- 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
The Evil of Self-Serving
How do men regard the work of the Lord when they feel themselves at liberty to be disobedient, unthankful, unholy, condemnatory, and harsh, loving to serve themselves rather than the Lord? Those who hold sacred trusts are forming their own destiny by the spirit and character they reveal; and do they ever think how their works will appear in the judgment? If the important truth for this time were an abiding principle in the souls of those who minister in the work of the Lord, how earnestly they would strive to obtain perfection of character, that they might surround the souls of those with whom they come in contact with a life-giving, holy atmosphere that would revive the hearts of the humble and contrite!TM 290.1
It is a law of God that whoever believes the truth as it is in Jesus will make it known. The ideas and convictions of the individual mind will seek for expression. Whoever cherishes unbelief and criticism, whoever feels capable of judging the work of the Holy Spirit, will diffuse the spirit by which he is animated. It is the nature of unbelief and infidelity and resistance of the grace of God to make themselves felt and heard. The mind actuated by these principles is always striving to make a place for itself and obtain adherents. All who walk by the side of an apostate will be imbued by his spirit to share with others their thoughts and the result of their own inquiries, and the feelings which prompted their action; for it is not an easy matter to repress the principles upon which we act.TM 290.2
Some who are supposed to be heart and soul devoted to God are acting contrary to Him and to His work. Others have placed confidence in them, but deception covers them as with a garment. Their minds are controlled by a restless, irrepressible energy, an eagerness to disclose their sentiments. Thus seeds are sown everywhere. By a partially expressed sentiment they cast doubt and unbelief of the truth. There are those who are not in harmony with the testimonies because men in high positions of trust have expressed themselves as not in harmony with them; for the testimonies do not coincide with their opinions, but rebuke every vestige of selfishness.TM 291.1