Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Ms 61, 1893

The Review and Herald Office.

Circa 1893

This manuscript is published in entirety in 1888 1813-1815.

The following are the words I copy from the testimony given me of God when I stood on the field of conflict in Battle Creek. My burden is not yet removed from me. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 1

There are dangers presented to me and serious wrongs existing in the Review and Herald office at Battle Creek. There are men blindfolded, as it were, handling sacred responsibilities; and if the light now being given of God is not accepted and believed and acted upon during this coming conference, men’s wisdom and specious devising will be presented and accepted in your councils as the wisdom of God, when it is the counsel originated by Satan and put into the minds of men. Men will go on in their own unsanctified, unholy spirit, and, as they advance, become more self-confident, more satisfied with their unsanctified selves. They are not led by the Lord, and men’s wisdom is to them like a higher form and source of good, [such] as Satan presented to Adam and Eve. But it is the deceiving power of the enemy. The mystery of iniquity will work, clothed in angel’s robes. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 2

The wrong course that men propose to pursue will not appear as evil until it has taken firm hold of the mind and is acted out and has grown to large proportions in controlling everything possible, or crushing that which will not be controlled. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 3

The very first stone laid to build the human structure after men’s devising was wrong. Ungodliness will be practiced in many lines and God will be greatly dishonored. Men will lift up themselves proudly and as they act toward others, God will act toward them. “By their fruits [that they bear in practicing their works] ye shall know them.” [Matthew 7:20.] 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 4

I am compelled to say that Brother Kellogg has made a mistake. He will walk for a time without God but he will have another trial, another test. In separating himself from the office he is separating himself from the means of grace. He needs to accept truth and the sunlight of truth will surround his path. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 5

The Lord will do great good through men if they walk humbly with Him. In many things Brother Henry Kellogg should change. He must be patient with the erring youth. God has compassion for Brother Kellogg. One of the things that God has set before him as a positive defect in his character is his arbitrary authority. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 6

He must put out of his life all superficial reading, for if his mind is filled with trash the Holy Spirit cannot work and impress the mind with truth and bring right things to the memory. He is beginning to form an appetite for trashy reading—an appetite like the inebriate’s. He cannot possibly understand the Word and practice the truth, bringing it into the home life and having a mind for prayer—being instant in prayer. There has been a dishonoring of God by nonconformity to the Word of God. He should have brought truth and righteousness into his home. He should have established the family altar and should keep the sacrificial offering, the praises of his lips, ascending to God. He should be most earnestly seeking for a power from above to exercise in his own family. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 7

The mixture of families is not as God would have matters. You demand of those in the office what you fail to give yourself. You have had a knowledge of the truth a long time. The Lord has also blessed you with a sensitive mind and heart when you let His truth take possession of the throne of the soul temple. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 8

The Lord has raised up Brother Jones and Brother Waggoner to proclaim a message to the world to prepare a people to stand in the day of God. The world is suffering [for] the need of additional light to come to them upon the Scriptures—additional proclamation of the principles of purity, lowliness, faith, and the righteousness of Christ. This is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Many will be moved and humbled. After a time they will drink of the Waters of life. Jesus proclaimed Himself the Bread of life: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 9

Jesus knew every soul that believed not, for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who believed not and who would betray Him. Many of the disciples walked away from Christ and no more believed on Him. We need not be surprised if the same experience should be realized in our day. If they went away from Christ at His words spoken to them, there will be those who claim to believe the third angel’s message—even men who have been long in the faith—who will be offended at His words that shall come through His delegated human agents. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 10

If the light had been plainly, decidedly, acted upon, those men who have followed their own finite wisdom would have decided to come over on the Lord’s side or have been separated from the cause and work of God. Oh, what shall I say? What can I say? Such men are bringing in false theories and principles and converting Elder Olsen to voice their unjust plans and methods, which are bringing the curse of God upon our institutions. 8LtMs, Ms 61, 1893, par. 11