32
Christian Leadership
shall be done. Know that God is the Instructor of His servants, and He
will work through whom He will.—
Manuscript 143, 1899
.
[27]
The Right Use of Authority—I wish to speak to my brethren who
occupy positions of trust. As God’s husbandry you are invested with
the responsibility of acting in His stead, as His helping hand. Those
who are placed in positions of trust must have the authority of action,
but they are never to use this authority as a power to refuse help to
the needy and helpless. It is never to be exercised to discourage or
depress one struggling soul. Let those to given positions of influence
ever remember them to carry out the mind of Christ, who, by creation
and redemption, is the owner of all men.—
Letter 7, 1901
(January 17,
1901 To Brethren Who Occupy Positions of Trust).
Dealing With Men Like Ourselves—Let us all remember that we
are not dealing with ideal men, but with real men of God’s appointment,
men precisely like ourselves, men who fall into the same errors that
we do, men of like ambitions and infirmities. No man has been made
a master, to rule the mind and conscience of a fellow-being. Let us be
very careful how we deal with God’s blood-bought heritage.
To no man has been appointed the work of being a ruler over his
fellow men. Every man is to bear his own burden. He may speak words
of encouragement, faith, and hope to his fellow-workers; he may help
them to bear their special burdens by suggesting to them improved
methods of labor; but in no case is he to discourage and enfeeble
them, lest the enemy shall obtain an advantage over their minds,—an
advantage that in time would react upon himself.—
Manuscript 29,
1907
, pp. 9, 10 (Individual Responsibility & Christian Unity, January
1907).
Don’t Censure or Condemn—You are not even to allow yourself
to think unkindly of them, much less to climb upon the judgment seat
and censure or condemn your brethren, when you may be yourself,
in many respects, more deserving of censure than they. Your work is
bearing the inspection of God.—
Letter 21, 1888
, pp. 10, 11 (October
14, 1888 to Bro. Butler).
The Spirit of Authority—In our several callings there is to be
mutual dependence on one another for assistance. A spirit of authority
is not to be exercised, even by the president of a Conference; for
position does not change a man into a creature that cannot err. Every
laborer entrusted with the management of a conference is to work as