Neglect by the Church and the Ministry
257
energy to secure the heavenly treasure and the life which measures
with the life of God as he does to secure worldly gain, what could he
not accomplish?
The unfaithful steward did not enrich himself with his master’s
goods; he merely wasted them. He let idleness take the place of sincere,
wholehearted labor. He was unfaithful in the appropriation of his lord’s
goods. Unfaithful steward, do you not see that you will lose your soul
if you do not co-operate with God and make the most of your talents
[298]
for the Master? Your mind was given that you might understand how
to work. Your eyes were given that you might be keen to discern your
God-given opportunities. Your ears are to listen for the commands
of God. Your knees are to bow three times a day in heartfelt prayer.
Your feet are to run in the way of God’s commandments. Thought,
effort, talent, should be put into exercise, that you may be prepared
to graduate into the school above and hear from the lips of One who
has overcome all temptations in our behalf the words: “To him that
overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” “Thus
saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in My ways, and if thou wilt
keep My charge, then thou shalt also judge My house, and shalt also
keep My courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that
stand by.”
Revelation 3:21
;
Zechariah 3:7
. If you do not co-operate
with the Lord by giving yourself to Him and doing His service you
will be judged unfit to be a subject of His pure, heavenly kingdom.
Neglect by the Ministry
While I have been commissioned to point out the danger of swaying
things too heavily in the medical missionary line to the neglect of other
lines of service, this does not excuse those who have held themselves
aloof from the medical missionary work. Those who have not been
in sympathy with this work should now be very careful how they
speak, for they are not intelligent on this subject. Whatever their
position in the conference, they should be very guarded in giving
utterance to sentiments that will help no one. The indifference and
opposition that some have manifested in reference to this question
makes it inconsistent that their words should have a large influence.
[299]
They are not clear-sighted.