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Welfare Ministry
fall upon anyone who wrongs, slights, or abuses them.—
Testimonies
for the Church 4:620
.
Search Out the Needs—Your good wishes we will thank you for,
but the poor cannot keep comfortable on good wishes alone. They
must have tangible proofs of your kindness in food and clothing. God
does not mean that any of His followers should beg for bread. He has
given you an abundance that you may supply those of their necessities
which by industry and economy they are not able to supply. Do not
wait for them to call your attention to their needs. Act as did Job. The
thing that he knew not he searched out. Go on an inspecting tour and
learn what is needed and how it can be best supplied.—
Testimonies
for the Church 5:151
.
Do Not Wait for Them to Come to Us—Poverty and distress
in families will come to our knowledge, and afflicted and suffering
ones will have to be relieved.... Do not wait for them to come to you.
Examine their wearing apparel and help them if they need help. We
should invest means to help young men and young women to obtain
an education in sending the gospel to the poor, in aiding those who
[184]
have ventured by faith to take their position upon the platform of
eternal truth, when by so doing they have placed themselves in an
embarrassing situation. Where there are cases of special need the
minister must be prepared to relieve those who are in poverty for the
truth’s sake.—
Manuscript 25, 1894
.
Help for New Converts out of Employment—In our benevolent
work special help should be given to those who, through the presen-
tation of the truth, are convicted and converted. We must have a care
for those who have the moral courage to accept the truth, who lose
their situations in consequence, and are refused work by which to
support their families. Provision should be made to aid the worthy
poor and to furnish employment for those who love God and keep
His commandments. They should not be left without help, to feel that
they are forced to work on the Sabbath or starve. Those who take
their position on the Lord’s side are to see in Seventh-day Adventists a
warmhearted, self-denying, self-sacrificing people, who cheerfully and
gladly minister to their brethren in need. It is of this class especially
that the Lord speaks when He says: “Bring the poor that are cast out
to thy house.”
Isaiah 58:7
.—
Testimonies for the Church 6:85
.