Simplicity and Economy
[
The Spirit of Sacrifice, 27-29
(1904).]
In the establishment and carrying forward of the work, the strictest
economy is ever to be shown. Workers are to be employed who will be
producers as well as consumers. In no case is money to be invested for
display. The gospel medical missionary work is to be carried forward
in simplicity, as was the work of the Majesty of heaven, who, seeing
the necessity of a lost, sinful world, laid aside His royal robe and kingly
crown and clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might stand
at the head of humanity. He so conducted His missionary work as to
leave a perfect example for human beings to follow. “If any man will
come after Me,” He declared, “let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24
. Every true medical missionary
will obey these words. He will not strain every nerve to follow worldly
customs and make a display, thus thinking to win souls to the Saviour.
No, no. If the Majesty of heaven could leave His glorious home to
come to a world all seared and marred by the curse, to establish correct
methods of doing medical missionary work, we His followers ought
to practice the same self-denial and self-sacrifice.
Christ gives to all the invitation: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor
and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you,
and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
. If all will wear Christ’s yoke, if all will learn in
His school the lessons that He teaches, there will be sufficient means
to establish gospel medical missionary work in many places.
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Let none say, “I will engage in this work for a stipulated sum. If I
do not receive this sum, I will not do the work.” Those who say this
show that they are not wearing Christ’s yoke; they are not learning His
meekness and lowliness. Christ might have come to this world with
a retinue of angels, but instead He came as a babe and lived a life of
lowliness and poverty. His glory was in His simplicity. He suffered
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