Chapter 4—Occupations in Rural Locations
The Land to Supply Our Necessities
If the land is cultivated, it will, with the blessing of God, supply
our necessities. We are not to be discouraged about temporal things
because of apparent failures, nor should we be disheartened by delay.
We should work the soil cheerfully, hopefully, gratefully, believing
that the earth holds in her bosom rich stores for the faithful worker to
garner, stores richer than gold or silver. The niggardliness laid to her
charge is false witness. With proper, intelligent cultivation the earth
will yield its treasures for the benefit of man. The mountains and hills
are changing; the earth is waxing old like a garment; but the blessing
of God, which spreads a table for His people in the wilderness, will
never cease.
Serious times are before us, and there is great need for families
to get out of the cities into the country, that the truth may be carried
into the byways as well as the highways of the earth. Much depends
upon laying our plans according to the Word of the Lord, and with
persevering energy carrying them out. More depends upon consecrated
activity and perseverance than upon genius and book-learning. All the
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talents and ability given to human agents, if unused, are of little value.
A return to simpler methods will be appreciated by the children and
youth. Work in the garden and field will be an agreeable change from
the wearisome routine of abstract lessons, to which their young minds
should never be confined. To the nervous child, who finds lessons
from books exhausting and hard to remember, it will be especially
valuable. There is health and happiness for him in the study of nature;
and the impressions made will not fade out of his mind, for they
will be associated with objects that are continually before his eyes.—
Testimonies for the Church 6:178, 179
(1900).
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