Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers—No. 6
1%
Page 1
Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers—No. 6
Ellen G. White
1896
SPECIAL TESTIMONIES FOR MINISTERS AND WORKERS.— No. 6.
During the past few months, I have received a number of communications from Sister E. G. White, which contain most valuable instruction to myself and to all our laborers; and knowing that all the workers connected with the cause of present truth would be benefited personally and helped in their work by having this instruction, I have collected this matter, and had it printed in this little tract for their benefit. It is not necessary that I ask for it a careful and prayerful study, for I know it will receive this. The subheadings have been inserted by us for the convenience of the reader.
We have entered perilous times. We need to seek God as never before. Every minister and worker must have a fresh experience to bring into his work. The time has come for the message to rise and go with power, and those who will not now awake, and advance with the work, will soon find that they are left behind in darkness. Intensity has taken hold of earthly elements. The power of God will now especially rest on his servants that seek him with all the heart.
This tract is being sent to all our workers. We want all of them to have it, for it contains just what they need at this time. And while it is being sent free of cost, yet we invite all who wish to do so, to remember the General Conference by sending such an amount as they may feel free to give, to the Corresponding Secretary of the General Conference, Battle Creek, Mich.
Wishing you all the precious blessing of God,
I am,
Yours in the blessed hope,
O. A. Olsen.
Battle Creek, Mich., Nov. 22, 1896.
THE NEED OF SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT.
ON THE STEAMER “ALAMEDA,” ON THE BROAD OCEAN, NOV. 17, 1891.
REDEMPTION is a part of the divine nature. It is the prerogative of God to have to reconstruct, not to destroy. The Son of God was given to die before the foundation of the world. The existence of sin is unexplainable; therefore, not a soul knows what God is until he sees himself in the light reflected from the cross of Calvary, and detests himself as a sinner, in the bitterness of his soul. When his soul cries out in great need for a sin-pardoning Saviour, then God is revealed as gracious, full of compassion and forgiveness and love, longsuffering and patience. Individually, as church-members, we are, if faithful, servants of Jesus Christ, laborers together with God. When one is bruised by the enemy, and wounded, and commits error, as faithful and true to the Master, as workers together with God, we must take up the missionary work next to us, we must work to heal, not to ruin and to destroy. The hope we have in Christ is because we are sinners. We have a right to claim a Saviour. Then when there are those in any of our institutions associated together, who err, let not men act the part of denouncing, condemning, and destroying, as though they were faultless.
It is the work of the Christian to mend, to restore, to heal. This healing process saves many a soul, and hides a multitude of sins. God is love. God is, in himself, in his essence, love. He makes the very best of what appears an injury, and gives Satan no occasion for triumph by making the worst appear, and exposing our weakness to our enemies. The world must not be introduced into the church, and married to the church, forming a bond of unity. Through this means the church will become indeed corrupt, and, as stated in Revelation, “a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”
Through association with the world, our institutions will become unsubstantial, unreliable; because these worldly elements, introduced and placed in positions of trust, are looked up to, as teachers to be respected, in their educating, directing, and official position, and they are sure to be worked upon by the spirit and power of darkness; so that the demarkation becomes not distinguished between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. The parable is given by Jesus Christ in regard to the field in which it was supposed had been sown pure wheat, but the entrusted ones look upon the field with disappointment, and inquire, “Didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?” The Master of the vineyard answered, “An enemy hath done this.”
MEETINGS AT ST. HELENA, CAL.
Thus hath it been presented to me in regard to the Rural Health Retreat. I had a message of warning. I spoke with earnestness, and I know5the Lord put his Holy Spirit upon me while I presented the danger of association with, and love of, the world. The worldling is ever on the watch to criticize and accuse those who serve God. This will reveal itself in the querulous complaining of professed Christians, who have never been transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ. They are deadly enemies to those who believe. They despise the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and if they can make it appear that those who are striving to obey the commandments of God are faulty, Satan has cast his arrow, and now what?—He has shown his accusing power; but his cruel thrusts will do little harm if the professed believers will stand true to the words of Christ, and be doers of his word, and not hearers only. Those to whom these complaints are made, are under bonds to Jesus Christ to love and respect and be faithful to one another who are united to Christ in church fellowship. To unite with the fault-finding element, to be accusers of the brethren, to take up the reproach they lay at your door, is seconding the work of the enemy by playing yourself into his hands, to make his work a success.
I presented the matter before the hearers, that Jesus the Lord of life and glory, was crucified to please the malice of the Jews, because the principles he presented did not coincide with their own ideas and ambitious aims. He condemned all guile, all underhanded work of policy for supremacy, and every unholy practise. Pilate and Herod became friends in crucifying Jesus Christ. They pleased the Jews in making effective their enmity against one whom Pilate proclaimed innocent. I presented to them Judas, who betrayed his Lord6for money value; Peter, who denied him in his humiliation in the judgment-hall. A few hours before, he had with great firmness assured his Master he would go with him to prison and to death, and notwithstanding Jesus’ declaration that he would, ere the cock crow, deny him thrice, he was so self-confident that he took not the words of Christ as verity and truth. How little he knew himself! How soon circumstances tested his allegiance to his Master! He denied Jesus in the very hour he should have watched with him in fervent prayer. When in the judgment-hall he was accused of being one of this man’s disciples, he denied; and the third time he was accused, he emphasized his denial with cursing and swearing. Said Christ, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me.” The look of grief and sadness which Jesus gave Peter, was not a hopeless look; it broke the heart of Peter, who denied his Lord.
But Peter was converted, and then after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, when before the rulers, he boldly declared for Jesus, and charged the rulers with these words: “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life.” There Peter shows himself entirely a different man after his conversion, than the self-confident, boasting Peter prior to his conversion. I presented before them the voice of the world, the enemies of Christ, saying to Christ’s messengers, “Ye should not teach in this name,” and “bring this man’s blood upon us.” Did these threatenings succeed? did it make cowards of the witnesses of Christ?—No; they proclaimed the7message given them of God; and they were shut up in prison, and God sent his angels to release them. The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them forth and said, “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” This voice from the heavenly angels was directly opposite to that voice from the authorities, and which should they obey? “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay him.” Then Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, pleaded in behalf of the apostles, and his words prevailed. Well, this is a little part of the words the Lord gave me to speak to the people.
The words given me were of that character that I knew the people needed, and which would benefit them if they would hear. One discourse was upon how to treat those united with us in church capacity, if they erred. They were not to permit their minds to be affected to action by the words of the Lord’s enemies against his children. If complaints or murmurings or charges are made, they must study in Christ’s school as to the course to be pursued toward the ones of whom complaints are made. Tell the matter between him and thee alone, and if he will not hear, then take two or three8others; if he will not hear these, tell it to the church. The world has no part with the believers in this work. They cannot discern the motives and principles by which God’s people are bound in their relations and dealings with one another. We must be true, loyal soldiers in the army of Jesus Christ. All his followers are to keep step with their Leader. They should never introduce their secrets to, or make confidants of, the enemies of Jesus Christ in regard to their movements or what they purpose to do in their line of action; for it is a betrayal of sacred trusts, and is giving the enemy every advantage. Let the counsel of the people of God be within their own company. The enemies of Christ should not be made familiar with their secrets, while the children of God are kept in ignorance of the very things they ought to know. The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him.
The world is the chief enemy of religion. The satanic forces are constantly at work through the world, and those who are professed Christians, yet associated with the world in close fellowship, are so much one in spirit, aims, and principles of working, that they cannot discern between him who serveth God and him who serveth the world. The enemy works constantly to push the world to the front, to be looked upon as superior to those who believe in Jesus, and who seek to be doers of his word. Words of praise and flattery from worldlings are received as sweet morsels, but the judgment of those who love this sort of food is in accordance with the weakness which they show in this direction. Their spiritual life is composed of just the kind of material they feed upon. Their9Christian experience is largely dependent on flattery and human appreciation. The fear and love of God are not interwoven in their experience. How pitiable and sad to see men who have known something of the Spirit of God, fall so completely into the arms of the world, as to be swayed and influenced by its voice, and depend upon its favors for strength and success! How manifestly such are alienated from Christ, how full of self-confidence, how full of vaunting, of vanity, and how short-sighted in regard to spirituality! How little true discernment have they to distinguish between him who is a child of God, an heir of the kingdom, and him who is a child of the wicked one, who is a child of disobedience, and an enemy of God! There are only two classes in our world: Those who are obedient to Jesus Christ, who seek the Master, to do his will, and work for the attainment of the salvation of their own souls, and the soul of every one who is associated with them, who names the name of Christ; and the children of disobedience. There are but two classes in our world. Then listen to the words of One who knows: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.” 1 John 4:4, 5. Souls are being deluded. The fear and love of God have not a controlling power. The world is their master, and they chase after its delusive, flattering mirage. Listen to One who gave his life for the world, “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He spake as never man spake. The whole of John 1510contains a most important lesson. Read it; obey it. Again, hear the voice of God, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
MINGLING OF BELIEVERS WITH UNBELIEVERS.
Let not God’s people in any of our institutions sign a truce with the enemy of God and man. The duty of the church to the world is not to come down to their ideas, and accept their opinions, their suggestions, but to heed the words of Christ through his servant Paul, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” This means in a special sense, marriage with unbelievers, but it covers more ground than this: it means in our instrumentalities ordained of God, in our institutions for health, in our colleges, in our publishing houses. The matter is placed before us in the correct light. The question is asked, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” What does this mean?—The suggestions, the evil workings in the children of disobedience. You are not in any case to become contaminated with the spirit or influence of unbelievers. Be afraid of uniting or binding up in bundles with them. Be afraid of communicating the works connected with the Lord’s cause, to11those who have no part with God, or sympathy with those who love the truth of God. “And I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
I raise my voice of warning against the mingling in our institutions, of the worldly element with those who believe; we have the danger signal to sound. If in our institutions persons are placed in positions of trust, they are educators. Others are taught to look to these persons for instruction, and in this is a snare to the unwary; their ideas become confused in regard to righteousness and truth. They hear those persons who have no respect for the truth, sneer and speak disparagingly of the truth, which should be held firmly and sacredly as truth. When the day’s work on Friday should be planned with reference to the Sabbath of the Lord, there is Satan working with those children of disobedience to prolong the service into the sacred hours, and give their orders that those under their direction shall do work on the Sabbath, and then they exult and Satan triumphs. And when men in the highest responsible positions make no difference between those who serve God and those who serve him not, they evidence that their eyes are not single to the glory of God; therefore their whole body is full of darkness. When these men in authority have so mingled with the spirit of worldlings that the words of complaint from the lips of these unbelievers are gathered as verity and truth, they know not what spirit they are of. When they encourage this spirit, and complaints against the people of God, they evidence that they are working on the enemy’s side, to belittle and humiliate12those whom the Lord loves, and that they strengthen the hands of the wicked, who are doing an evil work. When they feel free to suffer the accusers of God’s children to plan for them against his chosen ones, they do not have Christ to plan with them.
If one of the children of the Lord errs, then if the men in authority are discerning spiritual things, they will understand that their position allows no betrayal of sacred trusts, on their part, and they will not betray the cause of God into the enemy’s hands. They will not be reticent to the very ones in whom they should have confidence, and work in silence and secrecy, and open their plans to those who have no sympathy with the chosen people of God. If any workers in our institutions for health are murmured against, and accused by unbelievers or believers, let the following special directions given by our Master, Jesus Christ, be placed in mottoes all through the establishment: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Go to those supposed to be in error, talk with them, not working with duplicity and hypocrisy, meeting them day by day with apparent friendship, and at the same time plotting against them in perfect unity with the satanic agencies at work to uproot, to tear down, to remove from the institution the ones the unbelieving element wants removed, while not a word is spoken with the brethren or sisters in the faith to redeem them, to heal them, if they are in error; and if they are not in the wrong, to vindicate the right, and put the rebuke where it belongs,—upon the plotters of an evil work, because13Satan is behind the scene. The Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, likening them to sepulchers that do not appear, hidden from sight, but full of corruption. The Lord hates all deception, secrecy, and guile. This is Satan’s work; the work of God is open and frank. No one will work against a child of God, on the strength of the testimony of the Lord’s enemy, and work after Satan’s manner,—concealing himself, yet suggesting, instigating, planning in perfect unity with the Lord’s enemies.
How can the universe of heaven regard such underhanded, cowardly work against those who love God and keep his commandments? Members of the church may commit errors, and often make mistakes, but they are to be dealt with kindly, tenderly, as Christ has dealt with us. But the rebuke of God is upon all those who do the work of God deceitfully, professedly friends of Christ, yet working in an undercurrent style, in darkness, against those who love God. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
Here is our work, brethren; will we take it up? So little of this is done, that the words of the True Witness come home to the church, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” “And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke14thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.” This was the appearance of Satan. He had deceived these souls by his delusions and devices. Now these souls had repented before God, and pardon was written against their names. Satan was accusing them of sins, and asserting his right to do as he pleased with them because of their transgression which he had caused them to commit. But Jesus looked upon these souls believing in him, trusting in his righteousness, with the tenderest and loving compassion. “And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.” Shall the people of God who are placed in positions of trust, voice the words of Satan against the children of God? Let us act as Christians, true as steel to God and his holy work; quick to discern the devices of Satan in his hidden, deceptive workings through the children of disobedience.
“Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work15wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.” These are the words of the unconsecrated who are separating from God, blinded by the enemy. They cannot discern the ways and works of God. Now is represented the opposite class, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.” These words were not speaking evil of brethren, or making complaints of God, but were words spoken from sincere hearts, words in which were no deceit, no underhanded working, no guile. “And the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”
STRENGTH IN UNION WITH CHRIST.
May the Lord bless his people with spiritual eyesight, to see that the children of God and the world can never be in copartnership. Whosoever will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God. While every individual should work with Christ to transform the children of darkness, by showing them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, they cannot have overflowing sympathy with worldlings in such a degree that they lend them their influence to carry out their suggestions to weaken and do injustice to God’s chosen ones. God does not work in this way. In perfect and complete unity there is strength. Not16in numbers, but in the perfect trust and unity with Christ, one can chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. Let us not form unholy bonds of union, with the friends of the world; for God has pronounced his curse upon all such unions. Let the people of God take their stand firmly for truth and for righteousness. Already we see the terrible consequences of uniting believers with unbelievers. The result is, the unbelievers are given the confidence that belongs to those only who love and revere God.
Already has the power of darkness placed its mold and superscription upon the work that should stand forth, untainted, unpolluted, from Satan’s cunning devices. We lift our voice of warning upon the social attractions by worldly bids and worldly baits. Keep clear. Touch not the unclean thing. Let not the world’s direction and propositions be given to God’s people to control them. Woe be unto him whose wisdom is not from above but from beneath! Men of superficial piety, by their desire to receive patronage, to obtain fame, betray the most sacred interests into the hands of unbelievers. Let not money be obtained by touching or sanctioning any unclean practices. Let the grace of Christ be brought into the heart, and if the workers be few, and God can work with them in our institutions, they will prevail. There must be no deceiving power at work, for it is an unclean thing. There must be no hands that are defiled. Clean hands and a pure heart God will recognize. “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble17spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
MRS. E. G. WHITE.
“Avondale,” Cooranbong, N. S. W., Jan. 16, 1896.
Dear Brethren Who Occupy Responsible Positions in the Work: —
The Lord has a controversy with you. I have no need to specify the reasons; you have had them laid open before you again and again. The clean hands, the pure, unselfish, holy purposes have not been brought into your practise, and the benediction of God has not come upon many of those who handle sacred things. The lifting up of the soul and speaking vanity, and the lifting up of men to manage their fellow men, body and soul, is all open before God, with whom we have to do. There is no man or set of men that can manage men. “All ye are brethren.” The Holy Spirit of God alone can do this. When you, because of your position, supposed you could say the word, and it would be done just after your idea, you made a mistake. Truth, honor, and integrity have been compromised to gain certain advantages. Justice hath fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
Religious principles have been corrupted. We will either make more pure, noble, and holy the principles held by God’s heritage, or else we will mislead by false proposition, unholy schemes, saying, “The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are” we. The work and cause of the Lord are sacred. There is to be no mingling of human, common, unholy fire with God’s offering. This18has been and is still being done; but the men are blind, and see not the result of their zealous efforts. The question is, Shall those who are called from place to place to act a part in the sacred work of God, use the fire of God’s own kindling? or shall they use the common fire, of which not one spark should be used, to kindle the incense upon the censors which are offered to God?
The spirit which was manifested to the believers by those who established the work in Battle Creek, led them to understand that there was no hidden closet. All was open and clear as the light of day. But the Lord’s holy purpose has been grieved. Heaven has manifested its purpose to impart power to those who believe; and the Holy Spirit has been revealed. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.”
WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Obedience is the first price of eternal life. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,19whatsoever I have said unto you.” This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Comforter is to reveal himself, not in any specified, precise way that man may mark out, but in the order of God; in unexpected times and ways that will honor his own name. Those who are unbelieving do not receive the richest endowment of grace, which would make them wise unto salvation, patient, forbearing, quick of perception to appreciate heavenly ministrations, quick to discern Satan’s devices, and strong to resist him. God cannot do his mighty works for them, because of their unbelief.
Now, just now, is our day of mercy and salvation. The Lord God, who dwelleth in the holy place, sees every soul that shows contempt for the manifestations of his Holy Spirit. God has revealed himself again and again in a most marked manner in Battle Creek. He has given a large measure of his Holy Spirit to the believers there. It has come unexpectedly at times, and there have been deep movings upon hearts and minds; a letting go of selfish purposes, and a bringing into the treasury many things that you were convicted God had forbidden you to have. This blessing extended to large numbers; but why was not this sweet, holy working continued upon hearts and minds? Some felt annoyed at this outpouring, and their own natural dispositions were manifested. They said, “This is only excitement; it is not the Holy Spirit, not showers of the latter rain from heaven.” There were hearts full of unbelief, who did not drink in of the Spirit, but who had bitterness in their souls.
On many occasions the Holy Spirit did work;20but those who resisted the Spirit of God at Minneapolis were waiting for a chance to travel over the same ground again, because their spirit was the same. Afterward, when they had evidence heaped upon evidence, some were convicted; but those who were not softened and subdued by the Holy Spirit’s working, put their own interpretation upon every manifestation of the grace of God, and they have lost much. They declared in their heart and soul and words that this manifestation of the Holy Spirit was fanaticism and delusion. They stood like a rock; the waves of mercy were flowing upon and around them, but were beaten back by their hard and wicked hearts, which resisted the Holy Spirit’s working. Had this been received, it would have made them wise unto salvation,—holier men, prepared to do the work of God with sanctified ability. But all the universe of heaven witnessed the disgraceful treatment of Jesus Christ, represented by the Holy Spirit. Had Christ been before them, they would have treated him in a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Christ.
SAD EFFECTS OF DOUBT AND HESITATION.
What moved the people at Battle Creek when they humbled their hearts before God, and cast away their idols? In the days of Christ, when he proclaimed his mission, all bare witness, and wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. But the unbelief whispered by Satan began to work, and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” When the Lord Jesus perceived their questioning unbelief, and saw that his gracious words were fading from their minds, he said unto them21“Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.” Then Christ stated facts to them, and said, “Verily I say unto you, . . . many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; but unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.”
The Jews considered that this was spoken against them; and that those of a heathen nation should be represented as favored by God before the Jewish nation, was a statement that should not be tolerated; “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.” While they were contending among themselves, Christ passed through the midst of them, and went on his way. Certainly this was one of the places where Christ could not do many mighty works because of their unbelief.
The very same spirit has been manifested in Battle Creek. Those who opened the door of their hearts to temptation at Minneapolis, and carried the same spirit home with them, will realize, if not now, in the near future, that they resisted the Holy Spirit of God, and did despite to the Spirit of grace. Will they repent? or will they harden their hearts, and resist evidence?
There is much that needs to be set in order in every institution that is in operation in our world. Finite men are not to make themselves lords, and seek to govern men’s minds and principles, when their own minds and their own principles are very shaky. This uncertainty is being communicated to the churches by men in prominent positions. Unbelief goes in the very atmosphere. Everything is to be shaken that can be shaken, that those things that cannot be shaken may remain. All who truly love Jesus Christ will now stand enlisted under his banner, eager to magnify his name and accomplish his will. Every opportunity is given in an open field, for the manifestation of love and loyalty. There is nothing that Christ hungers and thirsts for so much as whole-hearted disciples, possessing his love and gentleness. Who, I ask, will in these days of approaching peril, when the faith of every one is to be severely tested, comprehend through the Holy Spirit’s teaching, the design of God to win all the ability, all the God-entrusted endowments of Christ, to the service of the Prince of Peace? Who will extend the work of God to all places where souls are ignorant of the light? In the cities of America, as well as in foreign countries, a great work is to be done. God calls for cheerful co-workers, and they are not to be repressed, discouraged, and disheartened by counterworking agencies, who themselves refuse to be worked by the Holy Spirit of God. God’s ministers are in service to God.
There are large numbers willing to devote their time to home missionary work if they see that it is pleasant and agreeable to them. They wait for something to do, and work to be brought to them;23but they lose physical, mental, and moral efficiency in so doing. In every neighborhood, consecrated ability will do much in personal effort; but let not men prescribe for their brethren according to their ideas. Let the oppression of human minds forever cease, and let the Holy Spirit have a chance to work. Let all who can read and discern the signs of the times, know that Christ is nigh, even at the door. Let love for God and Christ grow daily, and let love for your brethren be without dissimulation. Let faith be in constant use. Believe God because he is God. Put your human, world-loving spirit under the molding of the Spirit of God. The question is asked, When the Lord cometh, will he find faith on the earth? Faith, then, has become almost extinct.
DANGER IN HESITATION.
One of the dangers to which God’s people will be exposed is the many delusions that are coming upon a world that has turned from the truth. These will be of such deceptive power, that Christ declares, “If it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.” Our work now is to confirm our souls in the faith,—that faith which is a working faith, which works by love and purifies the soul. Faith, living, active, working faith, we must have. Christ demands this of us. Verily Christ hath need of us now to represent him; not the cold, harsh, denunciatory, overbearing, and ruling power of the prince of darkness. Those who are Christ’s friends will now do whatsoever he commands them. Stand, therefore, having on the whole armor, and having done all to stand. Let the soul-temple be cleansed of prejudice, of that24root of bitterness, hatred, whereby many are being defiled. Cling to the Mighty One. Communicate light to others, with cheerful words, and with courage in the Lord. Labor to diffuse that faith and confidence that has been your own consolation. Let it be heard from every lip and voice, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
Some have been, and are still refusing to put on the wedding garment. They still wear their citizen’s dress, and despise the garment woven in the loom of heaven, which is “Christ our Righteousness.” “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Who are friends of Christ to-day? Do you feel an intense desire for the robe of Christ’s righteousness? Are you sensible of the filthy rags of your own righteousness? Then let the truth come into your practical life. If you are friends of Christ, show it in words, in spirit; manifest love to Jesus, and love for the souls for whom Christ has died. The sentiments of truth are the elements that constitute a symmetrical Christian character. We are far, far from being Christians, which is to be Christlike. We need the Holy Spirit’s efficiency. God lives and reigns.25The very reason that the Holy Spirit’s manifestations were not accepted as precious tokens from God, is that there was not a receiving of the grace of God. The Spirit of the Lord has been upon his messengers whom he has sent with light, precious light; but there were so many who had turned their faces away from the Sun of Righteousness that they saw not its bright beams. The Lord says of them, “They have turned their back unto me, and not their face.” There is need of seeking the Lord most earnestly.