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Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
not think that everything should be brought under the jurisdiction of
a few finite men, who need to look constantly to God for wisdom or
else they will make grave blunders. The Lord does not design to have
everything center in Battle Creek. [
See appendix.
] He would have
men stand aside, and not feel that His work depends wholly upon
them and that every question must be referred to their judgment. It
is difficult for me to express what I desire to, but in the name of
the Lord I lift the danger signal. Responsible men should fear and
tremble for themselves. They should not feel competent to run ahead
of Him who has said, “Follow Me.” God is not pleased that men in
distant lands should have to wait before they can venture to make
a move. We should believe in the power of the Lord to guide, for
He has the ordering of His own work. He will give wisdom and
understanding to His representative men in every part of His great
moral vineyard. He says, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen
you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit.” To
my brethren in Battle Creek I would say: The Lord does not need to
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send His orders to His messengers in all parts of the world through
Battle Creek. He does not lay this responsibility upon all those who
assume to say to His workers, “Do this,” and “Thou shalt not do
that.” God is dishonored when men are led to look to Battle Creek
to so large a degree.
The people of every country have their own peculiar, distinctive
characteristics, and it is necessary that men should be wise in order
that they may know how to adapt themselves to the peculiar ideas of
the people, and so introduce the truth that they may do them good.
They must be able to understand and meet their wants. Circum-
stances will arise which demand immediate action, and it will be
necessary that those who are right on the field should take hold of
the interest, and do the thing that is necessary to be done under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit. Should they wait in a time of crisis for
direction to come from Battle Creek as to what they should do, they
might lose much. The men who are handling the work should be
faithful stewards of the grace of God. They should be men of faith,
and they should be encouraged to look to God, and to trust in Him.