Recruiting and Training Volunteers
157
encouragement to the individual members of the church and to those
whom God shall select to do a special work in maturing thoughtful
plans for the saving of the souls of those who are in error.—
Manuscript
Releases 9:146
.
Ministers should get out of the way and let members have free-
dom to carry out that which the Holy Spirit indicates—God has
given “to every man his work.” Why is it that ministers and Conference
officers do not recognize this fact? Why do they not manifest their
appreciation of the help that individual members of the church could
give? Let church-members awake. Let them take hold and help to
stay up the hands of the ministers and the workers, pushing forward
the interests of the cause. There must be no measuring of talent by
comparison. If a man exercises faith, and walks humbly with his God,
he may have little education, he may be accounted a weak man, yet
he can fill his appointed place as well as the man who has the finest
education. He who yields himself most unreservedly to the influence
of the Holy Spirit is best qualified to do acceptable service for the
Master. God will inspire men who do not occupy responsible positions
to work for Him. If ministers and men in positions of authority will get
out of the way, and let the Holy Spirit move upon the minds of the lay
brethren, God will direct them what to do for the honor of His name.
Let men have freedom to carry out that which the Holy Spirit indicates.
[153]
Do not put the shackles upon humble men whom God would use. If
those who now occupy positions of responsibility had been kept at one
class of work year after year, their talents would not have developed,
and they would not have been qualified for the positions they hold; and
yet they make no special effort to test and develop the talents of those
newly come into the faith.—
The Review and Herald, July 9, 1895
.
Trust the Holy Spirit to use every worthy member of the
church—Neither Conference officer nor minister has a call from God
to indulge distrust of God’s power to use every individual who is con-
sidered a worthy member of the church. This cautiousness, so-called,
is retarding almost every line of the Lord’s work. God can and will use
those who have not had a thorough education in the schools of men.
A doubt of His power to do this is manifest unbelief; it is limiting
the Omnipotent power of the One with whom nothing is impossible.
O for less of this unsanctified, distrustful caution! It leaves so many
forces of the church unused; it closes up the way so that the Holy