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Messages of Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists - Pamphlet

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Messages of Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists - Pamphlet

Ellen G. White

Published for the Author · 1905

A WARNING AGAINST PRESENT DANGERS Sanitarium, Cal., Nov. 27, 1903.

For months I have had little sleep, because my mind is intensely exercised regarding the work that is being done in Battle Creek. The results of this work are represented to me, and the word given me is that if the company of workers there were divided into several smaller companies, and sent into various localities, very much more good would be accomplished. Cause is always followed by effect.
I am receiving instruction regarding the dependence that is to be placed in God. We are to depend far more on Him and far less on men, who, if they had opportunity and were left to themselves, would lead the flock of God into strange pastures. I am charged with a message to be given at different assemblies, because satanic agencies are linking arms with men who should stand free from all seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. The commission given me is, “Meet it, not always by being present in person, but with the written message. Watch, and when a crisis comes, meet it. There is no time to be lost.”
Deceptive theories have been arrested in their development, but they have not been rooted up. Hearts are not changed. There are men who are blinded by Satan’s sophistry. They are not converted. The wrong theories which in the past have been met many times and in many places, are ready to spring into life, because the natural heart loves sin, and has been so deceived by Satan’s fascinating presentations that in the place of having sensitive consciences and eyes anointed with the heavenly eyesalve, able to detect the deceptive guise of Satan, men do not see the awfulness of sin, but have clothed sin with the beautiful garments of sanctification and purity. They retain the impression that the sin so hateful to Godis a wonderful advantage. The sanctification that they claim, is polluted by the most seductive sin, which in their estimation is righteousness. This corrupting, spiritualistic view of matters is blinding the spiritual eyesight. The religious faith is like an apple worm-eaten at the core. Men who are supposed to be helping have deficient spiritual eyesight. Some things may be said which appear to be excellent. The fruit may apparently be fair and beautiful, without a flaw, but break the apple open, and we see the work of destruction going on at the core. Those who have been in the wrong may be silent in regard to their ideas, but there is death at the core. Their wrong ideas are smothered, but not changed. At a favorable opportunity they will spring into life. Men may flatter themselves that there is seen the working of the Spirit of God in the company assembled at Battle Creek; but in reality there is a power prompting and advising and inspiring that has not the vital principle which comes from a pure “Thus saith the Lord.”
My mind is weary with considering what to do next to meet the danger before us. I wish to proclaim, in the very simplest language, the truth for this time. I am exceedingly anxious to use words that will not give any one a chance to sustain erroneous sentiments. I must use words that will not be misconstrued and made to mean the opposite of that which they were designed to mean.
Bible truth, received into the life, will make the heart pure and clean. It will lead to practises that elevate and ennoble the whole life. The thoughts must be kept free from all seductive, spiritualistic ideas that have been brought in by different ones.
I am unable to see into the human heart. But there is One who knoweth the thoughts afar off, and who sees the outcome of these thoughts. When the necessary work is accomplished in the heart, whenthe mind is worked by the Holy Spirit, the life will bear the right kind of fruit. The promise will be fulfilled, “A new heart also will I give you.” This is what is needed now.
Those who compose the company of workers at Battle Creek are at a disadvantage in many ways. The time they spend in hearing principles and in studies of various kinds, would be of far more benefit to them if they had an altogether different spiritual atmosphere to breathe. The presentation is not good. The prompting of the students to give the most satisfactory reports of the school, is not the best lesson in education. They have had enough of this. Pretense is not the kind of education to give any one. The stimulus of such education does not come from Him who understands the deceitfulness of the human heart, and who never misleads. . . .
My mind is sad beyond expression because the enemy has obtained victories over the minds and hearts and wills of those whom the Lord has been admonishing, saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” God has been warning them for years, but they would not receive His words and take heed to them; they would not make their works perfect before Him. Some of those who claim to have been teaching the truth present before God a very ragged practise, which He does not accept. They determined to follow their own will and way, and they have been led by the enemy of all righteousness. Satan has been playing the game of life for their souls, and has been stealing away from them the Lord’s entrusted gifts, putting in their place his evil sentiments, to be worked out in scientific problems. He has blinded the spiritual eyesight, and deceptive, delusive imaginings are taking the place of the word of life and truth. Some in exalted positions of responsibility are sustaining error in the place of truth. Satan makes his delusions most attractive, clothing error in the garments oftruth, so that it seems the most desirable thing to possess. The minds of many whom we would naturally suppose would see things clearly, are blinded as with a bewitching sophistry of error. If the terribly bewitching, fascinating story is not interrupted, those who are listening to it will become infidels in their belief. There is no safety in their present experience. They need to be convicted and converted by eating the word of God, believing it just as it reads, interpreting it correctly, not weaving the messages sent by God to save His people, into their own sophistries, making them speak in favor of fables that undermine the foundation established by the Lord for His commandment-keeping people.
Satan will continue to bring in his erroneous theories and to claim that his sentiments are true. Seducing spirits are at work. I am to meet the danger positively, denying the right of any one to use my writings to serve the devil’s purpose to allure and deceive the people of God. God has spared my life that I may present the testimonies given me, to vindicate that which God vindicates, and to denounce every vestige of Satan’s sophistry. One thing will follow another in spiritual sophistry, to deceive if possible the very elect.
NOVEMBER 29.—I awake about one o’clock, and ask the Lord to give me increased faith, that His cause and work shall become more and more manifestly the work of God. When it obtains entrance into the heart, it works with convincing power. Yes, the heart is the place for the truth to begin its work. Truth is to be a power in the life and character. If received and cherished in the heart, it will work as the leaven of a life-giving principle, changing the whole being.
Truth has power to make the sayings of Christ spirit and life. If cherished and respected, it will cause the man to turn from his evil ways. Truth and error can not abide in the same heart. “He thatis not with Me is against Me,” Christ declares, “and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.”
Wisdom, intellect, power,—these are not God. But God is the author of all wisdom, all grace, all power. God gave Lucifer his power and wisdom, yet this intelligence was not God himself. We are to know God as He is revealed in His marvelous works. Who by searching can find out God? This is not part of our work. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. God’s character is expressed in the ten commandments. To know God as He is,—this is the science of all goodness and truth and righteousness. We must obey every expression of His character as revealed in His law.
God requires obedience, not for the purpose of showing His authority, but that we may become one with Him in character. We shall find in God the attributes of character needed to form characters after His likeness. We are to form characters that are in harmony with the Deity. Thus our natures become spiritualized in every faculty.
We can not present any correct representation in words of God’s glory and majesty. It is beyond expression. But we can enjoy the contemplation of God, and the sense of His presence. We can know of Him all that human beings can bear. We can talk with Him in prayer. At times when our faith goes out to Him completely, we converse with Him, and by faith endure the seeing of the Invisible. Faith reveals Him, and we contemplate all that we can endure. When in times of trouble and perplexity we trust Him fully, we have a living sense of His cheering, all-pervading presence and power. We realize that the Lord is indeed our strength and our portion forever. We can be one with Christ in God. But let us never undertake to define God as an essence. Never, never, venture one step into the way of putting God in the place of the things of His creation.

A WARNING AND AN APPEAL

SANITARIUM, NAPA CO., CAL., Nov. 20, 1905.
TO THE BATTLE CREEK CHURCH: —
I have words to speak to the church in Battle Creek. My brethren and sisters, you have need now to consider carefully your course of action. Where will those be found who continue in a course of rebellion against God? I am bidden to repeat to you this message: “Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against Me.”
And again, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.”
“Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire. . . .”
“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
“Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord.”
How true is the solemn statement, “My people know not the judgment of the Lord.” Has not this been repeatedly demonstrated in Battle Creek? Have not men stood up in public assemblies and ridiculed the idea that the burning of our two largest institutions was a reproof and a judgment from God? Could they have seen the presentation given me of what will be in the future, their ridicule would suddenly have turned to mourning.
The burning of these two institutions was verily a judgment from God. And yet men who have been given wonderful advantages and opportunities, and who are capable of understanding the dealings of God with His people of old, have stood up to defy, as it were, the Holy One of Israel, and to make of none effect the working of God’s providence in His dealings with His people. Such ones should remember that an unerring record is kept of such utterances, and that they are written in the books. Some are filled with a wicked spirit of resistance and opposition, and this spirit they will continue to cherish till the bitter, bitter end. Unless those who have dared to brave God’s will, fully repent and turn to Him in humility and contrition, they will perish with all who do evil and who stand in the way of the work of God. They have chosen the power of worldly law, but they will one day feel the power of a higher law, fromwhich they have departed, but which it is impossible to evade or escape.
What wonderful truths fell from the lips of Christ when He called His disciples to consider the fowls of the air and the flowers of the field, which obey the orders of God’s will. These come to us as lessons of admonition and reproof, for our ingratitude and lack of faith. Gifted with higher, nobler powers than the lower orders of creation, man has nevertheless chosen to disobey his Creator.
Christ Himself, the Son of the infinite God, clothed His divinity with humanity, and came to this world to show human beings what they may become by obeying the principles of heaven. Through His grace they may become partakers of the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust. Clearly God makes known His will to men and women. Evidence after evidence is given of His unwillingness that any should perish. It is His desire that all through believing and obeying His word shall have eternal life. The Saviour’s reference to the flowers and the birds is a rebuke to human beings who depart from the plan of God in their behalf, and lower themselves to do acts that dishonor their Maker and Him who came to teach men and women how to practise the virtues that will give them a welcome into the heavenly courts.
In His lessons Christ shows us how we may reveal the pure, unselfish love, and the unquestioning faith, that He manifested in coming from heaven to become one with humanity, that human beings, by living pure, holy lives, might become one with Him, and thus one with God. Keenly does He rebuke all distrust and every phase of unbelief. He invites us to learn to cast all our care upon Him; for without help from Him we can not carry aright the heavy burdens of life.
Unbelief has led many in Battle Creek to the doingof evil works and to the carrying out of wrong principles. It has led them to strengthen themselves in a wrong course.
“Consider the lilies of the field,” said Christ, “how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.)”
What a rebuke to a life of self-serving on the part of those who claim to be disciples of Christ! Are those who claim to be followers of Christ showing anxious care about the things of this life, are they giving first consideration to houses and lands, and business interests? Are they showing the greed, the selfishness, the sinfulness of sharp practises? In the past this was done in our institutions in Battle Creek, and it placed them where the rebuke of God fell on their unrighteousness. His judgments came upon the two largest of our institutions. Before all the world His displeasure was shown by stern judgments. And yet, there are those who, since these terrible experiences, have refused correction and have followed a course of determined obstinacy. Some seem determined to continue doing those things that brought the expression of the displeasure of God upon those who would not heed admonition and warnings. They have kept up a continual defiance against God, and warfare against the testimonies of reproof that He has sent.
Much has been done to hinder the advancement of the great work that God has committed to His people,—the proclamation of the last gospel message toall nations and kindreds and tongues and peoples. Some who have houses and other property in Battle Creek have shown themselves very much opposed to heeding the warnings that God in mercy has given them to remove from Battle Creek to places where their influence would be of far greater account. But the time is drawing nigh when the judgments of God will be more signally seen in Battle Creek. Many claiming to be believers have dishonored the truth of God. They have diverted His money into wrong channels, to carry out worldly plans. But because of the righteous who are among them the Lord has waited and shown patience. The cause of God has suffered great hindrance because the talents entrusted to His people have not been used in the work of proclaiming the truth, and on every hand we see unworked fields. Saith the Lord, When I visit them for their iniquity, I will punish them for all their greed, and their worldliness, as the Gentiles. I will not spare, unless they repent.
The sentiments of unbelief that were expressed after the judgments of God had come, showed that some would keep up their rebellion until the hour of God’s patience is exhausted. Those who have acted as the Gentiles act, will be punished as the Gentiles, only with as much greater severity as the abundance of light given them makes their sin against God the greater. He will not spare, neither will He have mercy, unless there is a thorough conversion of soul, and that repentance which needeth not to be repented of.
What will the believers in Battle Creek do now, is the question? Christ has given me a message to give to them. “That, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armorof light.” “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
There is presented before me the work which has not been done, but which might have been done had those professing to be Christians been Christlike in character. I am bidden to say that all boasting is evidence that Christ’s invitation, “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest,” has not been heeded. Those who boast show that they are not wearing His yoke, or learning of Him His meekness and lowliness. All pretense is self-deception. When Christlikeness is not revealed in the life, it shows that the Saviour has been excluded from the soul.
Many will never, never have eternal life unless they see the sinfulness of their course of action; and realize how greatly it has dishonored God. They are not servants of Christ, because they do not do His works. The Lord says, Proclaim My message; say to those who have professed to be followers of Jesus, but have dishonored their profession by making false paths for their feet and the feet of others, Repent; for your souls’ sake, repent and be converted. You have been going on and on for years against light, against knowledge, until the Laodicean message applies to your case. Many have become corrupted in faith, corrupted in principle. Many have dishonored God, and sold themselves to sin, and in word and deed have helped others on in the strange paths they have chosen, until they do not know what pure religion is. They have sacrificed faith for worldly favor, and are leavened with that which is opposed to righteousness. At first they felt some compunction of conscience, but they refused to turn back, and now hardness of heart is preparing them for hopeless apostasy, and the judgments of God. The appeals of their Saviour have been resisted, His mercy abused, His provisions of redeeming love, made by infinite sacrifice, rejected. His heart yearns over them, Hishand has been outstretched to save, but they turned away, slighting His invitations of mercy. And yet His hand is stretched out still, for our Saviour made provision that all who receive Him shall be given power to become the sons of God.
Infinite treasure has been richly and freely bestowed upon God’s people. Says the apostle: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”
Again we read that “of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” And again, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Says the Saviour: “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
Shall this wealth of grace and power for service continue to be unappreciated, and turned from without relish or appetite? Shall we not heed the words of our great Leader, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”? “So shall he be My disciples.” The privilege of becoming one with Christ is worth more than the treasures of the whole world. God calls upon His subjects to give the world evidence of their thorough loyalty to Him.
In the camp there have been many traitors in disguise, and Christ knows every one of them. God has been dishonored by disloyal subjects, who, were Christ on the earth to-day in human form, would cry, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”
How will it be with the unrepentant sinner hereafter? The higher the position and the greater the light accorded to the man who has become disloyal, and has denied his Saviour, the greater will be his punishment.
To those abiding in Battle Creek, I say, For your souls’ sake, let as many as can, get away from its strife and its perils. Some have solemn responsibilities there, and they may have to abide there, even until near the time of the destruction from the Lord, but God will recognize and save every true soul. To those who are seeking their own convenience and pleasure, instead of the service and honor of their Saviour, my message is, “Repent, repent, repent, and be converted. Confess your sins, that they may beblotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
There is a great overturning and overturning to take place in Battle Creek. That which has been done there since the General Conference held at Oakland in 1903 will result in the loss of many souls. Men who might have stood in clear light, doing valiant service as ministers of the gospel and medical missionaries, have been accepting false theories and sophistries, which originated with the father of lies, and yet they do not realize that they have changed.
“Whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
I am bidden to give this message to you at Battle Creek. Now is your time and opportunity to do the will of God from a sincere, devoted heart. Now, just now, take your stand against the power of darkness which has come in, and has led many souls captive.
The work of the medical missionary is not to deny God, but he who has stood at the head of the medical missionary work has been accepting theories that do away with God. At times he has felt where he was going, and has feared to advance. But again the tempter would place his brilliant representations before him, and he would neglect to flee to the Stronghold that is his only safety.
To those medical missionaries and ministers who have been drinking in the scientific sophistries andbewitching fables against which you have been warned, I would say, Your souls are in peril. The world must know where you are standing and where Seventh-day Adventists are standing. God calls for all who have accepted these soul-destroying delusions no longer to halt between two opinions. If the Lord be God, follow Him.
Satan, with all his host is on the battle-field. Christ’s soldiers are now to rally round the blood-stained banner of Emmanuel. In the name of the Lord, leave the black banner of the prince of darkness, and take your position with the Prince of heaven.
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Read your Bibles. From higher ground, under the instruction given me of God, I present these things before you. The time is near when the deceptive powers of satanic agencies will be fully developed. On one side is Christ, who has been given all power in heaven and earth. On the other side is Satan, continually exercising his power to allure, to deceive with strong, spiritualistic sophistries, to remove God out of the places that He should occupy in the minds of men.
Satan is striving continually to bring in fanciful suppositions in regard to the sanctuary, degrading the wonderful representations of God and the ministry of Christ for our salvation into something that suits the carnal mind. He removes its presiding power from the hearts of believers, and supplies its place with fantastic theories invented to make void the truths of the atonement, and destroy our confidence in the doctrines which we have held sacred since the third angel’s message was first given. Thus he would rob us of our faith in the very message that has made us a separate people, and has given character and power to our work.
In the word of God warnings regarding this are plainly given, yet fanciful representations and interpretations of truth have been stealing in step bystep, unperceived by men who ought through a clear understanding of the Scriptures, to be prepared to see the danger and sound a note of warning.
In this our day there is need of clear spiritual discernment. Let all who fear God in Battle Creek say, “Who is sufficient for these things?” for blindness hath happened unto Israel, unto teachers and unto those who are taught.
The message given me for the believers in Battle Creek is, Why do you take counsel with men who have not been walking in the counsel of the Lord? Much of the work that is being carried forward in Battle Creek in medical missionary lines is not acceptable to God, because a man stands at the head who is continually filling his mind with sophistries and deceptions. The Lord’s voice crieth in the city, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee but to deal justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
“The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see Thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.”
The Lord bore long with the perversity of Israel, but the time came when the people passed the boundaries, and fearful punishment fell upon those, who, having had great light, refused to repent and be converted, that Christ should heal them.

A SOLEMN APPEAL

SANITARIUM, CAL., August, 1903.
I CAN not sleep after one o’clock. My mind is deeply exercised. A presentation has been given me of our dangers. I am strongly impressed that as a people we must reach a higher standard. Is it possible that at this time, this age of the world, we can not discern the signs of the times, which our Saviour when He was upon the earth foretold to His disciples, that He might give the instruction to those who should afterward believe, to help them to prepare for the great conflict?
I am instructed that those who follow on in a wrong course, regardless of the lessons taught by the burning of the Sanitarium and the Review and Herald Office, are revealing the stubbornness of Pharaoh. They are refusing to be admonished by the judgments of heaven, and are pressing on without realizing that these things call them to search their hearts closely, and humble themselves before God. Unless they repent, the Lord will surely repeat His judgments, as He repeated them to the king of Egypt. God bears long with the perversity of men. He sends them decided reproofs and clear light, but if they will not receive the warnings of God, if they persist in following their own will, their own impulses, the Lord will send His judgments, and will not pardon their persistent determination to be like the people of the world.
To invest one person with authority, as has been done in the case of the one who has been standing at the head of our medical work, is forbidden in the Word of God. The Lord will not indorse such movements as our brother has been trying to bring about in his plans. God is not honored, God is not glorified, in these movements, which are not according to equity and righteous judgment. His representation is sufficientto convince any mind that is led and taught of God.
The Spirit of God with its restraining influence is being withdrawn from the earth. All may learn their lesson from the picture now presented in the condition of things in our world. They may see taking place the signs that Christ foretold. Those only who have humbled themselves, and kept their eyes fixed on God, will be safely hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is their life, shall appear, they will appear with Him in glory.
I am sorry, so sorry, that men will be wilfully obstinate, as was Pharaoh the king of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon; but so it is. Let all be warned by the messages sent from heaven, that when any man shall exalt his own ways and his own judgment as supreme, he will come under Satan’s jurisdiction, and will be led blindfold by him, until his spirit and his methods will conform to the arch-deceiver, little by little, until his whole mind is under the influence of the spell. The serpent keeps its eye fixed upon a man, to charm him, until he has no power to go from the snare.
I now say, Let all beware of men. Let not those connected with our institutions follow the lead of any man, to carry out the policy of the world; for thus they place themselves under the influence of the enemy, and unless the Lord shall interpose, they will have no power to escape from the snare. The Lord is in earnest with us. In His Word He has declared that many shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. They will go to great lengths in departing from God.
I have a decided message to bear. Let all take warning. The enemy desires to have his controversy kept up in his way and after his plan, until the harvest is past and the summer ended, and the souls of those who have been leaders under him, lost, withthose who have been deceived by him. God calls upon His people to take heed, and come out of this deceptive controversy. Satan is wide-awake, and he will lose no opportunity to bind men and women to his plans, and to fasten them in such a way that before they are aware of it, they will find a yoke of bondage upon them.
I am instructed to say to the men in our institutions, Be free men. Christ has made you free; then take your stand as God’s property, not to be bought or sold under any circumstances. The Lord calls for volunteers, just as He called the fishermen to leave their nets and follow Him, and just as He called Matthew from the receipt of customs. He calls upon them to unite with Him, the greatest Teacher the world has ever known, and to learn from Him how to work for the salvation of souls. “Follow Me,” he says, and many will obey the call. God has His men of opportunity, who will leave all and follow Him. The Lord would not have these men bring into their work the practises they have followed in the past; they are to learn of Christ His methods and plans.
The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The Lord would have every physician connected with His work preparing himself by thorough, entire consecration, for more efficient service. His physicians are not to believe the philosophy of any other physician that lives, unless he reveals the meekness and lowliness, the purity and clearness of principle, revealed in the life of the Saviour. They are to separate from all that bears not the mark of the strictest justice and judgment. . . .
Satan has his allies in men. And evil angels in human form will appear to men, and present before them such glowing representations of what they will be able to do if they will only heed their suggestions, that often they change their penitence for defiance.I call upon those who would have eternal life to break every yoke. The enlightening of the understanding must become a part of the experience. Sin has darkened the reasoning powers, and hell is triumphing. O, will not men cease to trust in human beings? Can not they discern the excellency of the perfect rule of righteousness that God has given?
The Lord calls upon those who once had a knowledge of the truth, but who have backslidden, to return to their first love, and become reformed, regenerated. The eyes of the mind need to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, that they may discern between good and evil. Some concessions have been made, but no thorough work has been done to uproot the evil plant of malice, cherished so long because this person and that person did not coincide with plans and ideas of human invention. The root of bitterness has sprung up into intense life, and has borne its poisonous fruit. It still flourishes; for only the tip end of it was plucked off. When sin is removed through the blood of sprinkling, the soul will be melted by a sense of the love of Jesus, and by an abhorrence of sin. Repentance for this or that particular act is not sufficient. The heart must be cleansed. Wrong-doing is the overflowing of the fountain of an unclean, unconverted heart.
There are those who, when wrongs have developed, would not say, I have sinned, but have tried to cover up and excuse the sin of the natural heart. But the heart must be changed, else it will ever be sending forth its bitter waters. He who with loathing of soul sees his defective character, which has so long dishonored Christ, and in contrition asks for forgiveness, will save his soul unto eternal life. Such a one will no longer excuse and vindicate actions that have brought reproach on the cause of God. Repentance is genuine when reformation takes place. He is truly repentant, and his heart will be filled with thankful-
ness that he was not blinded to the very end, when it would have been too late for wrongs to be righted. He will discard the old pharisaical garment of self-righteousness, and will no longer try to patch it with new cloth.
The devil may lock arms with the sinner, and say, “Better let things go as they are. If you confess, your dignity will be hurt, your influence lost.” Thus he has gained the victory over and over again.
O, eternal life is worth everything! and to lose it, the man loses everything. Will he give up the struggle? Will he brave it through in defiance of God, or will he show his loathing for the sins he has committed, and say, “Woe is me, that for so long I have been a transgressor of the law of God. Lord, I know that thy law is holy, just, and good. Woe is me that I have tried to preserve my dignity, and in so doing, have lost so much as a steward of Christ’s grace. I have been a transgressor, but I will be so no longer. I will repent, while Christ is still pleading for me in the courts of heaven. I will now come into the presence of the Saviour, and touch the holy scepter, and if I perish, I perish”?
My earnest prayer is that not one soul shall continue in transgression and sin. . . . The Lord will surely arouse His people who are watching and waiting and praying. “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
Continue reading: A MESSAGE TO OUR PHYSICIANS