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of labor, that you may have a well-balanced mind, a symmetrical
character, and spiritual strength to counsel wisely. Men who have
experience in the knowledge of the truth are too few for you to be
sacrificed. You are almost constantly overtaxing both your physical and
mental powers, because you allow yourself to feel too intensely. You
have a vivid imagination, and put much intensity into your preaching,
which keeps the mind on a constant strain, with the voice raised to a
high pitch, and not only are you wearied, but the people are annoyed
and their interest lessened. The reaction is sure to come; for you do not
know how to let yourself down gradually from such a strain, and the
poor mortal body feels the wear. A corresponding depression follows
the high pressure.
You should not allow yourself to make your labors unnecessarily
severe. You tax yourself in writing as well as in speaking. God does
not require this. Observe strictly the laws of health, and you will be
fresh to do good work for the Master; you will have fresh manna to
feed the sheep in Christ’s pasture.—
Letter 39, 1887
.
Allow for Needed Periods of Rest—Some of our ministers feel
that they must every day perform some labor that they can report to
the conference. And as the result of trying to do this, their efforts are
too often weak and inefficient. They should have periods of rest, of
entire freedom from taxing labor. But these cannot take the place of
daily physical exercise.—
Gospel Workers, 240
(1915).
Preparing for Future Duties—When a laborer has been under a
heavy pressure of care and anxiety, and is overworked in both body
and mind, he should turn aside and rest a while, not for selfish gratifi-
cation, but that he may be better prepared for future duties. We have a
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vigilant foe, who is ever on our track, ready to take advantage of every
weakness that would help to make his temptations effective. When
the mind is overstrained and the body enfeebled, he presses upon the
soul his fiercest temptations. Let the laborer carefully husband his
strength, and when wearied with toil, let him turn aside and commune
with Jesus.—
Gospel Workers, 245
(1915).
Avoid Strain of Overwork—I hear of workers whose health is
breaking down under the strain of the burdens they are bearing. This
ought not to be. God desires us to remember that we are mortal.
We are not to embrace too much in our work. We are not to keep
ourselves under such a strain that our physical and mental powers shall