Our Ministers
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and physical vigor that as faithful workmen of God they may give full
proof of their ministry.
In every important place there should be a depository for publica-
tions. And someone who really appreciates the truth should manifest
an interest to get these books into the hands of all who will read. The
harvest is great, but the laborers are few, and the few experienced
laborers now in the field have all they should do to labor in word and
doctrine. Men will arise who claim that God has laid upon them the
burden of teaching the truth to others. All such should be proved
and tried. They should not be relieved from all care, neither should
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they be lifted into responsible positions at once; but they should be
encouraged if they deserve encouragement, to give full proof of their
ministry. It would not be the best course for such ones to pursue, to
enter into other men’s labors. Let them first labor in connection with
one of experience and wisdom, and he can soon see whether they are
capable of exerting an influence that will be saving. Young preachers
who have never had wearing labor, nor felt the draft upon their mental
and physical strength, should not be encouraged to hope for a support
independent of their own physical labor, for this will only injure them
and will be a bait to entice men to engage in the work who realize
nothing of the burden of it or the responsibility resting upon God’s
chosen ministers. Such will feel competent to teach others when they
have scarcely learned the first principles themselves.
Many who profess the truth are not sanctified by it and are not
endowed with wisdom; they are not led and taught of God. God’s
people, as a general thing, are worldly-minded and have departed from
the simplicity of the gospel. This is the cause of the great lack of
spiritual discernment in the course they have pursued toward ministers.
If a minister preaches with freedom, some will praise him to his face.
Instead of dwelling upon the truths he uttered, and improving upon
them, thus showing themselves to be not forgetful hearers, but doers
of the work, they exalt him by referring to what he has done. They
dwell upon the virtues of the poor instrument, but forget Christ who
employed the instrument. Ever since the fall of Satan, who was once
an exalted angel in glory, ministers have fallen through exaltation.
Unwise Sabbathkeepers have pleased the devil well by praising their
ministers. Were they aware that they were aiding Satan in his work?
They would have been alarmed had they realized what they were doing.