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We are to Be Zealous in Our Labors, September 13
I am verily a man which ... was zealous toward God, as ye all are
this day.
Acts 22:3
.
As a people, we are not deficient in talent. There are men and women
among us whose labors God would accept if they would offer them to
Him, but there are so very few who have the spirit of sacrifice. Some
will hand out readily of their means, and feel that when they have done
this, there is no more required of them. They make no special sacrifice in
thus doing. Money is good as far as it goes, but, unless accompanied by
personal effort, will go but a little way toward converting souls to the truth.
Not only does God call for your money, ... but He calls for you. While
you have given of your means, you have selfishly withheld yourselves.
One earnest worker in the vineyard is worth more than a million of money
without men to do the work. This giving of yourselves will be a sacrifice
if you have a correct estimate of the work, and realize its claims....
Many are not sufficiently aroused to their duty to do the work they
might do if they would, and that they do not do because they have not the
spirit of sacrifice. God will hold such accountable for the souls of their
fellow-men. They might have done a good work in union with Christ, and
they will be called to render an account for the good to souls they could
have done and did not....
The night soon cometh, in which no man can work. Satan is earnest,
zealous, and persevering in his work. If he fails to accomplish his purpose
the first time, he tries again. He will try other plans, and work with great
perseverance to bring in various temptations to ensnare souls. He never
becomes so discouraged as to let souls entirely alone. If the zeal and
perseverance of Christ’s followers in their efforts to save souls were equal
to Satan’s efforts to deceive them to their eternal loss, we should see
hundreds embracing the truth where we now see one
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The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899
.
272