Quality Message Literature Needed
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bear the stamp of one man’s mind and of his peculiar temperament. All
have their strong points and their weak points; and all have prejudices
and likes and dislikes which will be in danger of cropping out in
the paper. There should be several whose judgment should blend
together; while one is weak in some points the others will be able to
supply the deficiency. This is what God designed should exist in the
carrying forward of His work upon the earth. His servants, diverse
in temperament, in tastes, in habits, should all blend together and
compose a perfect whole.
None should feel that he can accomplish the work of making the
paper all it should be, without the help of another. You [Elder James
White] cannot do this; Elder Waggoner cannot do it. Elder Smith
cannot do it; for these papers must not bear the stamp of any one man’s
mind. Not one is sufficient of himself. All will not run in the same
groove, but all will have the same object in view and all will harmonize
in bringing about the best results.
No one man is to pick the work up in his hands and be so tenacious
for his own ways of doing the work that no one can work with him, and
he can work with no one unless that one follows the same manner of
labor he has trained himself to follow. We cannot all labor in the same
armor. Elder B is peculiar in this respect. He is shortening his days
because he lifts the burdens all himself. He thinks no one can make a
success unless his plans and ideas of carrying forward the work are
exactly after his own order. He is not well balanced in this respect, and
the work that ought to be more widespread and nearly self-sustaining
is retarded and circumscribed; but it will be difficult to correct this
state of things without having an almost fatal influence on Elder B. He
believes his ideas and ways the only right way.
[104]
Is it so? No, no.—
Letter 49, 1876
.
One Man Supplies Deficiency of Another—Jesus chose men for
His disciples who were diverse in character, that the work should be
done with perfection. There is a disposition in men to think they
are the only ones who can do the work right and make it a success,
when they are most sadly deficient in essential qualities which must be
supplied to make the work a success. Thus it is with our beloved Elder
C. We must all give room for others to come by our side and work
harmoniously with us that one may supply the deficiency of another