High Councilors, do you have any trials before you? "Yes." Have the
brethren complained of each other? "Yes." Are their feelings alienated
one from the other? Is there a party spirit manifested in the Council?
"Sometimes." Do the brethren go off satisfied with the decisions of the
Council? Bishops, do you have any trials? Are the feelings of {232} the
brethren in your Wards alienated? "Yes." What should they do in such
cases? They should follow the rules laid down, and be reconciled to
their brethren forthwith. I think that it can be shown that the great
majority of difficulties between brethren arises from misunderstandings
rather than from malice and a wicked heart, and instead of talking the
matter over with each other in a saint-like spirit, they will contend
with each other until a real fault is created, and they have brought a
sin upon themselves. When we have done good ninety-nine times and then
do an evil, how common it is, my brethren and sisters, to look at that
one evil all the day long and never think of the good. Before we judge
each other we should look at the design of the heart, and if it is
evil, then chasten that individual, and take a course to bring him back
again to righteousness. 12:173.
When you are rebuked by each other--when brethren meet you and say,
"This is wrong in you," you should receive it kindly, and express your
thanks for the reproof, and acknowledge the wrong frankly, and admit
that you may frequently do wrong when you do not know it, and say, "I
wish you to enlighten my mind, to take me by the hand, and let me go
along hand-in-hand and strengthen and sustain each other." What, in
your weaknesses? Yes. Do you expect to see a perfect man? Not while you
stay here. 8:367.
You may, figuratively speaking, pound one Elder over the head with a
club, and he does not know but what you have handed him a straw dipped
in molasses to suck. There are others, if you speak a word to them, or
take a straw and chasten them, whose hearts are broken; they are as
tender in their feelings as an infant, and will melt like wax {233}
before the flame. You must not chasten them severely; you must chasten
according to the spirit that is in the person. Some you may talk to all
day long, and they do not know what you are talking about. There is a
great variety. Treat people as they are. 8:367.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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