- Preface to Third Edition
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- A Review of Significant History
- Institutional Development
- The 1880's—A Period of Notable Advance
- The Setting of the 1888 Minneapolis Conference
- The General Conference of 1888
- Differing Attitudes Toward Righteousness by Faith
- Consolidation and Its Attendant Problems
- Far-Reaching Publishing-House Problems
- General Conference President Publishers Testimonies
- The General Conference of 1901
- Battle Creek Institutions Suffer God's Judgments
- “Except as We Shall Forget”
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- Instruction to the Disciples
- A Betrayal of Confidence
- A False Message
- Satan's Accusations
- The World Called to Account
- The Encouraging Word
- Words of Accusation Not of God
- A Work of Deception
- A Living Church
- Judas Given Opportunities
- The Church Not Perfect
- Satan Permitted to Tempt
- The Church the Light of the World
- A Divinely Appointed Ministry
- Beware of False Teachers
- Another Example
- The Letter
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- What Constitutes a Christian
- What Ought we to be?
- Frequent Cause of Failure
- Special Dangers of those in Positions of Responsibility
- A Daily Christian Experience Essential
- The Stewardship of Men
- The Office of Misfortune and Adversity
- Position Powerless to Sanctify
- God the Source of Strength
- The Evil of Self-Serving
- Evils of Unsanctified Consolidation
- Divine Unity Necessary
- The Preeminence of the Work of Saving Souls
- The Fallibility of Human Judgment
- Not to be Conscience for Our Fellowmen
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- Appendix Notes
Chapter 41—Connection with God's Work
It has been revealed to me that the Lord proves and tries all who have named the name of Christ, but especially those who are stewards in any department of His cause. A connection with the special work of God for this time brings with it much responsibility, and the higher the position of trust, the greater the responsibility attached to it. How humble and sincere the one needs to be who is filling such a position! How fearful and mistrustful of himself! How careful to give all the praise and thanksgiving to God!TM 279.1
There is a watcher standing by the side of all those who are filling positions of trust, ready to reprove and convict of wrongdoing, or to answer the prayers for help. He watches to see if the men privileged to bear responsibilities will look to God for wisdom and avail themselves of every opportunity to perfect a character after the divine similitude. If they deviate from straight-forward rectitude, God turns from them; if they do not earnestly strive to understand the will of God concerning them, He cannot bless or prosper or sustain them.TM 279.2
Those whom God has placed in positions of responsibility should never seek to exalt themselves or to turn the attention of men to their work. They must give all the glory to God. They must not seek for power that they may lord it over God's heritage; for only those who are under the rule of Satan will do this.TM 279.3
But the rule-or-ruin system [See Appendix.] is too often seen in our institutions. This spirit is cherished and revealed by some in responsible positions, and because of this God cannot do the work He desires to do through them. By their course of action those who reveal this spirit make manifest what they would be in heaven if entrusted with responsibility.TM 280.1
Those who will look at human souls in the light of the cross of Calvary need not err regarding the estimate which should be placed upon them. The reason why God has permitted some of the human family to be so rich and some so poor will remain a mystery to men till eternity, unless they enter into right relations with God and carry out His plans, instead of acting on their own selfish ideas that because a man is rich he is to be more highly respected than his poor neighbor. God makes His sun to shine on the just and on the unjust, and this sun represents Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, who shines as the light of the world, giving His blessings and mercies, seen and unseen, to rich and poor alike. This principle is to guide our conduct toward our fellowmen. The Lord is the teacher of the highest moral sentiments, the loftiest principles; and no man can deviate from these and be guiltless. It is the highest insult to God's goodness to doubt whether He would be willing for us to impart to others the blessings, spiritual and temporal, which He has freely given us.TM 280.2