Chapter 45—Conference Departments
Conferences should educate ministers, and together they
should educate the churches—The president of a State Conference
is, by his manner of dealing, educating the ministers under him, and
together they can so educate the churches that it will not be necessary
to call the ministers of the conference from the field to settle difficulties
and dissensions in the church. If the officers in the conference will,
as faithful servants, perform their Heaven-appointed duties, the work
in our conferences will not be left to become entangled in such per-
plexities as heretofore. And in laboring thus, the workers will become
solid, responsible men, who will not fail nor be discouraged in a hard
place.—
Gospel Workers, 419
.
Conference and Department Leaders
Respect treasurers, accountants, and bookkeepers—I was
shown the great deficiency there is in keeping the accounts in the
various departments of the cause. Bookkeeping is and ever will be an
important part of our work, and those who have become intelligent in
it are greatly needed in all our institutions.... This branch of the work
has been neglected shamefully, and altogether too long. It is a shame
to allow work of such magnitude to be done in a defective, bungling
manner. God wants as perfect work as it is possible for human beings
to do.... Bookkeeping is a subject that needs to be studied in order that
it may be done with correctness and dispatch and without worry and
taxation.—
Letter 63, 1886
. (Quoted in
Ellen G. White in Europe 249
).
All departments of the cause should be conducted by those
with the qualifications for the position—It is necessary that the same
order and system should be maintained in the church now as in the
days of the apostles. The prosperity of the cause depends very largely
upon its various departments being conducted by men of ability, who
are qualified for their positions.—
The Spirit of Prophecy 3:293
.
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