Speedy Preparation for the Work
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every moment of your probationary time in the pursuit of knowledge,
you will not become complete. When time is over, you would have to
ask yourself the question, “What good have I done to those who are in
midnight darkness? To whom have I communicated the knowledge of
God, or even the knowledge of those things for which I have spent so
much time and money?” It will soon be said in heaven, “It is done.”
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him
be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he
that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My
reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
When this fiat is spoken, every case will have been decided. Far better
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would it be for workers to take smaller work, and to go about it slowly
and humbly, wearing the yoke of Christ and bearing His burdens, than
to devote years in preparation for a large work, and then fail to bring
sons and daughters to God, fail to have any trophies to lay at the feet
of Jesus. Men and women are hovering altogether too long in Battle
Creek. God calls them, but they do not hear His voice. Fields are
neglected, and that means that minds are unenlightened. Corrupt seed
is being rapidly sown in the hearts of our youth, and great practical
truths must be brought in contact with the children and youth; for truth
is powerful.
Christian teachers are called to work for God. The leaven of truth
must be introduced before it can work transformation of character. It
would be far better for our youth to be less accomplished in branches
of study than to be lacking in humility and meekness, and to be devoid
of contrite hearts. The work of some of our educators has been to
unfit students to be laborers together with God. You should study
to become acquainted with the manner in which Jesus worked and
preached. He was self-denying and self-sacrificing. He did not shun
toil; He suffered reproach, scorn, insult, mockery, and abuse; but are
our students educated in such a way as will prepare them to walk in
His footsteps? God is not in your procrastination. Your temptation to
follow on year upon year in lines of study, is taking hold of minds, and
they are gradually losing the spirit with which the Lord inspired them to
go to work in His vineyard. Why cannot responsible men discern what
will be the sure results of thus detaining the students, and of teaching
them to put off the work of the Lord? Time is passing into eternity, and
yet those who were sent to Battle Creek to be fitted up to work in the