Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Ms 5, 1900

The Work for This Time

January 2, 1900 [typed]

This manuscript is published in entirety in GCB 1st Qtr 1900, 108-109.

The Lord has a special message for us to bear to the world, even the third angel’s message. The first and second angels’ messages are bound up with the third. The power of the proclamation of the first and second messages is to be concentrated in the third. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” [Revelation 14:9, 10.] 15LtMs, Ms 5, 1900, par. 1

“After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice in heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” [Revelation 18:1-5.] 15LtMs, Ms 5, 1900, par. 2

We are in danger of giving this message in so indefinite a manner that it does not impress the people. So many other interests are brought in that the very message which should be proclaimed with power becomes tame and voiceless. At our camp meetings a mistake has been made. The Sabbath question has been touched upon, but has not been presented as the great question, the test for this time. 15LtMs, Ms 5, 1900, par. 3

While the churches profess to believe in Christ, they are violating the law which Christ Himself proclaimed from Sinai. The Lord bids us, “Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins.” [Isaiah 58:1.] The trumpet is to give a certain sound. 15LtMs, Ms 5, 1900, par. 4

At our camp meetings, when you have a congregation before you for only two weeks, do not defer the presentation of the Sabbath question until everything else is presented, supposing you are paving the way for it. Lift up the standard—the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Make this the important theme. Then by your strong arguments wall it in, and make it of still greater force. Dwell more on the Revelation. Read, explain, and enforce its teachings. 15LtMs, Ms 5, 1900, par. 5

Our warfare is aggressive. Tremendous issues are before us, yea, and right upon us. Let our prayers ascend to God that the four angels may be commissioned to hold the four winds, that they may not blow to injure or destroy until the last warning has been given to the world. Then let us work in harmony with our prayers. Let there be nothing in any of our institutions that will lessen the force of the truth for this time. Present truth is to be our burden. A great work is to be done. The third angel’s message must do its work of separating from the churches a people who will take their stand on the platform of eternal truth. 15LtMs, Ms 5, 1900, par. 6

Our message is a life and death message, and we must let it appear as it is, the great power of God. We are to present it in all its telling force. Then the Lord will make it effectual. It is our privilege to expect large things, even the demonstration of the Spirit of God. This is the power that will convict and convert the soul. 15LtMs, Ms 5, 1900, par. 7