Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2 - Ellen G. White

comforted his heart, and sent him forth to labor for
the salvation of souls, while their prayers would
have followed him as sharp sickles in the harvest
field. Their lack of consecration and devotion to
God has weakened their own faith, weakened the
hands of Brother D, destroyed his courage, and
made his labors in the gospel field nearly useless.
Church trials at home have crippled his efforts both
at home and abroad, and kept his labors confined,
in a great measure, to the locality of his place. This
confining of the labor mostly to one locality has a
withering influence upon the spiritual interest and
zeal of a minister of Christ.
In order to grow in grace and in the knowledge
of the truth, laborers must have a varied
experience. This will be best acquired in extended
labor in new fields, in different localities, where
they will come in contact with all classes of people
and all varieties of minds, and where various kinds
of labor will be required to meet the wants of many
and varied minds. This drives the true laborer to
God and the Bible for light, strength, and
knowledge, that he may be fully qualified to meet
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