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Authority in Church Administrative Positions

The Kress Collection p. 37"It is the pleasure of God that Brother A. T. Jones should serve this

Conference another year as president. It is His pleasure that A. T. Jonesshould put away all appearance of a magisterial, domineering, authoritativemanner. He is not to think that by virtue of his position as president of

the conference, he has arbitrary authority. True, he is to have authority,but it is to be just such an authority as Jesus had, an authority that is hidin the meekness and lowliness of Christ.

9MR 175Again and again I repeat the warning: Never place as president of a

conference [a] man who supposes that such a position gives him the power todictate and control the consciences of others. It is natural for man to havea large estimate of self; old habits wrestle for the supremacy; but the manwho occupies a position of trust should not glorify himself.

The worker who daily subordinates his will to the will of Christ will beeducated away from such an idea. He will practice the virtues of Christ'scharacter in all meekness and lowliness of mind; and this will give to thosewhom his ministration is supposed to benefit the precious freedom of theliberty of the children of God. They will be free to act out the grace

bestowed upon them that all may understand the precious privileges which thesaints possess as members of the body of Christ.

The one who is in trust of sacred responsibilities should ever show forththe meekness and wisdom of Christ; for it is thus that he becomes arepresentative of Christ's character and methods. Never should he usurpauthority, or command or threaten, saying, "Unless you do as I say, you willreceive no pay from the conference." A man who would speak such words is outof his place as president of a conference. He would make men slaves to his

judgment.--

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application of them. If you should let the power in the church,the voice and judgment of the General Conference, stand inthe place you have given my husband, there could then be nofault found with your position. But you greatly err in givingto one man's mind and judgment that authority and influencewhich God has invested in His church in the judgment andvoice of the General Conference.

When this power which God has placed in the church isaccredited to one man, and he is invested with the authorityto be judgment for other minds, then the true Bible orderis changed. Satan's efforts upon such a man's mind will bemost subtle and sometimes overpowering, because throughthis mind he thinks he can affect many others. Your positionon leadership is correct, if you give to the highest organizedauthority in the church what you have given to one man. Godnever designed that His work should bear the stamp of oneman's mind and one man's judgment.

18MR p. 66When a man takes control of any other man's conscience, he is entirely

out of his place. The Lord has not delegated to any man the work of rulinghis brother. There are times when workers pass through strait places. Theyare depressed. They want to do the will of God, and they long to clasp afriendly hand. Brethren differ in ideas; for their temperaments are unlike.One is more speculative then practical; another thinks his position gives himauthority to say what the next man should and must do, without any argumenton the point. "All ye are brethren." Let each resolve that he will not, underany provocation, show a cheapness and littleness of spirit, that he willspeak no words in bitterness.