Presidents of conferences should be men who can be fully trusted with God’s work. They should be men of integrity, unselfish, devoted, working Christians. If they are deficient in these respects, the churches under their care will not prosper. They, even more than other ministers of Christ, should set an example of holy living and of unselfish devotion to the interests of God’s cause, that those looking to them for an example may not be misled. But in some instances they are trying to serve both God and mammon. They are not self-denying; they do not carry a burden for souls. Their consciences are not sensitive; when the cause of God is wounded, they are not bruised in spirit. In their hearts they question and doubt the Testimonies of the Spirit of God. They do not themselves bear the cross of Christ; they know not the fervent love of Jesus. And they are not faithful shepherds of the flock over which they have been made overseers; their record is not one that they will rejoice to meet in the day of God. {5T 379.3}

Konferensformænd burde være mænd, som kan betros Guds værk helt og fuldt. De burde være renhedens mænd, uselviske, helligede, arbejdsomme kristne. Hvis de er mangelfulde i disse henseender, vil de menigheder, de har, ikke trives. De bør, mere end andre Kristi prædikanter, sætte et eksempel for hellig levned og uselvisk helligelse for interesserne i Guds sag; så dem, der ser på dem, som et eksempel, ikke vildledes. Men i nogle tilfælde prøver de at både tjene Gud og mammon. De er ikke selvfornægtende; (380) de bærer ikke en byrde for sjæle. Deres samvittighed er ikke følsom; selvom Guds sag skades, er de ikke stødt i ånden. I deres hjerter sårer de tvivl om Guds Ånds vidnesbyrd. De bærer ikke selv Kristi kors, de kender ikke Jesu inderlige kærlighed. Og de er ikke trofaste hyrder for den hjord, de er sat som tilsynsførende over; deres optegnelse er ikke en, de vil glæde sig over at møde på Guds dag.