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Testimonies for the Church Volume 7
love the Saviour and the souls for whom He died, and who keep the
way of the Lord.
The young women should be under the care of a wise, judicious
matron, a woman who is thoroughly converted, who will carefully
guard the workers, especially the younger ones.
The workers are to feel that they have a home. They are God’s
helping hand, and they are to be treated as carefully and tenderly as
Christ declared that the little child whom He set in the midst of His
disciples was to be treated. “Whoso shall offend one of these little
ones which believe in Me,” He said, “it were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in
the depth of the sea.” “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little
ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold
the face of My Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 18:6, 10
. The care
that should be given to these employees is one of the reasons in favor
of having in a large city several small restaurants instead of one large
one. But this is not the only reason why it will be best to establish
several small restaurants in different parts of our large cities. The
smaller restaurants will recommend the principles of health reform
just as well as the larger establishment and will be much more easily
managed. We are not commissioned to feed the world, but we are
instructed to educate the people. In the smaller restaurants there will
not be so much work to do, and the helpers will have more time to
devote to the study of the word, more time to learn how to do their
work well, and more time to answer the inquiries of the patrons who
are desirous of learning about the principles of health reform.
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If we fulfill the purpose of God in this work, the righteousness of
Christ will go before us, and the glory of the Lord will be our rearward.
But if there is no ingathering of souls, if the helpers themselves are not
spiritually benefited, if they are not glorifying God in word and deed,
why should we open and maintain such establishments? If we cannot
conduct our restaurants to God’s glory, if we cannot exert through
them a strong religious influence, it would be better for us to close
them up and use the talents of our youth in other lines of work. But our
restaurants can be so conducted that they will be the means of saving
souls. Let us seek the Lord earnestly for humility of heart, that He may
teach us how to walk in the light of His counsel, how to understand
His word, how to accept it, and how to put it into practice.