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Means and Methods
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not needlessly expend your strength by giving long discourses. This
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uses up the vitality, so that insufficient strength is left to devote to
the most important part of the work—house-to-house ministry.
The Work of an Evangelist
Teaching the Scriptures, praying in families—this is the work of
an evangelist, and this work is to be mingled with your preaching. If
it is omitted, preaching will be, to a great extent, a failure. You need
to be jealous of yourself. You and your wife need to come close to
the people by personal effort. Teach them that the love of God must
come into the inner sanctuary of the homelife. If you so desire, you
may have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to help in your
work.
We are carrying the last message of mercy to a perishing world,
and God calls upon us to bring freshness and power into our work.
We can do this only by the aid of the Holy Spirit. Hereditary tenden-
cies and wrong habits must be disciplined and oft crucified. Humble
yourself under the hand of God; for your ways are not God’s ways,
and you both have much to learn in the school of Christ.
Last night these words of instruction were spoken to you: “Coun-
sel with your brethren. Your plans need the careful consideration
of other minds.” Warnings have been given in regard to depending
upon men and trusting in their wisdom. The tempter aims to lead
men astray by persuading them to cease looking to Jesus for strength
and efficiency, and to make flesh their arm. This has been done in
many cases. Satan has laid his trap to catch men and win them to
his side by trying to prevail upon them to depend upon their finite,
erring fellowmen.
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A Special Danger of Extremes
But when a reproof is given upon this point, the enemy takes the
counsel given, and presents it in such a perverted light that those
who desire to follow their own judgment feel at liberty to plan and
devise important measures without counseling with their brethren.
Thus another error strives for recognition. Men go to an extreme
in one direction, and if corrected, go to an extreme in the opposite
direction.