Leadership by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 13, 1856

Leadership.

By Editor

We clip the following paragraph on this subject from the Morning Star, denominational paper of the Freewill Baptists. Its suggestions will be useful to the members of other denominations:—

“There is a strong disposition, in a large class of individuals, to be first, to take the lead; and it not unfrequently happens that religion does not bring men to those humbling views of themselves and of their importance, that would seem becoming in professed Christians. It not unfrequently happens that even ministers are dissatisfied with that measure of influence assigned them by the generality of Christians; and because they cannot succeed in the projects they have originated, or be acknowledged ‘lords over God’s heritage,’ cease to do anything, or, what is worse, stir up strifes and dissensions among brethren and churches. We, as a denomination, have suffered amazingly from this source. Aspiring and ambitious men, failing in their designs of rising to popular eminence, withdraw, and join other denominations, or, what is more frequent, entice away a faction, and stand alone. They prefer to be at the head of a score of individuals, to unity on a level with hundreds in promoting the welfare of a whole denomination. Turn it and excuse it as you will, these dissensions, in nine cases out of ten, grow out of disappointed ambition, or the issue of the question ‘who shall be the greatest.’ But the very fact that they aim at such superiority and distinction, proves them unworthy of it. True worth is modest and unassuming.”