Duties and Obligations of Ministers—The Jewish priests were required to be, in person, all that was symmetrical and well-proportioned, that they might reflect a great truth. “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” Isaiah 52:11. The Lord required not only a well-proportioned mind and symmetrical body of the Jews’ ministry in holy office, but He required also pure and uncorrupted minds. And He requires no less of us, in this dispensation, in the ministry of the gospel. His called and chosen are to show forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. The same Bible that contains the privileges of God’s people, and His promises to them, contains also the sacred duties and the solemn obligations He requires of the shepherd who has charge of the flock of God; so that the people can see by comparing the living preacher with the divine picture whether he has credentials from heaven in likeness of character to Him who is the Chief Shepherd. God designs that the teacher of the Bible should in his character and home life be a specimen of the principles of the truth which he is teaching to his fellow men. (TSB 82.1) MC VC