Beloved brother,—Yours of the first instant is received. * * * I sincerely sympathize with the Saints in Aalborg in their trials, and pray that the grace of God may be sufficient for them. I doubt not that what they did was with the purest motive; and I have faith in God, that he is able to overrule all for good in the end, and hope that it may contribute to arouse and combine the energies of the right minded in favour of truth and freedom. I hope the scenes growing out of that public baptism, and the imprudent sayings of the brethren on that occasion, however painful the results, may serve as a lesson of wisdom and experience for all Saints in that land from henceforth. Where a cold indifference prevails, a little healthy excitement to arouse the public mind to investigation may be profitable, provided it can be controlled, and the truth kept before the people. But Denmark is not England nor America—religious liberty is not grounded in the hearts of the people. They are under the influence of their priests and attached to their religion—once their feelings outraged, the voice of truth or reason cannot be heard. While a little fire kindled upon the hearth, in a cold day, is very convenient, all will admit the folly of firing the house, by which the inmates might be consumed or left houseless in mid winter. Counsel the Saints in Aalborg to continue their little meetings for prayer and exhortation, if they can, without excitement: and if you can, you had better send them an Elder, not known there, to encourage and minister among them until I come, which I trust will not be long. |
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