We feel it our duty to again send you some selections from recent writings from Sister E. G. White, that have not as yet been in print, and also to call attention to some very important extracts from writings which have already been published. We do this to bring the truths contained therein fresh to your minds; for they are worthy of most careful consideration.
There never was a time when the responsibility of the gospel ministry was so great as at present. Few really appreciate this. As a people we have received great light, and therefore our responsibility is proportionately great. Late developments indicate that we are entering on a new era in our work. The events for which we have been looking as indicative of the closing scenes of this world’s history, are here. By what has already taken place in the line of religious legislation, it is not difficult to ascertain our position. The image to the beast is virtually formed: it only remains that the further specification of the prophecy as to what it is to do, shall fully develop. The spirit of the dragon is quite manifest, and nothing is more certain than that the time has come when everything around us will move with a rapidity before unknown in our work.
We see also, wherever we look, white fields, ready for the harvest. At home and abroad the calls for help are so numerous that we cannot begin to fill them. Our2soul is greatly burdened over this matter, even to distress, because, professing to be representatives of “the last message of mercy” in this solemn time, our lives and actions do not correspond with our profession. Our people are far from being what they ought to be, and I fear that we as ministers are greatly to blame for such a state of things as we find among the churches. We have been so slow and hesitating, and so full of doubt and darkness, that we many times find our lay brethren much more ready to respond to the testimony of the Lord than do many in the ministry. This is sad, very sad, indeed. There needs to be a thorough waking up, and earnest, heartfelt repentance, that we may get into a position where God can work with us.
On every side we have evidences that the message is rising, and about to go with power. The angel spoken of in Rev. 18 : 1, “having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory,” is about to do his work. But it is possible that we may be so blinded by sin that we will no more discern the work of God at this time than did the Jews in the days of Christ. The light was there, but they saw it not. The power of God was manifested, but their hearts were shut against it, and they could not receive it.
For three years the Spirit of God has been especially appealing to our ministry and people, to cast aside their cloak of self-righteousness and to seek the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ Jesus; but O, how slow and hesitating we have been! Instead of feeling a poverty of spirit, and instead of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, we have felt rich and increased with goods, and in need of nothing. The testimony and earnest entreaties of the Spirit of God have not found that response in our hearts that God designed they should. In some instances, we have felt free even to criticise the testimony and warnings sent by God for our good. This is a serious matter.3What is the result? — It is a coldness of heart, a barrenness of soul, that is truly alarming. So manifest is this that in many instances our ministrations are a source of discouragement and darkness. The worst of all is, that the situation is not realized. There is a feeling of ease and carnal security. With many, even though their work is worse than no work at all to the Conference, perfect freedom is felt in reporting full time or nearly so, and it is expected that the auditing committee will deal liberally with them. Such work is a source of much discouragement to the churches and the Conference, and has a tendency to restrain the liberalities of the brethren. Thus one evil follows another. These professed laborers for God are scattering, instead of gathering with Christ.
Is it not time to raise a voice of warning? Is it not time for each individual to take these things home to himself, and ask, “Is it I?” We are generally so ready to apply reproofs and warnings to some one else, or to feel that the message is of little consequence, and so pass it by unheeded. If we had followed the instruction God has been giving us all these years, we would not now be in the condition which we have described. I will here append a few extracts from testimonies that have been in circulation among us for years: —
“The word of God was preached by his ministers in early days ‘in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power.’ The hearts of men were stirred by the proclamation of the gospel. Why is it that the preaching of the truth has now so little power to move the people? Is God less willing to bestow his blessings upon the laborers in his cause in this age than in the apostles’ day? . . .
“We should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost. If they needed it at that time, we need it more to-day. Moral darkness, like a funeral pall, covers the earth. All manner of false doctrines, heresies, and Satanic deceptions are misleading the minds of men,4Without the Spirit and power of God, it will be in vain that we labor to present the truth. . . .
“Many of our ministers, in their discourses, dwell too largely upon theory, and not enough on practical godliness. They have an intellectual knowledge of the truth, but their hearts are untouched with the genuine fervor of the love of Christ. Many have gained by the study of our publications a knowledge of the arguments that sustain the truth, but they have not become Bible students for themselves. They are not constantly seeking for a deeper and more thorough knowledge of the plan of salvation as revealed in the Scriptures. While preaching to others, they are becoming dwarfs in religious growth. They do not often go before God to plead for his Spirit and grace, that they may rightly present Christ to the world. . . .
“If we have the spirit of Christ, we shall work as he worked; we shall catch the very ideas of the Man of Nazareth, and present them to the people. If, in the place of formal professors and unconverted ministers, we were indeed followers of Christ, we would present the truth with such meekness and fervor, and would so exemplify it in our lives, that the world would not be continually questioning whether we believe what we profess. The message borne in the love of Christ, with the worth of souls constantly before us, would win even from worldlings the decision, ‘They are like Jesus.’ . . .
“Satan’s snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people. Lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness, and impurity, are increasing among us. There is need now of men who are firm and fearless in declaring the whole counsel of God; men who will not sleep as do others, but watch and be sober. Knowing as I do the great lack of holiness and power with our ministers, I am deeply pained to see the efforts for self-exaltation. If they could but see Jesus as he is, and themselves as they are, so weak, so inefficient, so unlike their Master, they would say, If my name may be written in the obscurest part of the book of life, it is enough for me, so unworthy am I of his notice. . . .”
Heaven is not closed against the fervent prayers of the righteous. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are,5yet the Lord heard, and in a most striking manner answered, his petitions. The only reason for our lack of power with God is to be found in ourselves. If the inner life of many who profess the truth were presented before them, they would not claim to be Christians. They are not growing in grace. A hurried prayer is offered now and then, but there is no real communion with God.” — Testimony for the Church, No. 31, pp. 153–157.
“I looked to see the humility of soul that should ever sit as a fitting garment upon our ministers, but it was not upon them. I looked for the deep love for souls that the Master said they should possess, but they had it not. I listened for the earnest prayers offered with tears and anguish of soul because of the impenitent and unbelieving in their own homes and in the church, but heard them not. I listened for the appeals made in the demonstration of the Spirit, but these were missing. I looked for the burden-bearers, who in such a time as this should be weeping between the porch and the altar, crying, Spare thy people, Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach; but I heard no such supplications. A few earnest, humble ones were seeking the Lord. At some of these meetings one or two ministers felt the burden, and were weighed down as a cart beneath sheaves. But a large majority of the ministers had no more sense of the sacredness of their work than children.
“There are many flippant talkers of Bible truth, whose souls are as barren of the Spirit of God as were the hills of Gilboa of dew and rain. But what we need is men who are thoroughly converted themselves, and can teach others how to give their hearts to God. The power of godliness has almost ceased to be in our churches. And why is this? The Lord is still waiting to be gracious; he has not closed the windows of heaven. We have separated ourselves from him. We need to fix the eye of faith upon the cross, and believe that Jesus is our strength, our salvation.
“As we see so little burden of the work resting upon ministers and people, we inquire, When the Lord comes, shall he find faith on the earth? It is faith that is lacking. God has an abundance of grace and power awaiting our demand. But the reason we do not feel our great need of it is because we look to ourselves and not to Jesus. We do not exalt Jesus and rely wholly upon his merits.” — Idem, pp. 161–163.
This is no unmeaning language. This testimony has been with us for ten years, but how has it been heeded? Had we sought the Lord as we are here exhorted to do, then the situation would have been far different from what it now is. The past ten years have not witnessed the advancement and growth in the work that God designed there should be. The success that has attended our ministry has not been what God would have been pleased to have it. Comparatively few persons have entered the ministry during this period. In some of our large Conferences, there are years that pass without a single ordination to the gospel ministry. This is not as it should be, considering the great demand for laborers. Take careful note of the following paragraph:—
“Great demands are everywhere made for the light which God has given to his people; but these calls are for the most part in vain. Who feels the burden of consecrating himself to God and to his work? Where are the young men who are qualifying themselves to answer these calls? Vast territories are opened before us, where the light of truth has never penetrated. Whichever way we look we see rich harvests ready to be gathered, but there are none to do the reaping. Prayers are offered for the triumph of the truth. What do your prayers mean, brethren? What kind of success do you desire?—a success to suit your indolence, your selfish indulgence?—a success that will sustain and support itself without any effort on your part?”—Idem, p. 199.
Yes, there never was a time in our experience when there were so many doors and hearts open for the truth, nor when there were so many calls for help as now; but O, how poorly prepared we are to respond to these calls! This is a sad state of affairs. But it cannot continue this way; there must be a change, there will be a change.
In a recent testimony I read these words :—
“Something great and decisive is to take place, and that right early. If any delay, the character of God and his throne will be compromised. The armory of heaven7is open; all the universe of God and its equipments are ready. . . . Every movement in the universe of heaven is to prepare the world for the great crisis. Intensity is taking possession of every earthly element; and as a people who have had great light and wonderful knowledge, many of them are represented by the five sleeping virgins with their lamps, but no oil in their vessels; cold, senseless, with a feeble, waning piety. While a new life is being diffused and is springing up from beneath and taking fast hold of all Satan’s agencies, preparatory to the last great conflict and struggle, a new light and life and power is descending from on high, and taking possession of God’s people who are not dead, as many now are, in trespasses and sins.” “Appeal to Ministers and Conference Committees,” pp. 38, 39.
The time has already come when new light and life and power are descending from on high, and taking possession of God’s people. We know this to be so, for we have been witnesses to this fact in recent meetings. The onward movement has already begun. That the message is now rising there can be no question.
This is the time, too, when the message to the Laodicean church will do its work, and there will be more of a shaking than we have seen as yet. “Some will not bear this strait testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.” Please read carefully the chapter on page 131 in “Early Writings,” entitled “The Shaking.” The very experience here described is that which we may expect to have from now on to the end. My dear brethren in the ministry, shall we be found among the following: “I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God” or shall we be found among another class? described thus: “Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless. They were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them in like a thick cloud.”
We are in danger. We have been repeatedly told, as8ministers, in extracts quoted in this article, that we are not in possession of that interceding power with God that we ought to have. Will we now be admonished? will we now seek God? We are so much in need of efficient, earnest, God-fearing laborers! Everywhere fields already white are ready for the harvest. The work in our home Conferences is by no means finished. No, no; what we have already done may in truth be said to be only a beginning. Then think of the vast numbers of people in other fields, reaching out their hands to us for help. For many of these fields we have as yet done nothing. This is a matter of serious importance. Truly, here is need for humiliation of soul; need for the servants of God to weep between the porch and the altar. What can we do or say that will cause an awakening from sleep to a full realization of the situation? The blessing of God is “waiting our demand and reception.” We need not grope our way in doubt and darkness.
In the following testimony our dangers are again pointed out to us in a way that we cannot misunderstand. The question is, Will we take heed to the counsel of God, and seek him with all the heart, or will we treat these warnings with the neglect and indifference that we have many times in the past? God is in earnest with us, and we must not be slow to respond.
O. A. OLSEN.
REASONS FOR INEFFICIENCY, AND THE REMEDY.
I WOULD address those who preach the word: “The entrance of thy word giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” All the advantages and privileges that may be multiplied for your benefit, that you should be educated and trained, rooted and grounded in the truth, will be no real help to you personally unless the mind and heart is opened so that truth shall find entrance, and you make a conscientious surrender of every habit and practice, and every sin, that has closed the door against Jesus. Let the light from Christ search every dark corner of the soul; with earnest determination adopt a right course of action. If you hold onto a wrong course, as many of you are now doing; if the truth does not work in you with transforming power, so that you obey it from the heart, because you love its pure principles, be sure that for you the truth will lose its vitalizing power, and sin will strengthen. This is why many are not efficient agents for the Master. They are constantly making provision to please and glorify themselves, or they cherish lust in the heart. True, they assent to the law of ten commandments, and many teach the law in theory; but they do not cherish its principles. They do not obey the command of God to be pure, to love God supremely, and their neighbor as themselves. While constantly living a lie, can such have strength? Can they have confidence? Will such become efficient workers for God?
The Saviour prayed for his disciples, “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” But if the receiver10of Bible knowledge makes no change in his habits or practices to correspond to the light of truth, what then? The spirit is warring against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit; and one of these must conquer. If the truth sanctifies the soul, sin is hated and shunned, because Christ is accepted as an honored guest. But Christ cannot share a divided heart; sin and Jesus are never in co-partnership. He who accepts the truth in sincerity, who eats the flesh and drinks the blood of the Son of God, has eternal life. “The words that I speak unto you,” said Jesus, “they are spirit and they are life.” When the receiver of truth co-operates with the Holy Spirit, he will go weighted with the burden of the message to souls; he will never be merely a sermonizer. He will enter heart and soul into the great work of seeking and saving that which is lost. Practicing the religion of Christ, he will accomplish a good work in winning souls.
Every believer is under bonds to God to be spiritually minded, keeping himself in the channel of light, that he may let his light shine to the world. When all those who are engaged in the sacred work of the ministry shall grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, they will hate sin and all selfishness. A moral renovation is constantly going on; as they continue looking to Jesus, they become conformed to his image, and are found complete in him, not having their own righteousness, but the righteousness that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The great advantage of the ministerial institutes are not half appreciated. They are rich in opportunities, but do not accomplish half what they should, because those who attend them do not practice the truth which is presented before them in clear lines. Many who are explaining the Scriptures to others have not conscientiously and entirely surrendered mind and heart and life to the control of the Holy Spirit. They love sin, and11cling to it. I have been shown that impure practices, pride, selfishness, self-glorying, have closed the door of the heart, even of those who teach the truth to others, so that the frown of God is upon them. Cannot some renovating power take hold of them? Have they fallen a prey to a moral disease which is incurable because they themselves refuse to be cured? O that every one who labors in word and doctrine would heed the words of Paul, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
How my heart goes out in rejoicing for those who walk in humility of mind, who love and fear God. They possess a power far more valuable than learning or eloquence. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;” and his love and fear are like a thread of gold uniting the human agent to the divine. Thus all the movements of life are simplified. When the children of God are struggling with temptation, battling against the passions of the natural heart, faith connects the soul with the only One who can give help, and they are overcomers.
May the Lord work upon the hearts of those who have received great light, that they may depart from all iniquity. Behold the cross of Calvary. There is Jesus, who gave his life, not that men might continue in sin, not that they may have license to break the law of God, but that through this infinite sacrifice they may be saved from all sin. Said Christ, “I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified,” by the perfection of his example. Will those who preach the truth to others be sanctified by the truth themselves? Will they love the Lord with heart and mind and soul, and their neighbor as themselves? Will they meet the highest standard of Christian character? Are their tastes elevated, their appetites controlled? Are they cherishing only12noble sentiments, strong, deep sympathy, and pure purposes, that they may indeed be laborers together with God? We must have the Holy Spirit to sustain us in the conflict; for “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
ELLEN G. WHITE.
Melbourne, Australia, July 3, 1892.
Need of Divine Power and Wisdom.
We have been asked why it is that there is so little power in the churches, why there is so little efficiency among our teachers. The answer is that it is because known sin in various forms is cherished among the professed followers of Christ, and the conscience becomes hardened by long violation. The answer is that men do not walk with God, but separate company with Jesus, and as a result we see manifested in the church selfishness, covetousness, pride, strife, contention, hard-heartedness, licentiousness, and evil practices. Even among those who preach the sacred word of God, this state of evil is found, and unless there is thorough reformation among those who are unholy and unsanctified, it would be better that such men should leave the ministry, and choose some other occupation, where their unregenerate thoughts would not bring disaster upon the people of God.
The apostle exhorts the brethren, saying, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.” O what a day is before us! What sifting13will there be among those who claim to be the children of God! The unjust will be found among the just. Those who have great light and who have not walked in it, will have darkness corresponding to the light they have despised. We have need to heed the lesson contained in the words of Paul, “But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” The enemy is diligently working to see who he can add to the ranks of apostasy; but the Lord is soon coming, and ere long every case will be decided for eternity. Those whose works correspond with the light graciously given them, will be numbered on the Lord’s side.
We are waiting and watching for the grand and awful scene which will close up this earth’s history. But we are not simply to be waiting; we are to be vigilantly working with reference to this solemn event. The living church of God will be waiting, watching, and working. None are to stand in a neutral position. All are to represent Christ in active, earnest effort to save perishing souls. Will the church fold her hands now? Shall we sleep as is represented in the parable of the foolish virgins? Every precaution is to be taken now; for hap-hazard work will result in spiritual declension, and that day will overtake us as a thief. The mind needs to be strengthened, to look deep, and discern the reasons of our faith. The soul-temple is to be purified by the truth; for only the pure in heart will be able to stand against the wiles of Satan.
We are not to copy the world’s practices, and yet we are not to stand aloof from the people of the world; for our light must shine amid the moral darkness that covers the earth. There is a sad lack in the church, of Christian love one for another. This love is easily extinguished, and yet without it we cannot have Christian fellowship, nor love for those for whom Christ died.
Our brethren need to take heed to the injunction, “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” We shall have to meet crooked elements in the world and in the church. Men will come claiming to have great light; but those who have experience in the cause of God, will see that what they present as light is great darkness. Men of this class will have to be treated according to the specifications of the word of God. Those who are in error may become excited in advocating their views, but those who are walking in the light can afford to be calm, gentle with the erring, “apt to teach,” making manifest the fact that they have asked and received wisdom of God. They will have no occasion to move excitedly, but occasion to move wisely, patiently, “in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.”
The time has come when those who are rooted and grounded in the truth may manifest their firmness and decision, may make known the fact that they are unmoved by the sophistry, maxims, or fables of the ignorant and wavering. Without foundation men will make statements with all the positiveness of truth; but it is of no use to argue with them concerning their spurious assertions. The best way to deal with error is to present the truth, and leave wild ideas to die out for want of notice. Contrasted with truth, the weakness of error is made apparent to every intelligent mind. The more the erroneous assertions of opposers, and of those who rise up among us to deceive souls, are repeated, the better the cause of error is served. The more publicity15is given to the suggestions of Satan, the better pleased is his Satanic majesty; for unsanctified hearts will be prepared to receive the chaff that he provides for them. We shall have to meet difficulties of this order even in the church. Men will make a world of an atom and an atom of a world.
Cannot we do more for the churches, that they may be aroused to act upon the light already given? God has appointed to every man his work. The lowliest as well as the mightiest have been endowed with influence that should tell on the Lord’s side, and they devote their talent to him, each working in his appointed place of duty. The Lord expects every one to do his best. When light shines into the heart, he expects our work to correspond with our light, to be in accordance with the measure of the fullness of Christ which we have received. The more we use our knowledge and exercise our powers, the more knowledge we shall have, the more power we shall acquire to do more and better work. Our talents are not our own, they are the Lord’s property with which we are to trade. We are responsible for the use or the abuse of the Lord’s goods. God calls upon men to invest their intrusted talents, that when the Master cometh he may receive his own with usury. With his own blood Christ has purchased us as his servants. Shall we serve him? Shall we now study to show ourselves approved unto God? Shall we show by our actions that we are stewards of his grace? Every effort put forth for the Master, prompted by a pure, sincere heart, will be a fragrant offering to him.
We are walking in the sight of unseen intelligences. A witness is by our side constantly to see how we trade with the Lord’s intrusted goods. When the good steward returns his talents with usury, he will claim nothing. He will realize that they are the talents that God delivered unto him, and will give glory to the Master. He knows that there would have been no gain without16the deposit, no interest without the principal. He will say, “Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.” Let the church now consider whether they are putting out to usury the capital the Lord has given. Without the grace of Christ, every soul would have been bankrupt for eternity; therefore we can rightfully claim nothing. But while we can claim nothing, yet when we are faithful stewards, the Lord rewards us as if the merit were all our own. He says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” How many will mourn for lost opportunities when it is eternally too late! To-day we have talent and opportunity, but we know not how long these may be ours. Then let us work while it is day; for the night cometh in which no man can work. “Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” ELLEN G. WHITE.