Dear Young Friends who are employed in the office of publication at Battle Creek: A burden is resting upon me in regard to you. I have been repeatedly shown that all who are connected with the work of God in publishing the present truth to be scattered to every part of the field should be Christians, not only in name, but in deed and in truth. Their object should not be merely to work for wages, but all engaged in this great and solemn work should feel that their interest is in the work, and that it is a part of them. Their motives and influence in connecting themselves with this great and solemn work must bear the test of the judgment. None should be allowed to become connected with the office of publication who manifest selfishness and pride. 1T 589.2 I was shown that lightness and folly, joking and laughing, should not be indulged by the workers in the office. Those engaged in the solemn work of preparing truth to go to every part of the field should realize that their deportment ha…
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
EGW directly uses the phrase "in deed and in truth" which is a key phrase in 1 John 3:18. This is more than a thematic parallel; it's a direct reference.
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;"
The EGW passage directly applies the principle of working heartily for the Lord to the specific context of the publishing house. It's more than a thematic parallel; it's a direct application of the biblical principle.