A word of love and encouragement will do more to subdue the hasty temper and willful disposition than all the faultfinding and severe censure that you can heap upon the erring ones.—Letter 86, 1896. (PM 137.1) MC VC

Back to Egypt or On to Canaan?—While at Fresno [in 1902] I passed through a peculiar experience. I seemed to be in an assembly where a number of brethren were in council. There seemed to be a cloud over the company. I could not discern faces, but I could hear voices. I thought that in one speaker I recognized the voice of Elder A, but his manner of speech and his words seemed to be Brother B’s. At first I could not understand the things that were said by this speaker. Afterward I heard something said in regard to the way in which he thought the publishing work should be carried on. The assertion was made that this work should be placed on a more sure and elevated basis. (PM 137.2) MC VC

When I heard these words, I thought to myself, What do these statements mean? I have been instructed that the arbitrary authority exercised at one time in Battle Creek to control all our publishing houses was never again to have sway. To make such propositions was more like going back toward Egypt than on to Canaan. (PM 137.3) MC VC

From the light given me, I knew that such a change as was proposed by this speaker would bring into the publishing work a ruling power claiming jurisdiction over the entire field. This is not God’s plan.—Manuscript 140, 1902. (PM 137.4) MC VC

Exact and Impartial Justice—There should be no giving of special favors, or attentions to a few, no preferring of one above another. This is displeasing to God. Let all bear in mind the words of inspiration: “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17. When you pass by one who is in need of your sympathy and kindly acts, and bestow your favors upon others simply because they are more pleasing to you, remember that Jesus is insulted in the person of His afflicted ones.... (PM 137.5) MC VC

The bruised and wounded, the lame of the flock, are among us, and these test the character of those who claim to be children of God. The Lord will not excuse the wrongdoer. He will never sanction partiality to the wealthy or oppression to the weak. He requires exact and impartial justice; more than this, He requires that His followers shall always have compassion for the suffering, pity and love for the erring.—Letter 74, 1896. (Selections from Testimonies to the Managers and Workers in our Institutions, 13.) (PM 137.6) MC VC