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abuse their powers as they see that the field is ripe for the harvest; but
the Lord does not require this. After His servants have done their best,
they may say, The harvest truly is great, and the laborers are few; but
God “knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” [
Psalm
103:14
.]
Intemperance in eating and drinking, intemperance in labor, in-
temperance in almost everything, exists on every hand. Those who
make great exertions to accomplish just so much in a given time, and
continue to labor when their judgment tells them they ought to rest,
are never gainers. They are expending force that they will need at a
future time. When the energy which they have so recklessly used is
called for, they fail for lack of it. Physical strength is gone, and mental
power is unavailable. Their time of need has come, and their resources
are exhausted.
Each day brings its responsibilities and duties, but the work of
tomorrow must not be crowded into the hours of today. God is merciful,
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full of compassion, reasonable in His requirements. He does not ask
us to pursue a course of action that will result in the loss of physical
health or the enfeebling of the mental powers. He would not have
us work under a pressure and strain until exhaustion follows, with
prostration of the nerves.
There is need that God’s chosen workmen should listen to the
command to go apart and rest awhile. Many valuable lives have been
sacrificed because of a disregard of this command. There are those
who might be with us today, to help forward the cause both at home
and in foreign lands, had they but realized before it was too late that
they were in need of rest. These workers saw that the field is large
and the need for workers great, and they felt that at any cost they must
press on. When nature uttered a protest, they paid no heed, but did
double the work they should have done; and God laid them in the
grave to rest until the last trump shall sound to call the righteous forth
to immortality.
When a laborer has been under a heavy pressure of care and anxiety,
and is overworked in both body and mind, he should turn aside and rest
awhile, not for selfish gratification, but that he may be better prepared
for future duties. We have a vigilant foe, who is ever on our track,
ready to take advantage of every weakness that would help to make
his temptations effective. When the mind is overstrained and the body