12
Counsels to Writers and Editors
It costs money to issue these matters that have no bearing on the times
or the spiritual interests of our people. The long accounts of the war
can be obtained in any political or daily paper. It is not the business
of the householder, whom God has appointed, to bring before the
people subjects that may be found in the publications of the world,
and the less these things are brought into our religious papers, and the
more space given to that class of matter which is spiritual food,—in
living experience, in Bible studies, in plain, simple, earnest appeals,—
the better will it be for the spiritual good and advancement of the
work.—
Manuscript 95, 1898
.
Exalt Christ—In our periodicals we are not to exalt the work and
characters of men in positions of influence, constantly keeping human
beings before the people. But as much as you please you may uplift
Christ our Saviour. “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory
[from character to character], even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Those
who love and serve God are to be the light of the world, shining amid
moral darkness.—
Fundamentals of Christian Education, 480
(1899).
Not to Exalt Fellow Men—The Lord has not laid the burden upon
any to elevate, praise, and exalt men and women, even though their
work may have been to turn the attention of the people to things of
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highest importance, to the things that concern the salvation of the soul,
and shall our time and space be given to glorifying those who have
been at work to raise false issues? The Lord has given to every man his
work, and to those whom He has placed in positions of responsibility,
either in writing, or in speaking, He says, “Your work is to preach the
word.”
The work of keeping before the people the common things tran-
spiring around us, the news of the day, is not the work of present truth.
Our work is to fill every page of printed matter with spiritual food.
What is the chaff to the wheat? All these common things are very
cheap, and often are but stale food to those who are starving for the
heavenly manna.—
Manuscript 95, 1898
.
Not in the Form of Romance—We are living in an important
period of this world’s history. A great work is to be done in a short
time. I feel an overwhelming sense of the condition of our world....
We are standing in a time that is of the greatest consequence to the
whole world. We see the necessity of understanding the instruction