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Testimonies for the Church Volume 6
church is established, missionary work is to be done for the helpless
and the suffering.
Caring for our Own Poor
We are commanded to “do good unto all men, especially unto them
who are of the household of faith.”
Galatians 6:10
. In our benevolent
work special help should be given to those who, through the presen-
tation of the truth, are convicted and converted. We must have a care
for those who have the moral courage to accept the truth, who lose
their situations in consequence, and are refused work by which to
support their families. Provision should be made to aid the worthy
poor and to furnish employment for those who love God and keep
His commandments. They should not be left without help, to feel that
they are forced to work on the Sabbath or starve. Those who take
their position on the Lord’s side are to see in Seventh-day Adventists a
warmhearted, self-denying, self-sacrificing people, who cheerfully and
gladly minister to their brethren in need. It is of this class especially
that the Lord speaks when He says: “Bring the poor that are cast out
to thy house.”
Isaiah 58:7
.
Church Officers and Workers
Great care should be exercised in selecting officers for the new
churches. Let them be men and women who are thoroughly converted.
Let those be chosen who are best qualified to give instruction, those
who can minister both in word and in deed. There is a deep-seated
necessity for work in every line.
Never allow the interest to flag. Devise methods that will bring
a deep and living interest into the new churches. All connected with
the church should feel an individual responsibility. All should work
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to the utmost of their ability to strengthen the church and make the
meetings so full of life that outsiders will be attracted and interested.
All should feel it a sin to let the interest wane when we have such
sacred, solemn truths from the living oracles to repeat over and over
again. Impress upon all the necessity of the baptism of the Holy Spirit,
the sanctification of the members of the church, so that they will be
living, growing, fruit-bearing trees of the Lord’s planting.