Experiences in Australia

Instruction to the Auckland Church

Sermon given Sabbath,
February 11, 1893 EA 49.1

(328) “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew the people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways; as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God; they ask of me the ordinance of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold in the days of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors. Behold ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” EA 49.2

(329) This Scripture shows a condition of blindness in the church, and explains why prayers are unanswered. But a remedy is offered,—a remedy for the maladies of the body and the sicknesses of the soul, and one which this church needs to appreciate: <and all our churches who have the blessed light of truth.> EA 49.3

“Is it such a fast that I have chosen,” the Lord asks, “a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is it not this the fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul, to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house, when thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy face from thine own flesh.” EA 49.4

When you observe this kind of fast, ye are promised, “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.” (330) The righteousness of Christ become “thy righteousness.” Because you do the works of Christ, “the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.” EA 49.5

“Then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity, and if thou draw out the soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.” EA 49.6

To the woman of Samaria, whose life was not in accordance with the word of god, these same waters that “fail not,” were brought. “If thou knewest the gift of God,” Jesus said to her, “and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink: thou wouldst have asked Him, and He would have given thee living water.” The woman said unto Him, Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep; from whence then hast thou that living water?” EA 50.1

(331) The woman did not see anything in Jesus to be desired. “Art thou greater than our father Jacob,” she asked, “which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not; neither come hither to draw.” EA 50.2

“Whose waters fail not,” “springing up into everlasting life.” Can you not see that the water which Jesus offered to the woman at the well is the same that Isaiah speaks of. If this well of water is in us, springing up into everlasting life, our associates will know it. All with whom we come in contact will be refreshed by them; for it is impossible to have Christ in the heart and not reveal his presence to others. “There will be no lifting up of the finger, no esteeming ourselves better than others. Neither shall we clothe ourselves with sackcloth, and act before the world as if we had no hope. If (332) Christ is formed within the hope of glory, he will not be a hidden thing, like the precious ointment that is sealed in the bottle and never broken. EA 50.3

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth; for ye are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God. “When Christ who is your life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. In the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them; but now ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malic, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not on to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” EA 50.4

When this is your experience, you will not cling to one known sin, though it be as dear to you as your right arm; you will die to it. You will not longer talk of yourselves, and (333) what you have done. Abiding in Christ, you reveal to a sinful world <[in] your experience> what Christ can do for men. EA 50.5

My brethren and sisters, have you considered the harm your criticisms have done to yourselves to and to the church in this place. Unsanctified words should never be spoken in the house that you have dedicated to God, and where you invite the presence of holy angels. You have not right to treat one another with disrespect. When you come to the worship of God, talk of his love, talk of his power. At times you have tried to lead one another with a short bridle. This will never answer. Do not seek to oppress one another. You are to love one another as Christ has loved you. God has not put the measuring line in your hands, to measure and judge the characters of one another. The man who gives way to anger is as much intoxicated as the one who allows his reason to be stolen by the intoxicating drug. Learn the eloquence of true silence. Christ respects the purchase of the blood of Christ. Educate yourselves day by day to come up higher and <still> higher, <in religious experience> and live nearer and <still> nearer to God. We need to clear away the rubbish <of evil surmising> from the King’s highway, and make a way that the King may walk in our midst. Some branches have (334) have never knitted to the vine. They died, and had to be taken away. Others have united to the true vine fibre by fibre, until they partake of the parent stock, and these flourish. EA 51.1

There is work for you to do right here in our world right here in our world. The standard of truth is to be lifted. It is your privilege and duty to search the Scriptures <and bring forth things new and old>. The Lord is coming, and you have little time in which to get that <living> water that is springing up into everlasting life. Sins must be put away. You know little of the sorrow that exists about you, of the heart aches, the home troubles. There are hearts sick and sorrowing that you may comfort. The vacant seats in this church should be filled, and would be filled if the light which is in you had not become darkness. Souls would come here and acknowledge the truth. In your social meetings you should let it be understood that God is here; that heavenly agencies are working upon human minds. Do not indulge in harsh and uncourteous words. Make room for Jesus that he may be enthroned in the heart, and shine through the human tenement. Then what will be the results? “The glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.” EA 51.2

(335) “Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” If you are the elect of God, do not make God ashamed of you. Represent Him truly to the world. <If ye then be risen> you are new men in Christ Jesus. “Bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, forbearing one another and forgiving one another,—these are the graces that you need. If you humble yourselves, God will exalt you. Here is a remedy that will heal the dissentions that have grieved God and the heavenly angels: “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, of any man have a quarrel against any’ even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Had Christ shown no forbearance for us, we would long ere this have been destroyed. When this church is converted, the world will take knowledge <of you> that you have been with Jesus. EA 51.3

We carry <the> divine credentials—<in works in character> “that God has sent his Son into the world. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” EA 51.4

(336) Suppose that instead of using [the] passionate words <you speak> you begin to use kind words. You can accomplish no good while strife and confusion exist among you as brethren and sisters. Talk of the country to which you are going. You are pilgrims and strangers here. You live in hired houses. Show to the world that you are rich in faith, and heirs according to the promise. Talk of heaven and heavenly things. Love that which is eternal. Put away your self-esteem. Learn lessons at the foot of the cross. Put on Christ, His loveliness, his holiness. Dwelling within you, He will reform your nature, and make you new men and women in Christ Jesus. He will put a new song in your lips, even praise to our God. God help us to sing in joyful notes. EA 52.1

The nature of the atmosphere surrounding your soul will be either earthly or heavenly. Resolve that you will breathe a heavenly atmosphere. Talk of the preciousness of the truth, or the love and power of God, and be a channel of blessing to others. “Above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness; and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body, and be ye (337) thankful. Let the peace of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. God does not bid you go to any human being for this strength and comfort and knowledge. “Come unto me.” He says, “all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” EA 52.2

Our way is marked out so plainly. God wants us to go forward and upward to reach the highest standard. Many of us will be called to stand before legislators, <before earthly> kings, and nobles, and we want to come before them with intelligence; for we shall be to them a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. What is this people going to do? “They that be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called the <repairers&rt; of the breach and restorers of the paths to dwell in. You the people in this church, may be the restorers of paths to dwell in and when the gates of the city of God are thrown open, you (338) may have the right to enter <in through these beautiful gates into the city>. EA 52.3

Christ in his teachings spoke of a class who would at that time seek to enter into the kingdom of God, and should not be able. “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord.” He said, “shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven <here upon the earth>. Many will say unto me in that day Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work iniquity.” The investigative judgment is now going on. My brethren and sisters, Repent now of your sins, <without delay> and let them go before you to judgment. We should <now> weep between the porch and the later, crying Spare thy people <Lord>. Call upon the Lord. Let the wicked forsake His way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto me, and I will have mercy, and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.” May the blessing of God rest upon, that you may see light in His Light, and rejoice in His love. EA 52.4