Our Publishing Houses
411
faithfulness in everything, earth may be brought nearer heaven, and
precious fruit may be borne for both worlds.
The hands employed in the various departments of our offices of
publication do not accomplish the amount of work which they would
be required to perform in any other office of the kind. Much time
is wasted in unnecessary conversation, in visiting away the precious
hours, while the work is suffered to lag. In several of the departments,
loss is occasioned to the office because of persons engaging in the
work who have not exercised care and economy. Were these persons
engaged in doing work for themselves, some would accomplish a third
more work in a day than they now do. Others would do no more than
they now perform.
[451]
Business hours should be faithfully employed. To be wasteful
of time or material is dishonesty before God. A few moments are
squandered here, and a few moments there, which amount in the
course of a week to nearly or quite a day, sometimes even exceeding
this. “Time is money,” and a waste of time is a waste of money to
the cause of God. When those who profess the faith are dilatory and
reckless of time, showing that they have not a heart interest in the
prosperity of the work, unbelievers who are employed will follow their
example. If all would use their time to the best account, very much
means would be saved to the cause of truth. When the heart is in
the work, it will be done with earnestness, energy, and dispatch. All
should be awake to see what needs to be done, and apt and quick to
execute, working as though under the direct supervision of the great
Master, Jesus Christ.
Again, losses occur from lack of thoughtful care in the use of
material and machinery. There is a failure to look after all the larger and
smaller matters, that nothing be wasted or damaged through neglect.
A little squandered here and there amounts to a large sum in the course
of a year. Some have never learned to exercise their faculties to save
the remnants, notwithstanding the injunction of Christ: “Gather up the
fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” Material should not be
slashed into to obtain a small piece. A little thoughtful care would lead
to the gathering up and using of the little pieces that are now thrown
aside and wasted. Attention should be given to saving even so trifling
a matter as wastepaper, for it can be turned into money.