Relationships Within the Church
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the test of the law and the testimony; then, if hearts are teachable, there
will be no divisions among us. Some are inclined to be disorderly,
and are drifting away from the great landmarks of the faith; but God
is moving upon His ministers to be one in doctrine and in spirit.—
Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 30
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Pastor-President
There must be harmony between pastors and their presi-
dents—For the last forty years the Lord has been revealing to me
the necessity of harmony of action on the part of ministers and the
presidents of Conferences. The president of a Conference should be
careful to give respect to all who are laborers together with God. One
man’s mind and judgment is not to control. The ministers who are
connected with him in the work are to be respected and loved; criti-
cism should have no room to work. Let envy and evil-surmising be
expelled from the soul. Nothing can grieve the Spirit of God more than
dissension and depreciation of brethren. In order to have prosperity in
labor, there must be confidence in and union with our brethren, who
are laboring just as earnestly and disinterestedly as we are. There are
those who do not possess a harmonious character in all respects, yet
God has accepted them as laborers together with Christ. Then, how
out of place it is for one to stand apart from another because their ideas
and judgment do not in all things agree.—
The General Conference
Bulletin, February 11, 1895
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Conference presidents are to arouse their ministers to work as
they should—Can nothing be devised to arouse presidents of Confer-
ences 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.
Do these men realize 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 these words? Verily there may be but a step between
them and death. How stands the record of sacred trusts committed