The preachers are not all given up to the work of God, as He requires them to be. Some have felt that the lot of a preacher was hard because they had to be separated from their families. They forget that once it was harder laboring than it is now. Once there were but few friends of the cause. They forget those upon whom God laid the burden of the work in the past. There were but a few then who received the truth as the result of much labor. God’s chosen servants wept and prayed for a clear understanding of truth, and suffered privation and much self-denial in order to carry it to others. Step by step they followed as God’s opening providence led the way. They did not study their own convenience or shrink at hardships. Through these men God prepared the way and made the truth plain to the understanding of every honest mind. Everything has been made ready to the hands of ministers who have since embraced the truth, yet some of them have failed to take upon them the burden of the work. They seek for an easier lot, a less self-denying position. This earth is not the resting place of Christians, much less for the chosen ministers of God. They forget that Christ left His riches and glory in heaven, and came to earth to die, and that He has commanded us to love one another even as He has loved us. They forget those of whom the world was not worthy, who wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, and were afflicted and tormented. {1T 370.2}

Ikke alle prædikanter er helt overladt til Guds arbejde som han kræver dem at være. Nogle har følt at en forkynders lod var svær fordi de skulle være så adskilte fra deres familier. De glemmer at det tidligere har været sværere at arbejde end nu. Tidligere var der kun nogle få venner i sagen. De glemmer dem, som Gud lagde det tidligere arbejdes byrde på. Der var dengang kun nogle få som (371) tog imod sandheden, som resultat af meget arbejde. Guds udvalgte tjenere græd og bad for en klar forståelse af sandheden og led afsavn og megen selvfornægtelse for at bringe den videre til andre. Skridt for skridt følger de idet Guds åbenbarende forsyn leder vejen. De tager ikke hensyn til deres egen overbevisning eller viger tilbage ved vanskeligheder. I gennem disse mennesker beredte Gud vejen og gjorde sandheden tydelig, så enhver oprigtig kunne forstå den. Alt er gjort rede til prædikanternes hænder, som siden har antaget sandheden, alligevel har nogle af dem undladt at påtage sig arbejdets byrde. De søger efter en lettere lod, et mindre selvfornægtende standpunkt. Denne jord er ikke et hvilested for kristne, endnu mindre for Guds udvalgte tjenere. De glemmer at Kristus forlod sine rigdomme og herlighed i himlen og kom til jorden for at dø og at han påbød os at elske hverandre, ligesom han har elsket os. De glemmer dem, som ikke verden er værdig til, som gik omkring i lammeskind og gedeskind og var pint og plaget.