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down the work of God, and confining their labor to certain localities,
and not cultivating a special interest for the work of God in all its
various departments. There are some who concentrate their minds
upon one subject, to the exclusion of others which may be of equal
importance.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:34
.
Too often ministers have given poor support to health and
medical missionary departments—The work of educating in medi-
cal missionary lines is an advance step of great importance in awaken-
ing man to his moral responsibilities. Had the ministers taken hold of
this work in its various departments in accordance with the light which
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God has given, there would have been a most decided reformation in
eating, drinking, and dressing. But some have stood directly in the
way of the advance of health reform. They have held the people back
by their indifference or condemnatory remarks, or by pleasantries and
jokes. They themselves and a large number of others have been suffer-
ers unto death, but all have not yet learned wisdom.—
Testimonies for
the Church 6:377
.
Ministers should not take all the work of the various depart-
ments upon themselves—God’s cause has not advanced as it should
have done, for the very reason that ministers and leading men have
felt that they must do everything themselves. They have tugged and
toiled to keep the wheel rolling, and are weighed down with responsi-
bilities and burdens in the various departments of church-work, in the
Sabbath-school, and in every other branch of the cause. They think
they must do all this or it will not be done; and truly it would not be
done, because they have failed to take others into their counsel and to
train them to work.—
The Review and Herald, July 24, 1883
.
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