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

I did not make this public, because it was given specially to us. If this caution had been fully heeded, the affliction under which my husband has been so great a sufferer would have been saved. The work of God was urgent and seemed to allow of no relaxation or separation from it. My husband seemed compelled to constant, wearing labor. Anxiety for his brethren liable to the draft, and also concerning the rebellion in Iowa, kept his mind continually strained, and the physical energies were utterly exhausted. Instead of his having relief, burdens never pressed heavier; and care, instead of lessening, was trebled. But there certainly was a way of escape, or God would not have given the caution He did and would not have permitted him to break down under the taxation. I saw that had he not been specially sustained by God he would have realized the prostration of his physical and mental powers much sooner than he did. (1T 518.1) MC VC

When God speaks, He means what He says. When He cautions, it becomes those noticed to take heed. The reason why I now speak publicly is that the same caution which was given to my husband has been given to others connected with the office. I saw that unless they change their course of action, they are just as liable to be stricken down as was my husband. I am not willing that others should suffer as he has done. But that which is most to be dreaded is, they would be lost for a time to the cause and work of God, when the help and influence of all are so much needed. (1T 518.2) MC VC

Those connected with the office cannot endure the amount of care and labor that my husband has borne for years. They have not the constitution, the capital to draw upon, which my husband had. They can never endure the perplexities and the constant, wearing labor which have come upon him and which he has borne for twenty years. I cannot endure the thought that any in the office should sacrifice strength and health through excessive labor, so that their usefulness should prematurely end and they be unable to work in the vineyard of the Lord. It is not merely the gatherers of the fruit that are the essential laborers; all who assist in digging about the plants, watering, pruning, and lifting up the drooping, trailing vines, and leading their tendrils to entwine about the true trellis, the sure support, are workmen who cannot be spared. (1T 518.3) MC VC