Qualifications of Women for Service
109
Collect every fragment, for someone will need it. These lessons in
regard to spiritual blessings bestowed are to be carefully treasured.—
Manuscript 60, 1897
.
The Power of Politeness—Every woman should develop a well-
balanced mind and a pure character, reflecting only the true, the good,
and the beautiful. The wife and mother may bind her husband and
children to her heart by unvarying love, shown in gentle words and
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courteous deportment. Politeness is cheap, but it has power to soften
natures which would grow hard and rough without it. Christian po-
liteness should reign in every household. The cultivation of a uniform
courtesy, a willingness to do by others as we would like them to do by
us, would banish half the ills of life.—
The Signs of the Times, August
15, 1906
.
Be Sure We Are Working for Jesus—Our sisters are not excused
from taking a part in the work of God. Everyone who has tasted of the
powers of the world to come has earnest work to do in some capacity
in the Lord’s vineyard. Our sisters may manage to keep busy with their
fingers constantly employed in manufacturing little dainty articles to
beautify their homes or to present to their friends. Great quantities
of this kind of material may be brought and laid upon the foundation
stone, but will Jesus look upon all this variety of dainty work as a living
sacrifice to Himself? Will He pronounce the commendation upon the
workers, “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience,” and
how thou “hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name’s sake hast
laboured, and hast not fainted”?
Let our sisters inquire, How shall I meet in the Judgment these
souls with whom I have or should have become acquainted? Have I
studied over their individual cases? Have I so acquainted myself with
my Bible that I could open the Scriptures to them? ...
Is it the work God has appointed you as His hired servants, to study
the intricate, delicate patterns of embroidery and the many obscure
points in this class of work for the purpose of mastering what someone
else has done or to show what you can do? Is this the kind of labor
that God will commend you in doing, which so absorbs your interest,
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your God-given time and talents, that you have no taste or education
or aptitude for missionary labor? All this kind of work is hay, wood,
and stubble, which the fires of the last day will consume. But where
are your offerings to God? Where is your patient labor, your earnest