52
Christian Leadership
And notwithstanding all this may be the privilege of those connected
with you, but few are now making the standard, and there is danger of
their being deceived in their own acquirements. They will be falling
back if not growing, and you will be also under delusion unless the
wisdom that cometh from God be interwoven into yours as well as
their daily experience.
I have thought of your reasons for your not trusting responsibilities
upon your workers; but you have not been as greatly disappointed as
our Redeemer has been grieved and disappointed with our bungling
work. We have shown so little fidelity to Him who has bought us with
His own blood.
[48]
I am pleased with every bit of interest that you show in religious
things. The way to become great and noble is to be like Jesus, pure,
holy, and undefiled. The honor that you may receive of medical and
great men is not of much value as I view it, but the honor you receive of
the Lord is of the greatest value. I want that you should not be almost
an overcomer, but a conqueror, and more than conqueror through Him
that hath loved you and given His own life to save you from ruin. You
want more and greater trust in God daily. I want you to be the happiest
man that is in heaven. I want you to be at peace with God here, and
have heaven hereafter. You have to fight the fight of faith in order to
overcome skepticism and infidelity.—
Letter 7, 1886
(April 26, 1886,
to J. H. Kellogg).
Counsel to a Possessive Leader—While you have too much to
do, others have too little. You do not give others an opportunity to
improve in efficiency by practical experience. You are willing to be
helped and assisted, if your helpers will leave the main responsibility
resting on you. Especially among your own countrymen you desire to
be placed above every one else.
You do not seem to have the ability to educate young men and to
give them a chance to do that which they have talents for doing if they
were given an opportunity to learn. This is the work which should
have been done, but which you have left undone. If you were unselfish,
if you had Christlike meekness and lowliness, you would learn how to
train the youth for useful service....
You do not patiently seek to make others familiar with all parts of
the work. This is because you desire to be first, and do not want others
to become acquainted with the details of the work, or to become as