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The Publishing Ministry
to prove an exact fit without the trouble of adaptation or training, are
not the men whom God calls to work in His cause. A man who cannot
adapt his abilities to almost any place if necessity requires is not the
man for this time. Men whom God will connect with His work are not
limp and fiberless, without muscle or moral force of character. It is
only by continued and persevering labor that men can be disciplined
to bear a part in the work of God. These men should not become dis-
couraged if circumstances and surroundings are the most unfavorable.
They should not give up their purpose as a complete failure until they
are convinced beyond a doubt that they cannot do much for the honor
of God and the good of souls.
There are men who flatter themselves that they might do something
great and good if they were only circumstanced differently, while they
make no use of the faculties they already have by working in the
positions where Providence has placed them. Man can make his
circumstances, but circumstances should never make the man. Man
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should seize circumstances as his instruments with which to work. He
should master circumstances, but should never allow circumstances
to master him. Individual independence and individual power are the
qualities now needed. Individual character need not be sacrificed, but
it should be modulated, refined, elevated.—
Testimonies for the Church
3:495-497
.
Efficient, Apt, and Practical—Very much is lost for want of a
competent person, one who is efficient, apt, and practical, to oversee
the different departments of the work. One is needed who is a practical
printer and is acquainted with every part of the work. There are some
who understand printing, but utterly fail in generalship. Others do the
best they can, but they are yet inexperienced and do not understand
the publishing work. Their ideas are often narrow. They do not know
how to meet the demands of the cause; and, as a consequence, they are
unable to estimate the advantages and disadvantages of enlarging their
work. They are also liable to misjudge, to make wrong calculations,
and to estimate incorrectly. There have been losses in consequence
of a failure to make proper estimates and to improve opportunities of
pushing the publishing work. In such an institution as this, thousands
of dollars may be lost through the calculations of incompetent persons.
Brother P had ability in some respects to understand and properly