Words From a Divine Counselor
239
does not desire His representatives to repeat these mistakes; for the
past record of such movements does not glorify Him.—
Manuscript
144, 1902
.
Let Not Mistakes of the Past Be Repeated
A kind of frenzy has taken hold of the minds of some, leading
them to do that which would absorb means without any prospect of
afterward producing means. Had this money been used in the way the
Lord signified it should be, workers would have been raised up and
prepared to do the work that must be done before the coming of the
Lord. The misappropriation of means shows the need of the Lord’s
warning that His work must not be bound about by human projects,
that it must be done in a way that will strengthen His cause.
By working on wrong plans, men have brought debts upon the
cause. Let not this be repeated. Let those at the head of the work
move cautiously, refusing to bury the cause of God in debt. Let no one
move recklessly, heedlessly, thinking, without knowing, that all will
be well.—
Testimonies for the Church 7:283, 284
.
[283]
Lift the Debts
God designs that we shall learn lessons from the failures of the
past. It is not pleasing to Him to have debts rest upon His institutions.
We have reached the time when we must give character to the work by
refusing to erect large and costly buildings.
We are not to copy the mistakes of the past, and become more
and more involved in debt. We are rather to endeavor to clear off the
indebtedness that still remains on our institutions. Our churches can
help in this matter if they will. Those members to whom the Lord
has given means can invest their money in the cause without interest
or at a low rate of interest, and by their freewill offerings they can
help to support the work. The Lord asks you to return cheerfully to
Him a portion of the goods He has lent you, and thus become His
almoners.—
The Review and Herald, August 13, 1908
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