Experiences in Australia

The Need of a Faithful Use of Our Talents.

Talk given at Napier Camp meeting, Friday, 9:3 a.m.
April 7, 1893 EA 66.1

“Not slothful in Business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” EA 66.2

There is great danger of our not realizing the sacredness of the work of the cause of God and of mingling self and self-interests with our service. We have to give to the world the most important truth ever committed to mortals. If we do not show in our lives that the truth is of importance to us, if we do not allow it to have a decided influence upon our own characters, we make it of no effect. We make the truth a lie. In giving evidence that the truth has no power over our lives, we deny Christ and make it a lie. EA 66.3

(392) This spirit characterized some of the workers occupying various positions in the office in Australia. Some felt that they dared not correct the evil that existed, lest these workers should drop out of the work. We should never fear for the work in this way. Christ said on one occasion when children paid him the homage that the leaders in Israel refused to give him, “If these should hold their peace, the very stones would cry out.” God is not dependent upon any man. When in responsible positions are unconsecrated, and do not correctly represent the truth, the work of God is marred in their hands; they work against the cause of God, rather than for it. It is better that such men should not put their hands to the work at all; for they not only place upon it the mark of imperfection and discouragement, but they spoil the field for better workmen. EA 66.4

“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 against the wiles of the devil.” 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.” EA 66.5

(394) No man can work with true integrity without the armor on. When you have on the whole armor, success will attend your efforts. It is of the greatest consequence that every man’s work shall testify of the grace of Christ upon the human heart. Perseverance, earnestness, self-denial and self-sacrifice, must be brought into it. There must be a copying of the pattern, Christ Jesus. The thing that is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Do not let a particle of unfaithfulness come into any part of your work; for you are the human agents to carry the truth; and human souls are dependent on your faithfulness to duty. Give yourselves to Christ. The worker who is renewed by the Spirit of Christ will bear the divine credentials. EA 66.6

In this country a true value is not placed on the talents of time and money. People seem to have no idea of the need of diligently treasuring the moments, no sense of the value of time. The many holidays that you have, have been represented to me as demoralizing in their influence. Many feel that they must have just so much time for pleasure and amusements. A reckless waste of time means prevails. Not everyone has been “diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving of the Lord.” EA 66.7

(395) This negligence can be overcome through the grace of Christ. To you as to the men in the parable who seemed to have nothing to do, the Master says, “Why stand ye all the day idle.” The work of God will elevate you, if you wish to be elevated. EA 66.8

I have entered my sixty-sixth year, but I am generally writing at 4 or 4:30 in the morning. I feel that every subject in the word of God is of vast importance, and when I realize that certain ones need help I dare leave nothing undone on my part to give them help, and urge them to be faithful. This past year besides traveling and speaking to the people, I have written 2500 pages. I treasure the truths of God’s word as gold, and I must communicate these truths to others, as they have been communicated to me. EA 66.9

“Oh” you may say, “my work is not so important as yours.” Every man’s work is important. God expects you to be as particular in your lines of duty as I am in mine. You are just as surely doing the work of God in engaging in physical labor, if this is necessary, as in opening the Scriptures to others. “He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much.” It should be of the highest satisfaction (396) to us to know that even the little things are noticed by God. Take some of the small pins out of a large machine, and watch the result. I know of an instance where a workman failed to put into a saw upon which he was working only one little pin. When the machine was set in operation, the saw flew hither and thither, and as a result one man was deprived of a limb. We are working in sight of heavenly angels and a holy God, and only by doing our work well will we meet the approval of heaven. Work negligently done, the angels record as unfaithful work. EA 67.1

The slipshod worker may expect dearth wherever he goes, and the sooner such a one is dismissed from the work, the better will it be for him and for the cause; for by his actions he educates others to think that inefficient work will be accepted. If there are those engaged in our offices or in any department of the work, who have no desire to improve, dismiss them, and employ those who are willing to do their best. No man should enter the work with the idea of carrying out his own will and way. EA 67.2

Many think that they must indulge in this pleasure and that They accustom themselves to live up to the last edge of (397) their means. God wants men and women to do better in this respect. If you economize your time, and are industrious, you can, even if poor, save a little. When I was only twelve years old I knew what it was to economize. With my sister I learned a trade, and although we could earn only a shilling a day, we were able to save a little means for the cause of God. We saved a little at a time until we had six pounds. Then when the message of the Lord’s soon coming came to us, with a call for men and means, we felt it a privilege to hand over the six pounds to father, telling him to invest it in tracts and publications to send the message to those who were in darkness. EA 67.3

God wants us to do our best. It is a sin against our own selves when we educate ourselves to be satisfied with something to eat and something to wear. Parents need to be educated to industry, and to work with an eye single to the glory of God. If you have not good judgment in the use of time and money, advise with someone who knows how to economize. I earned my own clothes from the time I was twelve years old. We used to hand our money to mother, and say, “Buy, so that after we have paid for our clothing we may have something to give for (398) missionary work. And she would do so, and thus encourage in us a missionary spirit. It is the duty of all who touch the work of God to learn economy in the use of time and money. Those who indulge in idleness attach little importance to the most glorious truths ever committed to mortals—truths that the angels desire to look into. EA 67.4

Young men and women, you have no time to lose. Seek earnestly to bring solid timbers into your character building. You are expected to use that one talent. To the one who refused to use his talent the Lord said, “Take the talent from him, and cast ye the profitable servant into outer darkness.” We beseech you for Christ’s sake to be faithful. Seek to redeem the time. Consecrate yourselves every day to the service of God, and you will find that you do not need so many holidays to spend in idleness, or so much money for the gratification of self. EA 67.5

Do not cease to pray; the Lord will hear the prayer of the contrite heart. Repeat the promise, “Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. When you make an entire surrender to God, he (399) will give you most precious thoughts, and angels of God will cooperate with you. The spirit of God will give you words to say, that will touch hearts, and souls will be reached. Satan has a desire to save them. “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. This is a blessed invitation—to lay our perplexities at the feet of Jesus and to rest in His love. Heaven is watching those who are seeking to improve, and to become refined after Christ’s likeness. When the human instrument submits to Christ, the Holy Spirit will do everything for him. EA 68.1

How shall we learn to overcome, and grow in grace?—By meeting obstacles. It is by wielding the heavy sledge that the blacksmith’s muscles become powerful. So you need to exercise yourselves spiritually in order to have spiritual sinew and muscle. The more you test your mental and spiritual powers, the stronger those powers will become. Every fresh spiritual exercise will give solidity to the character. When difficulties (400) confronted Christ He did not become discouraged. It was said of Him, “He will not fail nor become discouraged.” He says to you, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.” “Walk in the light while ye have the light.” EA 68.2

If we make the best use of our talents, the Spirit of God will continually lead us to greater efficiency. To the man who had faithfully traded with his ten talents, the Lord said, “Well, thou good servant; because thou has been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” The one talented man was expected to do his best also. Had he traded with his Lord’s goods, the Lord would have multiplied the one talent. EA 68.3

“To every man his work, according to his several ability,” the record states. God has the measure of our ability, and knows just what work to lay upon us. Of the one who is found faithful the command is given, Entrust him with greater responsibility. If he proves faithful to that trust the word is given again, Trust him with still more. Thus through the grace of God he grows to the full stature of a man in Christ Jesus. EA 68.4

How much might be said to the young people. How many ways (401) they might improve in lines of economy and self-denial. We do not know how much God has before us. We should be willing to put our whole heart into the work. We cannot expect the heavenly agencies to cooperate with our efforts unless we place ourselves in line. It will be worth everything to us to hear the words, “Well done,” said to us at last. And to those only who have well done will the well done be spoken. EA 68.5