Basic HTML Version
568
Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
in general are not lovers of hospitality, and do not share equally
in these Christian duties, a few who have willing hearts, and who
cheerfully make the cases of those who need help their own, are
burdened. A church should take special care to relieve its ministers
of extra burdens in this direction. The ministers who are actively
engaged in the cause of God, laboring for the salvation of souls,
have continual sacrifices to make.
Brother D’s testimony needs to be enlivened by the grace of God.
He needs a new anointing, that he may be able to comprehend the
magnitude of the work and devote his entire being to the advance-
ment of the cause of God. The Lord has work enough to employ
all His followers. All can show forth His glory if they will. But the
majority refuse to do this. They profess faith, but have not works.
Their faith is dead, being alone. They shun responsibilities and
burdens, and will be rewarded as their works have been. Because
some will not lift the burdens they could lift, or do the work they
might do, the work is too great for the few who will engage in it.
They see so much to do that they overtax their strength and are fast
wearing out.
God calls at this time for laborers whose interests are fully iden-
tified with His work and His cause. The ministers engaged in this
work must be energized by the spirit and power of the truths they
preach, and then they will have an influence. The people will seldom
rise higher than their minister. A world-loving spirit in him has a
[646]
tremendous influence upon others. The people make his deficiencies
an excuse to cover their world-loving spirit. They quiet their own
consciences, thinking that they may be free to love the things of this
life and be indifferent to spiritual things because their ministers are
so. They deceive their own souls and remain in friendship with the
world, which the apostle declares to be enmity with God.
Ministers should be examples to the flock. They should manifest
an undying love for souls and the same devotion to the cause which
they desire to see in the people. The ministers in Vermont have made
a mistake in their labor. They have passed over the same ground
again and again to help the churches, when frequently they needed
labor bestowed upon themselves, to bring them into a position where
God could bless their labors and make them fruitful. There has not