Principles for Christian Leaders

Conference presidents to share responsibilities

Leading men should place responsibilities upon others, and allow them to plan and devise and execute, so that they may obtain an experience. Give them a word of counsel when necessary, but do not take away the work because you [G. I. Butler and S. N. Haskell] think the brethren are making mistakes. May God pity the cause when one man’s mind and one man’s plan are followed without question. God would not be honored should such a state of things exist. All our workers must have room to exercise their own judgment and discretion. God has given men talents which He means that they should use. He has given them minds, and He means that they should become thinkers and do their own thinking and planning rather than depend upon others to think and plan for them. PCL 157.1

I think I have laid out this matter many times before you, but I see no change in your actions. The Lord would have every responsible man to drop responsibilities upon others. Set others at work that will require them to plan and to use judgment. Do not educate them to rely upon your judgment. Young men must be trained up to be thinking men. My brethren, do not for a moment think that your way is perfection, and that those who are connected with you must be your shadows, must echo your words, repeat your ideas, and execute your plans.—Letter 12, 1885 (October 28) PCL 157.2

I feel deeply over your constant, wearing labor. Please do make others work and you [G. I. Butler] do very much less. God does not want you or Elder Haskell sacrificed. He wants you to lay off work and be more a planner, a manager. There will be times when your special labors will be positively a necessity, but I protest against your taking up so much labor. God does not require it of you, and you must not do it. Will you heed advice? Will you let others learn to bear responsibilities even if they make blunders while you are a living man to show them how to work? PCL 157.3

I have been shown that yourself and Elder Haskell must at your age be laying the burdens on others. Attend fewer camp meetings, speak and work less at the camp meetings you attend, and this will force others to the front to be obtaining an experience which is essential for them. In order to do this, you must do less and others must do more. We want the help of every one of the old hands, and the work is, I have been shown, growing more and more important. We want these experienced men as counselors. We cannot spare them. This is not the voice of Sister White, but it is the message to you from God. Will you heed it, both of you? Will you be prudent? Will you be managers and work less?—Letter 117, 1886 (June 25) PCL 158.1

I had a long talk with Brother [G. H.] Bell. I told him many things. I tried to place before him where everyone of our leading men had made a mistake and hindered the work they were so desirous to advance. Each one thought that he was the very one who must bear all the responsibilities. They spread over too much ground and failed to educate others to think, to act, to be caretakers, [and] to lift burdens, because they gave them no chance. PCL 158.2

I told him it was not God’s plan to have it thus. He had done this way and gathered upon himself a mass of burdens [that] he had no strength to carry, and he could not do justice to anything. God had given to every man his work, according to each man’s ability. When one man entertained the idea that he must gather all the responsibilities because he thought he could do it a little more perfectly than another, he sinned against himself, and he sinned against his brethren. He was educating the people to look to him, to expect everything must come through him, and they were not educated to look to God and to expect God to do great things for them. They depended upon others and trusted in others rather than in the living God, therefore many have not the experience they ought to have which make them efficient workers. PCL 158.3

This, I have been shown many times, was the true solution of the sad problem as to why there are not more apt, skillful workers in this time of great need, when the burdens are crushing out the vital energies of our best generals.—Letter 24, 1883 (August 23) PCL 159.1

For years the Lord has been instructing us to choose wise men—men who are devoted to God—men who know what the principles of heaven are—men who have learned what it means to walk with God—and to place upon them the responsibility of looking after the business affairs connected with our work. This is in accordance with the Bible plan as outlined in the sixth chapter of Acts. We need to study this plan; for it is approved of God. Let us follow the Word.—RH, October 5, 1905 PCL 159.2