Chapter 22—Personal Evangelism
Personal work cannot be looked upon as of secondary impor-
tance—The ministers of Jesus Christ will have more than a mere
casual interest for the people. They will seek to know the state of their
spiritual being, even as a physician seeks to understand the physical
difficulties of his patients. They will engage in personal conversation,
and adapt their counsel to every individual case according to the need
of the soul. This personal work cannot be looked upon as of secondary
importance. The minister is the Lord’s appointed under-shepherd to
the flock of God, and it is his business to minister to the sin-sick,
tempted, and erring. This very work is needed among all classes and
in all places.—
The Review and Herald, March 11, 1902
.
Ministers satisfied with the stimulus of sensational meetings
must also learn to do personal work—Close investigation reveals
the fact that there are but very few sheaves to be gathered after these
specially exciting meetings. Yet, from all the experience of the past,
you have not learned to change your manner of labor. You have been
slow to learn how to shape your future labors in such a manner as to
shun the errors of the past. The reason of this has been, that, like the
inebriate, you love the stimulus of these sensational meetings; you
long for them as the drunkard longs for a glass of liquor to arouse
his flagging energies. These debates, which create an excitement, are
mistaken for zeal for God and love for the truth. You have been almost
destitute of the Spirit of God to work with your efforts. If you had God
with you in all your moves, and if you felt a burden for souls and had
the wisdom to skillfully manage these exciting seasons to press souls
into the kingdom of Christ, you could see fruits of your labors, and
God would be glorified. Your soul should be all aglow with the spirit
of the truth you present to others. After you have labored to convict
souls of the claims that the law of God has upon them, teaching them
repentance toward God and faith in Christ, then your work is but just
begun. You too frequently excuse yourself from completing the work
and leave a heavy burden for others to take up in finishing the work
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