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The Publishing Ministry
and lowly Jesus. The leader in the work, as verily as the humblest lay
member, is dependent upon God for power to exercise a pure, uplifting
influence.
The Lord says to the workers in Washington and Nashville, “Re-
view your operations.” You must rise above every cheap and selfish
principle and be imbued with the Spirit of God. Unless the workers
experience the daily converting power of God upon their hearts and
lives, they will not be pleased to meet the record of their deeds before
the bar of God, when every man will be rewarded according as his
works have been.—
Letter 372, 1908
.
Morality and Purity of Life—Careful attention should be given
to the moral standing and influence of everyone employed in our
institutions. If the workers are in any way impure in heart or life,
it will be revealed in their words and their actions, notwithstanding
their efforts to conceal the truth. If they are not strictly moral, there is
danger in employing them, for they will be in a position where they can
mislead those who desire to reform, and can confirm them in unholy,
defiling practices. Such men and women, unless converted, will be
not only a curse to themselves, but a curse wherever they go. The
converting power of God is alone sufficient to establish pure principles
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in the heart, so that the wicked one may find nothing to assail....
Those who labor in our institutions are there for the purpose of
promoting the intellectual and spiritual welfare of those under their
care. They must make their work a matter of earnest prayer and study,
that they may know how to deal with human minds and accomplish
the object before them. Their first work is carefully to scrutinize their
own habits, for there are those who have not put away childish things.
They are in need of transforming grace, or they will not meet the Bible
standard of Christianity. Then when they are compelled to deal with
those who are meeting a low standard, they will know what words to
speak to them, and will not be harsh, domineering, or arbitrary toward
them. They must be chaste, and so free from the taint of defilement,
that they can correct these evils, and bring these poor souls up to the
Bible standard of purity.—
Letter 47, 1896
. (
Special Testimony to the
Managers and Workers in our Institutions, 10, 11
.)
Influence of Youthful Infatuations—Young men and young
women associating together, having weak principles, and but little
faith and devotion, become easily infatuated with each other and fancy