Old Men for Counsel, Young Men for War
By James White
“OLD MEN FOR COUNSEL AND YOUNG MEN FOR WAR” is not Bible, but a very good maxim. We have done our share of hard work, and the fact that our people crowd us into important positions indicates that they have not lost confidence in our judgment as a counselor. We protested before the General Conference at Lansing last September, just before we left the camp ground, against giving us the important offices of our organizations. But in our absence our protests were set aside; and we, as usual, were harnessed in against our will. Now if we could be allowed to act freely in the proper discharge of the duties of the offices to which we are elected, and act as a counselor, and see the younger brethren cheerfully bending into the work as we have done the past thirty years, we should not feel the dread of standing at the head of our several organizations as we now do. When we reached the Indiana camp ground, last September, at midnight, the election of the Conference officers was in the past. There was plenty of preaching to do, but we were too tired for that work, and wished ourselves at home resting for the great Michigan camp-meeting, with all the business of our Associations and Societies. Then we thought of the maxim, “Old men for counsel, and young men for war.” But this good proverb would not fit the occasion, unless changed so as to read, “Young men for counsel, and old men for the hard work.” There was no manner of need of electing the officers before we came. But the good brethren felt the need of our work more than our counsel. We decided to remain on the Pacific Coast about fourteen months. And during the time of our office we cheerfully give the other members of the General Conference Committee, Elders Haskell and Canright, and the presidents of State Conferences, full liberty to correspond on matters pertaining to the cause, and we promise to give them prompt attention. Meantime, we invite thought to the maxim which heads this note,—“Old men for counsel, and young men for war.” J. W.