Section 2—Counsels Often Repeated“The Lord God of their fatherssent to them by His messengers,rising up betimes, and sending;because He had compassion onHis people, and on His dwellingplace.” 2 Chronicles 36:15.Warnings and Counsels Given to the Battle Creek Church[The articles included in this chapter are taken from testimonies first published in leaflet form and distributed to the members of the battle creek church in 1894, 1895, and 1898.] Granville, N. S. W.,July 20, 1894I wish to remind my brethren of the cautions and warnings that have been given me in reference to constantly investing means in Battle Creek in order to make a little more room or to make things more convenient. New fields are to be entered; the truth is to be proclaimed as a witness to all nations. The work is hindered so that the banner of truth cannot be uplifted, as it should be, in these new fields. While our brethren in America feel at liberty to invest means in buildings which time will reveal that they would do just as well and even better without, thousands of dollars are thus absorbed that the Lord called for to be used in “regions beyond.” I have presented the warnings and the caution, as the word of the Lord; but my heart has been made sad to see that, notwithstanding all these, means has been swallowed up to satisfy these supposed wants; building has been added to building so the money could not be used in places where they have no conveniences, no building for the public worship of God or to give character to the work, no place where the banner of truth could be uplifted. These things I have set before you; and yet you have gone on just the same, absorbing means, God’s means, in one locality, when the Lord has spoken that too much was already invested in one place, which meant that there was nothing in other places, where there should be buildings and facilities, to make even a beginning. {8T 48.1}

(48) Artiklerne i dette kapitel er taget fra vidnesbyrd der først blev udgivet som tryksag og uddelt til Battle Creek menighedens medlemmer i 1894, 1895 og 1898.
Granville, N. S. W., den 20. juli, 1894.
Jeg vil gerne minde mine brødre om de formaninger og advarsler som jeg har fået med hensyn til, at der hele tiden investeres midler i Battle Creek blot for at lave lidt mere plads eller for at gøre tingene mere bekvemme. Nye marker skal indtages; sandheden skal proklameres som et vidnesbyrd for alle nationer. Arbejdet forhindres så at sandhedens banner ikke kan løftes op, som det burde, på disse nye marker. Medens vore brødre i Amerika føler sig fri til at investere midler i bygninger, som det med tiden dog viser at de lige så godt lade være, bruges tusindvis dollars dette, som Herren ellers har forlangt skulle bruges på "regionerne derude." Jeg har overbragt advarsler og formaninger, så som Herrens ord; men mit hjerte er blevet bedrøvet ved at se, at trods dette, er midlerne blevet opslugt for at tilfredsstille disse formodede behov. Bygning er blevet lagt til bygning så pengene ikke bliver brugt på steder, hvor det ikke er for bekvemmelighedens skyld og hvor der ikke er nogen bygning til offentlig (49) gudsdyrkelse. Pengene bliver heller ikke brugt til at give arbejdet en fast karakter og ikke på noget sted hvor sandhedens banner kunne opløftes. Disse ting har jeg lagt frem for jer; og alligevel har I bare fortsat med at opsluge Guds midler på en lokalitet, skønt Herren har sagt at der allerede er blevet investeret på dette sted, hvilket betyder at der var intet på andre steder, hvor der burde være bygninger og faciliteter, blot til at starte på.