Delegating
49
man entertained the idea that he must gather all the responsibilities
[44]
because he thought he could do it a little more perfectly than another,
he sinned against himself and he sinned against his brethren. He was
educating the people to look to him, to expect everything must come
through him, and they were not educated to look to God and to expect
God to do great things for them. They depended upon others and
trusted in others rather than in the living God, therefore many have not
the experience they ought to have which would make them efficient
workers.—
Letter 24, 1883
, pp. 1, 2 (August 23, 1883, to Willie and
Mary White).
Let Others Learn to Bear Responsibilities—I feel deeply over
your constant wearing labor. Please make others work and you do very
much less. God does not want you or Elder Haskell sacrificed. He
wants you to lay off work and be more a planner, a manager. There will
be times when your special labors will be positively a necessity but
I protest against your taking up so much labor. God does not require
it of you and you must not do it. Will you heed advice? Will you let
others learn to bear responsibilities even if they make blunders while
you are a living man to show them how to work?
I have been shown that yourself and Elder Haskell must at your age
be laying the burdens on others. Attend fewer camp meetings, speak
and work less at the campmeetings you attend, and this will force
others to the front to be obtaining an experience which is essential
for them. In order to do this, you must do less and others must do
more. We want the help of every one of the old hands and the work is,
I have been shown, growing more and more important. We want these
experienced men as counselors. We cannot spare them. This is not the
voice of Sister White but it is the message to you from God. Will you
heed it, both of you? Will you be prudent? Will you be managers and
work less?—
Letter 117, 1886
, p. 6 (June 25, 1886, to Brother Butler.
Ages: Butler, 52; Haskell 53).
[45]
Danger of Self-Exaltation—Now, my brother, I feel the deepest
interest for you, else I would not write you as I have done. But with
me I must be faithful. I tell matters just as they are, and while I
would have all united in the Sanitarium in perfect bonds of union, I
would not have the union of that kind and quality that you will be
mind and judgment for every one of them, and they consider every
proposition and plan, word and action, as without error and fault.