Planning for a Permanent Work
77
vering efforts be put forth till their minds become settled, and they
commit themselves on the truth.
In many places where the tent has been pitched, the ministers
stay till the prejudice begins to wear away, and some would then
listen with minds free from prejudice; but just then the tent is taken
down, and sent on its way to another place. The rounds are gone
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over, time and means spent, and the servants of God can see but very
little accomplished through the tent season. But few are brought to
acknowledge the truth, and God’s servants, having seen but very little
to cheer and encourage them, and call out the gift within them, lose
instead of gaining in strength, spirituality, and power.—
Testimonies
For The Church 1:148
(1857).
Follow-Up Workers—I have been thinking of how it used to be
when the loud cry of the first angel’s message was given in Portland and
in the city of Boston. These efforts were followed up with continuous
work similar to that which you, Elder _____ and Sister _____, and
your helpers are doing. This work is indeed the Lord’s work.—
Letter
182, 1906
.
Locate Families to Hold the Interest Awakened—Then there is
Toronto [Australia], a pleasure resort. These places are all within ten
and twenty miles of Cooranbong, and must be entered as soon as we
can find consecrated families whom we can locate there to hold the
interest awakened. All these fields are white for the harvest, but we
can do nothing without devoted workers, who can enter and arouse
and hold an interest.—
Letter 76, 1899
.
A Wise Generalship Needed—Wise generalship is needed in the
selection of fields of labor. Plans should be made before a field is
entered, [as to] how these souls are to be cared for. Who will minister
unto these who shall take hold of the truth? They have accepted an
unpopular truth. Who will educate them after they have learned their
ABC’s? Who will give the spiritual mold to their experience?
To labor at considerable expense to bring souls into the truth and
then leave them to fashion their own experience according to false
ideas they have received and woven into their religious experience,
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would leave that work far worse than if the truth had never been brought
to them. To leave the work incomplete and to ravel out is worse than
to wait until there are plans well devised to take care of those who do
come into the faith.—
Letter 60, 1886
.