p. 204 | Systematic Labor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 24, 1863

Systematic Labor.

SYSTEMATIC benevolence to support the cause without systematic labor is an absurdity. The minister who would push systematic benevolence, that a liberal support may be secured to himself, and then claim the right to labor where and when he pleases, has some things yet to learn. Our organization of General Conference, State Conferences, and systematic benevolence in all our churches, is simple and beautiful, and will prove efficient, if carried out sacredly, and the authority of the church be maintained with scriptural dignity.

If it be the sacred duty of the church to first bring forth their tithes to sustain the cause and let other objects of benevolence come in second, then a no less sacred duty rests upon treasurers, appropriating committees, State and General Conference committees, and ministers who are supported by the church funds, to handle them in the fear of God.

If ministers be sent out as missionaries by the General Conference Committee, the highest authority in the church, it will be expected of these men, and of their companions, if they accompany them, that they will be active, devoted, exemplary laborers in the cause. A minister's wife, unless she be totally unfit to accompany her husband, can add one-half to her husband's usefulness, or she can by her lack of consecration, backwardness and drazeling helplessness destroy at least one-half his usefulness. Thus it is in her power to make a difference of three-fourths in the results of his labors. The cause needs laborers. If the minister's wife is not an example of devotion, and burden-bearing in meeting, and out of meeting, her place is at home, where she will not disappoint those who expect much of the minister's wife, and where she will not set a bad example before others. Let the companions of our missionaries read the lives of the Mrs. Judsons and others, and resolve to work, WORK for God, if they die in the work, or retire from the field of missionary labor, with some strong church that cannot be hurt by their inactivity.

Now is the time to labor for God. "Live or die, sink or swim, survive or perish," let men and women work for God, or leave the field. But as the blacksmith's arm becomes strong by wielding the heavy sledge, and the noted Dr. Winship becomes almost incredibly strong by taxing his muscular strength to the utmost, so the servants of Jesus Christ will grow strong physically, mentally and spiritually by putting their whole energies in faith into the work of God. What if they should die in the field? Oh, the glory of such a death compared with that of the poor soldier.