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Moving to Battle Creek
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pursue this course only increase the labor of those who have the
burden of the work in the church. They are as so many dead weights.
There are many in Battle Creek who are fast becoming withered
branches.
Some who have been workers, and who have an experience in the
cause of present truth, move to Battle Creek and lay off their burden.
Instead of feeling the necessity of double energy, watchfulness,
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prayer, and diligent performance of duty, they do scarcely anything
at all. Those who have burdens to bear in the office, and have not
time for duties aside from their work, are obliged to fill responsible
positions in the church and to perform important, taxing labor which
if they do not do will remain undone because these others will not
take the burden.
Brethren who wish to change their location, who have the glory
of God in view, and feel that individual responsibility rests upon
them to do others good, to benefit and save souls for whom Christ
withheld not His precious life, should move into towns and villages
where there is but little or no light and where they can be of real
service and bless others with their labor and experience. Missionaries
are wanted to go into towns and villages and raise the standard of
truth, that God may have His witnesses scattered all over the land,
that the light of truth may penetrate where it has not yet reached,
and the standard of truth be raised where it is not yet known. The
brethren should not flock together because it is more agreeable to
them, but should seek to fulfill their high calling to do others good,
to be instrumental in the salvation of at least one soul. But more
may be saved than one.
The sole object of this work should not be merely to increase our
reward in heaven. Some are selfish in this respect. In view of what
Christ has done for us, and what He has suffered for sinners, we
should, out of pure, disinterested love for souls, imitate His example
by sacrificing our own pleasure and convenience for their good. The
joy set before Christ, which sustained Him in all His sufferings, was
the salvation of poor sinners. This should be our joy and the spur
of our ambition in the cause of our Master. In so doing we please
God and manifest our love and devotion to Him as His servants.
He first loved us, and withheld not from us His beloved Son, but
gave Him from His bosom to die that we might have life. Love, true
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