Gospel Workers (1892/1893 ed.)

Well-Balanced Effort

God has committed to each of us sacred trusts, for which he holds us accountable. He desires us so to educate the mind that we may be able to accomplish the greatest good, and reflect the glory to the Giver. We are indebted to God for all the powers of the mind. These powers can be cultivated, and so discreetly directed and controlled as to accomplish the purpose for which they were given. It is duty so to educate the mind as to bring out the energies of the soul, and develop every faculty. When all the faculties are in exercise, the intellect will be strengthened, and the purpose for which they were given will be accomplished. GW92 176.1

Many are not doing the greatest amount of good, because they exercise the intellect in one direction, and neglect to give careful attention to those things for which they think they are not adapted. Some faculties that are weak are thus allowed to lie dormant, because the work that should call them into exercise and consequently give them strength, is not pleasant. All the powers of the mind should be exercised, all the faculties cultivated. Perception, judgment, memory, and all the reasoning powers, should have equal strength in order that the mind may be well balanced.... GW92 176.2

We have no right to neglect any one of the powers that God has given us. All over the country we see monomaniacs. Frequently they are sane upon every subject but one. The reason of this is that one organ of the mind was specially exercised, while others were permitted to lie dormant. The one that was in constant use became worn and diseased, and the man became a wreck. God was not glorified by this course. Had he exercised all the organs equally, all would have had a healthy development; all the labor would not have been thrown upon one, therefore no one would have broken down. GW92 176.3

Ministers should be guarded, lest they thwart the purposes of God by plans of their own. They are in danger of narrowing down the work of God, and confining their labor to certain localities, and not cultivating a special interest for the work of God in all its various departments. There are some who concentrate their minds upon one subject, to the exclusion of others which may be of equal importance. They are one-idea men. All the strength of their being is concentrated on the subject upon which the mind is exercised for the time. Every other consideration is lost sight of. This one favorite theme is the burden of their thoughts and their conversation. All the evidence which has a bearing upon that subject is eagerly seized and appropriated, and dwelt upon at so great length that minds are wearied in following them. GW92 177.1

Time is frequently lost in explaining points which are really unimportant, and which would be taken for granted without producing proof; for they are self-evident. But the real, vital points should be made as plain and forcible as language and proof can make them. The power to concentrate the mind upon one subject to the exclusion of all others, is good in a degree; but the constant exercise of this faculty wears upon those organs that are called into use to do this work; it throws too great a tax upon them, and the result is a failure to accomplish the greatest amount of good. The principal wear comes upon one set of organs, while the others lie dormant. The mind cannot thus be healthfully exercised, and in consequence, life is shortened. GW92 177.2

All the faculties should bear a part of the labor, working harmoniously, balancing one another. Those who put the whole strength of their mind into one subject, are greatly deficient on other points, for the reason that the faculties are not equally cultivated. The subject before them enchains their attention, and they are led on and on, and go deeper and deeper into the matter. They see knowledge and light as they become interested and absorbed. But there are very few minds that can follow them, unless they have given the subject the same depth of thought. There is danger that such men will plow and plant the seed of truth so deep that the tender, precious blade will never find the surface. GW92 177.3

Much hard labor is often expended that is not called for, and that will never be appreciated. If those who have large concentrativeness cultivate this faculty to the neglect of others, they cannot have well-proportioned minds. They are like machinery in which only one set of wheels works at a time. While some wheels are rusting from inaction, others are wearing from constant use. Men who cultivate one or two faculties, and do not exercise all equally, cannot accomplish one half the good in the world that God designed they should. They are one-sided men; only half the power that God has given them is put to use, while the other half is rusting from inaction. GW92 178.1

If this class of minds have a special work requiring thought, they should not exercise all their powers upon that one thing, to the exclusion of every other interest. While they make the subject before them their principal business, other branches of the work should have a portion of their time. This would be much better for themselves, and for the cause generally. One branch of the work should not have exclusive attention, to the neglect of all others. In their writings some need to be constantly guarded, that they do not make points blind that are plain, by covering them up with many arguments which will not be of lively interest to the reader. If they linger tediously upon points, giving every particular which suggests itself to the mind, their labor is nearly lost. The interest of the reader will not be deep enough to pursue the subject to its close. The most essential points of truth may be made indistinct by giving attention to every minute point. Much ground is covered; but the work upon which so much labor is expended is not adapted to do the greatest amount of good, by awakening a general interest. GW92 178.2

In this age, when pleasing fables are drifting upon the surface and attracting the mind, it is better to present truth in an easy style, backed up with a few strong proofs, than to search and bring forth an overwhelming array of evidence; for the point does not then stand so distinct in many minds as before the objections and evidences were brought before them. With many, assertions will go farther than long arguments. They take many things for granted. Proof does not help the case in the minds of such.... GW92 179.1