Self-Improvement
Presidents to Sense Their Responsibilities—I have been shown
that the presidents of our Conferences are not all doing their duty.
They are not all becoming more and more efficient. Their experience
is cheapened, and as they do not exercise their powers by taxing them,
trusting in God to give them efficiency, their work is defective in every
respect. The mere possession of qualifications is not enough; the
ability must be diligently used.
Can nothing be devised to arouse the presidents of Conferences to
a sense of their obligations? Would they could see that their position
of trust only increases and intensifies their responsibility. If each
president would feel the necessity of diligent improvement of his
talents in devising ways and means for arousing ministers to work as
they should, what a change would take place in every Conference.
Faithful service on the part of the Conference officers and the
ministers, would relieve the president of the General Conference of a
large share of taxing, wearing labor. Fidelity is wanting in a marked
degree. Do these men consider that the solemn scrutiny of every man’s
work is soon to begin in heaven?
When the Master went away, He gave to every man in every age
and in every generation, his work; and He says, to us all, “Occupy till
I come.” Have ministers thought how much is comprehended in those
words? Verily there may be but a step between them and death. How
stands the record of sacred trusts committed for wise improvement?
Misused talents, wasted hours, neglected opportunities, duties left
undone, sickly churches, the flock of God not strengthened by having
their portion of that in due season.
What is to be done! Shall the president of the General Conference
carry the burden of the neglects of presidents and ministers, and weep
between the porch and the altar, crying, “Spare thy people, O Lord, and
give not thine heritage to reproach?” Shall he feel that he is responsible
for the deep sleep, the paralysis, that is upon the people of God?
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