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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
of themselves. They do not possess becoming modesty and have
altogether too high an opinion of their own abilities. Ministers of
experience, who realize the sacredness of the work, and feel the weight
of the cause upon them, are jealous of themselves. They consider
it a privilege to advise with their brethren and are not offended if
improvements are suggested in their plans of labor or in their manner
of speaking.
Those ministers who have come out from the different denomina-
tions to embrace the third angel’s message often wish to teach when
they should be learners. Some have a great share of their former teach-
ing to unlearn before they can fully learn the principles of present
truth. Ministers will injure the cause of God by going forth to labor
for others when there is as great a work to be done for them to fit
them for their labors as they may wish to do for unbelievers. If they
are unqualified for the work, it will require the labor of two or three
faithful ministers to follow after and correct their wrong influence. In
the end it would be cheaper for the cause of God to give such ministers
a good support to remain at home and do no injury in the field.
Preachers have been regarded by some as especially inspired, as
being only mediums for the Lord to speak through. If the aged and
those of long experience see failings in a minister and suggest im-
provements in his manners, in the tone of his voice, or in his gestures,
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he has sometimes felt hurt, and has reasoned that God called him just
as he was, that the power was of God and not of himself, and that God
must do the work for him, that he did not preach according to man’s
wisdom, etc. It is a mistake to think that a man cannot preach unless he
becomes wrought up to a high degree of excitement. Men who are thus
dependent upon feeling may be of use in exhortation when they feel
just like it; but they will never make good, burden-bearing laborers.
When the work moves hard and everything assumes a discouraging
aspect, the excitable and those dependent upon feeling are not pre-
pared to bear their share of the burdens. In times of discouragement
and darkness how important to have calm-thinking men, who are not
dependent on circumstances, but who trust God and labor on in the
darkness as well as in the light. Men who serve God from principle,
although their faith may be severely tried, will be seen leaning securely
upon the never-failing arm of Jehovah.