Article October 7, 1911 Issue

"THE SYSTEMS FALL."

EZRA W. PALMER.

Some months ago it was my great privilege to visit our headquarters in Boston and, upon the invitation of one of the workers, to look over the publishing plant. As we went from one room to another, the writer noted the order, quiet, and freedom of each department; there was no hurry, no appearance of friction. The business relations of the various departments were carefully adjusted, and there was no waste of time or energy; unity of endeavor was everywhere apparent. The workers themselves, while busily at work, showed no indication of strain or pressure, such as too often is the case in the editing and printing of a great daily newspaper. There was plenty of air and light in each department, and the general tone of the whole plant was that of freshness, purity, and exalted purpose.

After the visit of inspection, a member of the party remarked, "The business system of the Publishing Society has been well worked out." To this the worker replied in substance as follows: "The system has been carefully planned, but we do not depend upon the system. We know that some of the greatest movements in history for the elevation of the race have failed because system was relied on, rather than divine Principle. We find it necessary to reflect more and more the divine Mind, and to demonstrate this more and more perfectly each day in our work in the Publishing Society. We read in Hebrews: "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did.' We strive to do our work more perfectly each day, according to the 'better hope,' and not fall into bondage to a finite system of daily routine."

The words of this earnest worker remained with me after I had returned to my home, and with them came with renewed force and beauty these words of Whittier which appear in our hymnal:—

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

"AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"