Not Kingly, but Christlike Leadership
115
working of the heart, are essential. The rooms in the office need in-
spection, that the things you know not, you may discern and search
out. The temple of God must be cleansed, that His name shall not
be dishonored by men who are not connected with Him. My heart
is pained as, in my dreams, I am visited and appealed to by different
ones placing the corruptions in the office of publication before me. I
awaken to find it a dream, but know it to be the truth. My dear brother,
the spirit of severity, of lording it over the ignorant and helpless, is
being opened before me. In the place of the office being an educating
school to prepare the youth to give their hearts to the Lord, the teach-
ers and overseers, by their course of action, drive them onto Satan’s
battleground. It is not a place where the Lord Jesus is entertained as a
heavenly Guest. Some of the overseers, and the workers under their
supervision, give little time to thoughts of a high and holy order; the
Lord is not glorified.—
Letter 86, 1896
. (
Special Instruction Relating
to the Review and Herald Office, and The Work in Battle Creek, 1, 2
.)
Fewer Overseers—More Faithful Doers—The superintendent
of the publishing house is a watchman, to guard its interests. In order
that he may do this, he must not have various other responsibilities
placed upon him. Brethren, you should lighten the burdens that Brother
Jones [
C. H. Jones was for about fifty years manager of the Pacific
Press. He was appointed as one of the first Trustees of the Ellen
G. White Estate Board.
] is carrying outside the office. He is only a
mortal man, and if he does his duty fully in the office, he has all that
one man can possibly attend to. Without faithful supervision from
[136]
him, some things will not receive the attention that they should have,
and will go sadly wrong. Be careful how you place work upon him
relative to the burdens of the church. He should have one to stand
by his side who is reliable, devoted, and God-fearing, that nothing
connected with the office may be neglected. But men have been placed
in charge of the work at the office who act more as overseers than as
interested, unselfish workers. If there were fewer overseers, and more
faithful doers of the work, there would be a marked improvement in the
managing force in the office. If Brother Jones has for his co-workers
mere overseers, who shun work, choosing to tell others what to do, he
might better stand alone.—
Manuscript 14, 1891
. (
Special Testimonies
Concerning the Work and Workers in the Pacific Press, 21
.)