Health and Health Principles
573
be exhausted. More workers are needed, that some of the burdens may
be removed from those now so heavily loaded down.—
The Review
and Herald, April 28, 1904
.
Time for Relaxation, Exercise, and Family Responsibilities—
If a minister, during his leisure time, engages in labor in his orchard
or garden, shall he deduct that time from his salary? Certainly not,
any more than he should put in his time when he is called to work
over hours in ministerial labor. Some ministers spend many hours in
apparent ease, and it is right that they should rest when they can; for
the system could not endure the heavy strain were there no time for
letting up. There are hours in the day that call for severe taxation,
for which the minister receives no extra salary, and if he chooses to
chop wood several hours a day, or work in his garden, it is as much
his privilege to do this as to preach. A minister cannot always be
preaching and visiting, for this is exhaustive work.
The light given me is that if our ministers would do more physical
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labor, they would reap blessings healthwise. After his day’s work of
preaching and visiting and study, the minister should have time in
which to attend to his own necessities. If he has only a limited salary,
he may contrive to add to his little fund. The narrow-minded may see
in this something to criticize, but the Lord commends such a course.
I have been shown that at times those in the ministry are compelled
to labor day and night and live on very meager fare. When a crisis
comes, every nerve and sinew is taxed by the heavy strain. If these
men could go aside and rest a while, engaging in physical labor, it
would be a great relief. Thus men might have been saved who have
gone down to the grave. It is a positive necessity to physical health and
mental clearness to do some manual work during the day. Thus the
blood is called from the brain to other portions of the body.—
Letter
168, 1899
.
Continual Improvement—Our ministers who have reached the
age of forty or fifty years should not feel that their labor is less efficient
than formerly. Men of years and experience are just the ones to put
forth strong and well-directed efforts. They are specially needed at
this time; the churches cannot afford to part with them. Such ones
should not talk of physical and mental feebleness, nor feel that their
day of usefulness is over.