Chapter 22—Calls for Laborers A spirit of worldliness and selfishness has deprived the church of many a blessing. We have no right to suppose an arbitrary withholding from the church of the divine light and power, to account for its limited usefulness. The measure of success which in the past has followed well-directed effort contradicts such an idea. Success has ever been granted proportionate to the labor performed. It is the limitation of labors and sacrifices alone which has restricted the usefulness of the church. The missionary spirit is feeble; devotion is weak; selfishness and cupidity, covetousness and fraud, exist in its members. {5T 202.2}

En verdslighed og selviskhed har berøvet mange menigheder en velsignelse. Vi har ingen ret til at betragte den vilkårlige tilbageholdelse af guddommelig lys og kraft fra menigheden, fordi dens nyttighed er begrænset. Den store succes som førhen har fulgt med et veltilrettelagt arbejde, modsiger en sådan tanke. Det er arbejdernes begrænsning og ofre alene, som afgør menighedens nytte. Missionsånden er mat; helligelsen er svag, selviskheden og begærligheden og bedrageriet eksisterer i dens medlemmer.