A Warning Against Centralization
[
Testimonies for the Church 7:99-102
(1902).]
Saint Helena, California,
September 4, 1902.
To the Leaders in Our Medical Work.
Dear Brethren,
The Lord is working impartially for every part of His vineyard. It
is men who disorganize His work. He does not give to His people the
privilege of gathering in so much means to establish institutions in a
few places, that nothing will be left for the establishment of similar
institutions in other places.
Many plants are to be established in the cities of America, and
especially in the Southern cities, where as yet little has been done. And
in foreign lands many medical missionary enterprises are to be started,
and carried forward to success. The establishment of sanitariums is as
essential in Europe, and other foreign countries, as in America.
The Lord desires His people to have a right understanding of the
work to be done, and, as faithful stewards, to move forward wisely in
the investment of means. In the erection of buildings, He desires them
to count the cost to see whether they have enough with which to finish.
He also desires them to remember that they should not selfishly gather
all the means possible to invest in a few places, but that they should
work with reference to the many other places where institutions must
be established.
Economy and Benevolence
From the light given me, the managers of all our institutions, and
especially of newly established sanitariums, are to be careful to econ-
omize in the expenditure of means, that they may be in a position to
help similar institutions that are to be established in other parts of the
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world. Even if they have a large amount of money in the treasury, they
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