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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
good wages; but the sum should not be increased to buy canvassers, for
this course hurts them. It makes them selfish and spendthrifts. Seek
to impress them with the spirit of true missionary work and with the
qualifications necessary to ensure success. The love of Jesus in the
soul will lead the canvasser to feel it a privilege to labor to diffuse
light. He will study, plan, and pray over the matter.
Young men are wanted who are men in understanding, who ap-
preciate the intellectual faculties that God has given them, and who
cultivate them with the utmost care. Exercise enlarges these faculties,
and if heart culture is not neglected, the character will be well balanced.
The means of improvement are within the reach of all. Then let none
disappoint the Master, when He comes seeking for fruit, by presenting
nothing but leaves. A resolute purpose, sanctified by the grace of
Christ, will do wonders. Jesus and holy angels will give success to
the efforts of intelligent, God-fearing men who do all in their power
to save souls. Quietly, modestly, with a heart overflowing with love,
let them seek to win minds to investigate the truth, engaging in Bible
readings when they can. By so doing they will be sowing the seed
of truth beside all waters, showing forth the praises of Him who hath
called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. Those who are
doing this work from right motives are doing an important work of
ministering. They will manifest no feeble, undecided character. Their
minds are enlarging, their manners are becoming more refined. They
should place no bounds to their improvement, but every day be better
fitted to do good work.
Many of the workers in the canvassing field are making no sac-
rifices. As a class they have less of the missionary spirit than the
workers in any other denomination. When the way is all prepared for
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them, when they can command the highest wages, then they are willing
to enter the field. Many inducements are presented to canvassers to
handle popular books; large wages are offered them; and many refuse
to work for less wages to circulate books treating on present truth.
Therefore the inducements have been increased to correspond with
those offered by other publishers, and as a consequence the expense
of getting our publications before the people is large; many of the
canvassers obtain their money easily and spend it freely.
Among the people professing present truth there is not a missionary
spirit corresponding with our faith. The ring of the true gold in char-