On such occasions parents and children should feel free from care, labor, and perplexity. Parents should become children with their children, making everything as pleasant for them as possible. Let the whole day be given to recreation. Exercise in the open air for those whose employment has been withindoors and sedentary will be beneficial to health. All who can, should feel it a duty to pursue this course. Nothing will be lost, but much gained. They can return to their occupations with new life and new courage to engage in their labor with zeal, and they are better prepared to resist disease. (1T 515.1) MC VC

I saw that but few realize the constant, wearing labor of those who are bearing the responsibilities of the work in the office. They are confined withindoors day after day and week after week, while a constant strain upon the mental powers is surely undermining their constitutions and lessening their hold on life. These brethren are in danger of breaking suddenly. They are not immortal, and without a change they must wear out and be lost to the work. (1T 515.2) MC VC

We have precious gifts in Brethren A, B, and C. We cannot afford to have them ruin their health through close confinement and incessant toil. Where can we find men with their experience to supply their places? Two of these brethren have been fourteen years connected with the work in the office, laboring earnestly, conscientiously, and unselfishly for the advancement of the cause of God. They have had scarcely any variation except what fevers and other sickness have given them. They should have a change frequently, should often devote a day wholly to recreation with their families, who are almost entirely deprived of their society. All may not be able to leave the work at the same time; but they should so arrange their work that one or two may go, leaving others to supply their places, and then let these in their turn have the same opportunity. (1T 515.3) MC VC

I saw that these brethren, A, B, and C, should as a religious duty take care of the health and strength which God has given them. The Lord does not require them just now to become martyrs to His cause. They will obtain no reward for making this sacrifice, for God wants them to live. They can serve the cause of present truth far better by their lives than by their death. If any one of these brethren should be suddenly prostrated by disease, no one should regard it as a direct judgment from the Lord. It will be only the sure result of the violation of nature’s laws. They should take heed to the warning given, lest they transgress and have to suffer the heavy penalty. (1T 515.4) MC VC

I saw that these brethren could benefit the cause of God by attending, as often as practicable, convocation meetings at a distance from their place of labor. The work committed to them is important, and they need healthy nerves and brains; but it is impossible for their minds to be enlivened and invigorated as God would have them, while they are incessantly confined at the office. I was shown that it would be a benefit to the cause at large for these men, standing at the head of the work at Battle Creek, to become acquainted with their brethren abroad by associating with them in meeting. It will give the brethren abroad confidence in those who are bearing the responsibilities of the work, and will relieve these brethren of the taxation upon the brain, and will make them better acquainted with the progress of the work and the wants of the cause. It will enliven their hope, renew their faith, and increase their courage. Time thus taken will not be lost, but will be spent to the very best advantage. These brethren have qualities which render them in the highest degree capable of enjoying social life. They would enjoy their stay at the homes of brethren abroad, and would benefit and be benefited by interchange of thought and views. (1T 516.1) MC VC

Especially do I appeal to Brother C to change his course of life. He cannot exercise as others in the office can. Indoor, sedentary employment is preparing him for a sudden breakdown. He cannot always do as he has done. He must spend more time in the open air, having periods of light labor of some special nature, or exercise of a pleasant, recreative character. Such confinement as he has imposed upon himself would break down the constitution of the strongest animal. It is cruel, it is wicked, a sin against himself, against which I raise my voice in warning. Brother C, more of your time must be spent in the open air, in riding or in pleasant exercise, or you must die, your wife become a widow, and your children, who love you so much, become orphans. Brother C is qualified to edify others in the exposition of the word. He can serve the cause of God and benefit himself by going out to the large gatherings of Sabbathkeepers and bearing his testimony for the edification of those who are privileged to hear him. This change would bring him more out of doors, into the open air. His blood flows sluggishly through his veins for want of the vivifying air of heaven. He has done well his part in the work at the office, but still he has needed the electrifying influence of pure air and sunlight out of doors to make his work still more spiritual and enlivening. (1T 516.2) MC VC

June 5, 1863, I was shown that my husband should preserve his strength and health, for God had yet a great work for us to do. In His providence we had obtained an experience in this work from its very commencement, and thus our labors would be of greater account to His cause. I saw that my husband’s constant and excessive labor was exhausting his fund of strength, which God would have him preserve; that if he continued to overtask his physical and mental energies as he had been doing, he would be using up his future resources of strength and exhausting the capital, and would break down prematurely, and the cause of God would be deprived of his labor. Much of the time he was performing labor connected with the office which others might do, or was engaged in business transactions which he should avoid. God would have us both reserve our strength to be used when specially required to do that work which others could not do, and for which He has raised us up, preserved our lives, and given us a valuable experience; in this way we could be a benefit to His people. (1T 517.1) MC VC

While in Rochester I saw that we had everything to fear in regard to the office from a health standpoint; that not one connected with it realized the necessity of thorough ventilation. Their rooms were overheated, and the atmosphere was poisoned by impurities resulting from exhalations from the lungs, and other causes. It is impossible for their minds to be in a healthy condition so as to be rightly impressed by the pure and holy truths with which they have so much to do, unless they place the proper value upon the pure, vitalizing air of heaven. (1T 590.1) MC VC

I was shown that if those who are so closely connected with revealed truth give no special evidence in their lives that they are made better by the truth which is kept so constantly before them, if their lives do not testify to the fact that they are loving the truth and its sacred requirements more and more fervently, they are growing harder, and will be less and less affected by the truth and work of God, until they find themselves destitute of the emotions of the Spirit of God, dead to the heavenly impress of truth. Eternal things will not be discerned by them, but will be placed upon a low level with common things. This, I saw, had been the case with some connected with the office, and all have been remiss in this respect to a greater or lesser degree. (1T 590.2) MC VC

I saw that the work of present truth should engage the interest of all. The publication of truth is God’s ordained plan as a means of warning, comforting, reproving, exhorting, or convicting all to whose notice the silent, voiceless messengers may be brought. Angels of God have a part to act in preparing hearts to be sanctified by the truths published, that they may be prepared for the solemn scenes before them. None in that office are sufficient of themselves for the important work of discreetly managing matters connected with the publication of the truth. Angels must be near them to guide, to counsel, and to restrain, or the wisdom and folly of human agencies will be apparent. (1T 590.3) MC VC