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Medical Ministry
The Training of Workers
In every large city there should be corps of organized, well-
disciplined workers; not merely one or two, but scores should be set
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to work. But the perplexing question is yet unsolved, how they will
be sustained.
I have been shown that in our labor for the enlightenment of the
people in the large cities the work has not been as well organized or
the methods of labor as efficient as in other churches that have not
the great light we regard as so essential. Why is this? Because so
many of our laborers have been those who love to preach (and many
who were not thoroughly qualified to preach were set at work), and
a large share of the labor has been put forth in preaching.
More attention should be given to training and educating mission-
aries with a special reference to work in the cities. Each company
of workers should be under the direction of a competent leader, and
it should ever be kept before them that they are to be missionar-
ies in the highest sense of the term. Such systematic labor, wisely
conducted, would produce blessed results.
Something has been done in this line, but too frequently the work
has dwindled down, and nothing permanent has been accomplished.
There is need now of earnest labor. The young men who go forth in
the employ of the General Conference are to understand that they
are not merely to preach, but to minister, to act like men who are
weighted with solemn responsibility to seek and to save that which
is lost.
It should not be the object of the laborer to present a large list of
sermons he has preached, but what has he done in the work of saving
souls, of training workers? This requires earnest labor in personal
effort. It requires that the workers shall be often with God in earnest
prayer, and that they seek wisdom through diligent searching of the
Scriptures.—
Letter 34, 1892
.
Difficulties Will Increase
The importance of making our way in the great cities is still
kept before me. For many years the Lord has been urging upon us
this duty, and yet we see but comparatively little accomplished in