Centering Too Much in Battle Creek 139
with one another in their work and to become laborers together with
God.
Christ said to His disciples: “Ye are the light of the world.”
Matthew 5:14. Then how important it is that every soul shall keep his
light trimmed and burning, that he may give light to all with whom
he comes in contact. God has made His people the depositaries
of sacred truth. Talents have been committed to them for wise
improvement, for God designs that by constant use their talents shall
be multiplied.
The Danger from Enlargement
My brethren, the enlarging of your facilities, the increasing of
your numbers, is not after the order of the Lord. Large buildings call
for large patronage, and large patronage calls for men of education
and talent, and for men of deep religious experience, to conduct the
institution in the ways of God; and to manage it with tact and skill
demands that there shall be a general increase in spiritual experience,
that the fear of God shall circulate through the sanitarium in order
that popular patronage shall not mold and fashion it, and thus cause
it to cease to be that which God designed it to be—a refuge for the
poor and lowly. Those who are steadfast to the truth should not be [142]
set aside in favor of worldlings. Prices should not be set so high
to meet current expenses that the poor will, to a large extent, be
excluded from the benefits of the sanitarium.
With the present talent and facilities, it is impossible for the
physician in chief to do all that is essential to be done in the various
branches and departments, much as he may desire to do this. It is
not possible for him to give personal supervision to all parts of the
work.
This matter has been opened up before me again and again.
While there is continual growth in the institution, while the buildings
are enlarging and the responsibilities increasing, there is not
a corresponding growth in the talent and capability necessary for
the management of so large an enterprise. Will our physician in
chief and the members of the board consider this? My brother, you
are not immortal. I thank the Lord that you are as wise concerning
your health as you are. But you cannot always do as you are now
140 Testimonies for the Church Volume 8
doing. Your health may fail. Your life is uncertain, and it has been
set before me that there ought to be three times as large a working
force in the sanitarium as there is. Even then the workers would all
have an abundance to do if they did their work well.
The Question of Wages
The institution is now in a prosperous condition, and its managers
should not insist upon the low rate of wages that was necessary in
its earlier years. Worthy, efficient workers should receive reasonable
wages for their labor, and they should be left to exercise their own
judgment as to the use they make of their wages. In no case should
they be overworked. The physician in chief himself should have
larger wages.
To the physician in chief I wish to say: Although you have not
the matter of wages under your personal supervision, it is best for
[143] you to look carefully into this matter; for you are responsible, as the
head of the institution. Do not call upon the workers to do so much
of the sacrificing. Restrict your ambition to enlarge the institution
and to accumulate responsibilities. Let some of the means flowing
into the sanitarium be given to the institutions needing help. This is
certainly right. It is in accordance with God’s will and way, and it
will bring the blessing of God upon the sanitarium.
I wish to say particularly to the board of directors: “Remember
that the workers should be paid according to their faithfulness. God
requires us to deal with one another in the strictest faithfulness.
Some of you are overburdened with cares and responsibilities, and I
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have been instructed that there is danger of your becoming selfish
and wronging those whom you employ.”
Each business transaction, whether it has to