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Pastoral Ministry
the spirit of strife.” We are none of us to have the spirit of exaltation.—
Letter 8, 1910
. (Quoted in 6BIO 270.).
The ministry of teachers—Often it will seem to the teacher that
the words of God have little effect upon the minds and hearts of many
students; but if his work has been wrought in God, some lessons of
truth will linger in the memory of the most careless. The Holy Spirit
will water the seed sown, and it will spring up after many days and
bear fruit to the glory of God.—
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and
Students, 435
.
The Holy Spirit works with the teacher—When the teacher will
rely upon God in prayer, the Spirit of Christ will come upon him,
and God will work through him by the Holy Spirit upon the minds of
others. The Spirit fills the mind and heart with sweet hope and courage
[110]
and Bible imagery, and all this will be communicated to the youth
under his instruction.
Christ’s Object Lessons, 131, 132
.
Literature Evangelists
Ministers should work in cooperation with canvassers—I have
been instructed that even where the people hear the message from the
living preacher, the canvasser should carry on his work in co-operation
with the minister; for though the minister may faithfully present the
message, the people are not able to retain it all. The printed page is
therefore essential, not only in awakening them to the importance of
the truth for this time, but in rooting and grounding them in the truth
and establishing them against deceptive error. Papers and books are
the Lord’s means of keeping the message for this time continually
before the people. In enlightening and confirming souls in the truth
the publications will do a far greater work than can be accomplished
by the ministry of the Word alone. The silent messengers that are
placed in the homes of the people through the work of the canvasser
will strengthen the gospel ministry in every way; for the Holy Spirit
will impress minds as they read the books, just as He impresses the
minds of those who listen to the preaching of the Word. The same
ministry of angels attends the books that contain the truth as attends
the work of the minister.—
Testimonies for the Church 6:315
.
The canvasser occupies a position equal to that of the gospel
minister—The canvassing work is an important field for labor; and