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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
It was a great breach of the trust reposed in him to pursue the course
he did. In what marked contrast with this is the life of Christ, our
Pattern! He was the Son of Jehovah, and the Author of our salvation.
He labored and suffered for us. He denied Himself, and His whole life
was one continued scene of toil and privation. Had He chosen so to do,
He could have passed His days in a world of His own creating, in ease
and plenty, and claimed for Himself all the pleasures and enjoyment the
world could give Him. But He did not consider His own convenience.
He lived not to please Himself, but to do good and lavish His blessings
upon others.
Brother B was sick with fever. His case was critical. In justice to
the cause of God, I feel compelled to state that his sickness was not the
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result of unwearied devotion to the interests of the office. Imprudent
exposure on a trip to Chicago, for his own pleasure, was the cause
of his long, tedious, suffering sickness. God did not sustain him in
leaving the work, when so many who had filled important positions
in the office were absent. At the very time when he should not have
excused himself for an hour, he left his post of duty, and God did not
sustain him.
There was no period of rest for us, however much we needed it.
The Review, the Reformer, and the Instructor must be edited. Many
letters had been laid aside until we should return to examine them.
Things were in a sad state at the office. Everything needed to be set
in order. My husband commenced his labor, and I helped him what
I could; but that was but little. He labored unceasingly to straighten
out perplexing business matters and to improve the condition of our
periodicals. He could not depend upon help from any of his ministering
brethren. His head, heart, and hands were full. He was not encouraged
by Brethren A and C, when they knew he was standing alone under
the burdens at Battle Creek. They did not stay up his hands. They
wrote in a most discouraging manner of their poor health, and that they
were in such an exhausted condition that they could not be depended
on to accomplish any labor. My husband saw that nothing could be
hoped for in that direction. Notwithstanding his double labor through
the summer, he could not rest. And, irrespective of his weakness, he
reined himself up to do the work which others had neglected.
The Reformer was about dead. Brother B had urged the extreme
positions of Dr. Trall. This had influenced the doctor to come out in the