Remarks by M. C. Wilcox.
By Milton C. Wilcox
God wants men at this time—strong, four-square, upright men. The great three-fold message which this people is giving to the world has nothing of fanaticism in it. There was a time when the world believed that it had to some extent. The world is beginning to believe it no longer. It stands for good, practical, religious common sense. That is what it ought to stand for, that is what it ought to stand for in this period of trial. This is a period of trial. I could not believe it was so when Brother Floyd Jones awoke me in the middle of the night and told me that the Pacific Press was burning to the ground. As Brother Palmer said, we had begun to love it; and I thought of all things that were burned, of our bookmen in the field, the burning of our library. I thought of the precious manuscript, of all the various photographs and drawings that we had gathered from all parts of world, of the accumulated gatherings for twenty-five years, and yet when I thought past all that I felt that there was one book that was left that was worth more than all the other books, and that was the blessed Word, and in that Word was God's last great glorious message to man. I am thankful that that book remains. I little thought that as we placed upon our Earthquake Souvenir Edition that text, "And after the earthquake a fire," that it would prove a prophecy in our own case. But I am looking beyond that; for "after the fire, a still small voice." I am listening to that voice to-day. I want to know what it has to say to me. Let us remember this one thing, that the only unity that there is, the only true unity, the only unity that will remain, is everlasting living unity with our Lord Jesus Christ. Men may try to patch up unity, but the true unity between me and my brethren is true unity between me and Jesus Christ, my Lord. He is waiting to give that unity to all who do not know it, waiting to let His own spirit and life bind me to Him and you to Him, unity that no loss of institution can ever break, and that no calamity can ever sever. God wants us to come into that united relation to Him that will make us stronger than ever in the past. I am prepared to go even further than Brother Palmer did when he referred to the fire of the Review and Herald. God's entire work has gone as it never has gone before since the loss of that institution, and that institution is stronger. One lesson that He wants all of us to learn is that men are stronger than institutions. The mightiest work that Jesus Christ ever did in this world was done when there were no institutions, by men clothed in the divinity of God in the first years of the gospel era. Then God worked mightily and far beyond what institutions have done. There is a text that comes to me to-day, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." We do not propose to faint, brethren; God lives. The very fact that distinguishes the Christian from other men is not the fact that the Christian will not have trials and troubles. God let trials and troubles come upon Job. The difference is not that there shall come no trials, no troubles, no afflictions to the Christians, but the difference lies in this, in the way that the Christian takes that trial home to his heart and rises from the trials stronger than ever. So God wants us to learn that lesson, to come down so low before Him that He can lift us up. You cannot destroy the Christian. Christ lives and His power fire cannot burn. It tunnels even the dark grave. Brother Palmer spoke of that text, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His." That is God's side of the seal. The reverse side is ours, "And let every one that nameeth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." That is our part. My own heart feels humbled. When I went to bed last night it seemed there was nothing between me and my Lord, but I bow before Him now, praying that He will teach me better than ever before to give myself to Him. I want to know how many there are among those who are here to-day who will join with us in giving themselves to God anew to-day to learn the lessons that God has for us; to look forward and not back, to look up and not down, to take hold of God as we have never taken hold of Him before. (In response to this request nearly all present manifested their desire to do this.) It gives courage of heart, brethren, when we can know that we can touch shoulders and turn to the right and go forward. It is an old saying among the soldiers and sailors of the English army and navy, "England expects every man to do his duty." God expects that of us now. Let us throw our whole souls into the work and He will lead and strengthen us.