Workers in Our Institutions
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institutions, the Lord bids me say to all who carry responsibilities,
“Disconnect from all such without any delay; for this is the evil leaven
of selfishness and covetousness.”
They are measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves. The worst thing you can do for them
is to seek to retain them, even though they be editors or managers.
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God is not with such a man, and you cannot with any safety hold onto
him. An atmosphere of unbelief surrounds his soul. The comparisons
he has made have led him to double-dealing. He says to himself,“If
such a one received such a sum, I should receive just as much.” He
becomes wise above what is written in the law, and appropriates means
for his own use. Thus he robs the treasury. God looks upon this as He
looked upon the sin of Achan. He sees that such men cannot give the
right mold to the work. They cannot supply the necessities of those
who are laboring in hard fields, who have to give part of their wages
to the needs of these fields. God sees every such case, and He will
pass judgment on those who thus measure themselves, selfishly taking
care that they receive all they think they should have.—
Manuscript 97,
1899
.
A Characteristic Feature of the Work Imperiled
In view of the large work that is to be done, our laborers should
be willing to work for a reasonable wage. Even if you could obtain
large wages, you should consider the example of Christ in coming to
our world and living a life of self-denial. Just at this time it means
very much what wages are demanded by the workers. If you require
and receive a large wage, the door is thrown open for others to do the
same. It was the demand for large wages among the workers at Battle
Creek that helped to spoil the spirit of the work there. Two men led
out in this movement, and they were joined by three or four others,
and the result was a union in a course of action which, if followed by
the majority, would have destroyed one of the characteristic features
of the work of this message. The cause of present truth was founded
in self-denial and self-sacrifice. This selfish, grasping spirit is entirely
opposed to its principles. It is like the deadly leprosy, which in time
will disease the whole body. I am afraid of it. We need to take heed