Spalding and Magan's Unpublished Manuscript Testimonies - Ellen G. White

they are to be actuated by pure, clean, high
principles. But let not the men who have not been
in the press of the battle, act as if they had all
knowledge in regard to the aftersight, when they
have had nothing to do with the foresight.
It would be most strange if no mistakes have
been made. There are things in the history of the
work the meaning of which it is impossible for
human minds to fathom. Let not men, when
dealing with those who have made mistakes, work
on the supposition that under similar circumstances
they would have done much better. Let them not
have too much self-esteem; for every one will be
tested and tried. Let them not do as many are doing
- magnifying errors, and carrying reports that have
no foundation in truth. If they think that they would
have avoided the perplexity and the burdens that
always come to those engaged in aggressive
warfare, let them try to do the same kind of work,
opening new fields in the South, before
condemning others. Let them go into cities and
establish the advantages that have to be built up
from the foundation in every place selected as a
809