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178 choose men of good repute, and make over this work to them, while we ourselves are diligent at prayer and the service of the Word of God." And hearing this I rejoiced, for according to my mind this was good counsel. But hardly any agreed to this. They continued to add up accounts themselves, paid out and received money, while they either left prayer and the service of God's Word to others or performed these duties but hastily.

11. When one of them died and the cares of leadership had to be transferred to another, I saw much striving for favour, much searching and endeavouring to obtain patronage; each one struggled for a place before even the seat was cold. But he who had to confer it received judgments from them, and of them that differed greatly. One man claimed to be a kinsman; another a relation of the giver's wife; a third said that he had long served the elders and therefore hoped for a reward; a fourth, that he had a promise on which he relied; a fifth claimed to be placed in an honourable office because of his descent from honourable parents; the sixth brought forward the praise that he had obtained from others; the seventh offered gifts; the eighth, being a man of deep, high, and broad thoughts, claimed for himself a place where he could yet further enlarge his mind; and I know not what more. And seeing this, I said: "This assuredly is not beseeming, to thrust yourself forward for the purpose of obtaining such dignities; they should indeed wait till they are called." The interpreter answers: "Should then the unwilling ones he