry comes, When saw we Thee thus? the answer, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these [who were afflicted and needed your sympathy], ye did it not to Me.” “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” They that are rich need not your favors, but they that are poor. The bruised and wounded, the lame of the flock, are among us, and these test the character of those who claim to be children of God.MM 146.2

Leading Others to Perdition

Angels of God are watching the development of character. They are weighing moral worth. If you bestow your attentions upon those who have no need, you are doing the recipients harm, and you will yourself receive condemnation, rather than reward. Remember that when by your conversation you descend to the level of frivolous characters, you are encouraging them in the path that leads to perdition. Your unwise attentions may prove the ruin of their souls. You degrade their conceptions of what constitutes Christian life and character. You confuse their ideas, and make impressions that may never be effaced. The harm thus done to souls that needed to be strengthened, refined, and ennobled, is often a sin unto death. They cannot associate these men with the sacred positions which they occupy. The ministers, the officers of the church, all are regarded as no better than themselves. Then where is their example?MM 146.3

God calls upon all who claim to be Christians to elevate the standard of righteousness, and to purify themselves even as He is pure. “Be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.... Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance;” for you are to walk in the light, while you have the light; “but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”—Letter 6a, 1890.MM 147.1