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halting. There is danger of giving our enemies occasion to blaspheme
God and heap scorn upon believers in the truth.—
Testimonies for the
Church 5:477, 478
(1889).
Independence of Spirit—There have ever been in the church
those who are constantly inclined toward individual independence.
They seem unable to realize that independence of spirit is liable to lead
the human agent to have too much confidence in himself and to trust in
his own judgment rather than to respect the counsel and highly esteem
the judgment of his brethren, especially of those in the offices that God
has appointed for the leadership of His people. God has invested His
church with special authority and power, which no one can be justified
in disregarding and despising; for he who does this despises the voice
of God.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 163, 164
(1911).
Concert of Action—One point will have to be guarded, and that
is individual independence. As soldiers in Christ’s army, there should
be concert of action in the various departments of the work.... Each la-
borer should act with reference to the others. Followers of Jesus Christ
will not act independently one of another. Our strength must be in God,
and it must be husbanded, to be put forth in noble, concentrated action.
It must not be wasted in meaningless movements.—
Testimonies for
the Church 5:534, 535
(1889).
Self-sufficiency Exposes Us to Wiles of Satan—We are living
amid the perils of the last days, and if we have a spirit of self-sufficiency
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and independence, we shall be exposed to the wiles of Satan and be
overcome.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:66
(1872).
(D) Moral Independence
The Law of Mutual Dependence—We are all woven together in
the great web of humanity, and whatever we can do to benefit and
uplift others will reflect in blessing upon ourselves. The law of mutual
dependence runs through all classes of society. The poor are not more
dependent upon the rich than are the rich upon the poor. While the one
class ask a share in the blessings which God has bestowed upon their
wealthier neighbors, the other need the faithful service, the strength of
brain and bone and muscle, that are the capital of the poor.—
Patriarchs
and Prophets, 534, 535
(1890).