Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Lt 124, 1902

Kellogg, J. H.

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

August 6, 1902

Portions of this letter are published in SpTB #6 35-40; CM 20-21; 3SM 56. +^Note

Dr. J. H. Kellogg

My dear brother,—

The Lord is your strength. Take hold of His strength, and make peace with Him. In your human strength, you are as liable as any other man to err in judgment. The Lord is merciful and gracious. He will give you wise counsellors. If ever a man needed wise counsellors, you need them—men who will not receive your propositions or representations if they discern that they are not in harmony with the will of God, men who will not make things appear as they are not, who will abide by principles that will stand God’s test. The Lord wants you, Dr. Kellogg, to make straight paths for your feet, for the sake of your own soul’s salvation and to save other souls from following in false ways. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 1

You regard too lightly the sacred truth for this time. You are not, in all things, walking in the light that God has sent you. Beware lest you confederate with unbelievers, accepting them as your counsellors, and following their worldly policy; for this is dishonoring to God. The less you expect from the world, the less attention you pay to its flattery, the safer you will be, and the surer of securing salvation. The less dependence you place in men who are wise in their own conceit, the better will be your standing before God. There is no safety in trusting in men who do not honor the Lord, who disregard His holy law. The less we expect of such men, whether of temporal help or inspiring example, the less bitter will be our disappointment. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 2

And he who depends on his own strength leans on a broken reed. Put your trust in the Lord. Wait patiently for Him, and He will cause His name to be magnified. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 3

The Lord encouraged you, not because your ways had been perfect in His sight, but because He would not permit those who were opposing a good work to carry out their own ideas and plans to the injury of His cause. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 4

The word that God has chosen you as His physician should have been of sufficient encouragement to you to lead you to stand in hopefulness before Him, to purify your soul from all unholy leaven, and to place you where God could be honored by you and through you, where He could sanctify you by the influence of the truth. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 5

You are taking honor to yourself. You are in danger of placing yourself where God should be. Unless you change, the Lord cannot sustain you in your exalted position of sacred responsibility. The Lord is proving you. Because it is more convenient, you have mixed with the truth that God commanded you to keep pure and holy the very principles He forbade you to cherish. The principles of truth and righteousness have been turned aside. Unless you depend continually upon God, truth is no safer in your hands than in the hands of those whom you suppose to be your enemies. Some of these are as righteous as you are in practice. Had you made straight paths for your feet, God would have delighted to co-operate with you. At the last General Conference you stood on vantage ground. God called upon you to take a higher stand. But you have misinterpreted His purposes. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 6

God’s government extends to all the works of His hands. Nothing is so great or so exalted that it is above His direction and control; nothing is so small and obscure that it is beneath His notice. Whatever to shortsighted mortals the present appearances may seem to be, all the ways of the Lord are truth and righteousness. The universal and perfect government of God is a source of unspeakable joy to those who love Him and exalt His law. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 7

With great solemnity the following words were addressed to you: “The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble; he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.” [Psalm 99:1-5.] 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 8

Those who are connected with Christ, the Chief Worker, will represent His character in all their work. God is calling men, “Come to Me as My helpers in the performance of My work.” Righteousness and truth are the habitation of His throne. No man can execute His will who has not surrendered himself to God, that God’s will may be done in him. “Come to me as my right-hand helper,” will be the message to the faithful of the land—the men who are trustworthy, who will exalt the Lord God of heaven, not merely in their words, but in their deeds, men who can be relied on to do their duty under all trials and whatever the circumstances may be. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 9

Righteous, high-principled, God-fearing men will stand before Him as capable of receiving His orders and of executing them with exactitude. The work of such men will bear the similitude of heaven. They will choose as their counsellors and helpers only the good and faithful. Our God is a jealous God, and those who fear Him, who live as if in His presence, as they surely are, will choose as counsellors those who are pure and righteous, who understand the will of God, and who refuse to uphold unrighteousness or selfishness in themselves or in any one else, who will not oppress their fellow men because they have it in their power to build up or to tear down, but who treat the humble as God treats them, showing them favor. When the heart is purified, refined by the Spirit of God, there will be fewer judgments pronounced upon others, and far more meekness and lowliness will be revealed. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 10

To all who obey Him the Lord will say, “Dwell with me as my servants.” “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house; he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. ... Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off; him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.” [Psalm 101:5-7.] 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 11

Those whom God shall favor, exalting them to a high place before angels and before men, should ascribe to Him all the glory, giving Him praise for their influence and their opportunities. Those whom God has made rulers in His stead dishonor Him when they put self into their work, which then bears the imperfections of the human agent. God demands that both in private and in public life men shall honor Him in the home, in the church, and in their daily business, setting an example which may be safely followed. Those whose hearts are fully with the Lord will not draw one thread of selfishness into the web. Not one jot or tittle of glory will they take to self. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 12

The benefits that God bestows are daily renewed, and should be gratefully remembered and acknowledged. Should the Lord deal with men according to their sins, according to their underhand dealing, their departure from righteousness, how changed all would be. His blessings would be withdrawn; His indignation and wrath would be manifested. But He bears long. He allows misfortune and loss to come upon the wrong-doer. If this does not bring him to repentance, He comes close to him in affliction. If none of these things succeed in drawing him to the Saviour, He cuts down the fruitless tree. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 13

God is plenteous in mercy. “He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever.” [Psalm 103:9.] Just as soon as men heed His warnings, and set their own hearts in order, He will make the rough places plain before them. It is God that is dealing with His people. Trials as well as blessings come from Him. His hand is to be acknowledged in all. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 14

The Lord permitted the Battle Creek Sanitarium to be consumed, but was it that you should erect in Battle Creek a larger Sanitarium? I know that this is not the purpose of God. In making plans so large that in order for them to be carried to completion you will feel that means must be gathered from every possible source, you are not following God’s way. The plans are not His, but yours. Be assured that there needs to be a reformation before you can be an acceptable co-laborer with God. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 15

The Lord sees the work that must be done in His vineyard. He sees the places in which there should be memorials for Him in order that the truth may be represented. He sees the fields that are unworked and destitute of facilities. He requires from all who serve Him equity and just judgment. A large amount of means should not be absorbed in one place. Every building erected is to be erected with reference to the other places that will need similar buildings. It will not be pleasing to God for you to bind about the work of establishing small sanitariums. In many places sanitariums are to be established. These sanitariums are not to be large. In a mammoth institution, such as the Battle Creek Sanitarium has been, it is difficult to maintain the high spiritual standard that should be maintained; for it is hard to provide workers enough who have capabilities and talents that enable them to conduct the affairs of the institution in a way that is after God’s order. Let many small sanitariums be built. Let treatment rooms be established in many cities. Let hygienic restaurants be started, that people may learn what health reform really is. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 16

God calls upon those who act a part in His service not to block the way of advance by selfishly using in one place or in one line of work all the means they can secure. In all parts of the world there is a work to be done that ought to have been done long ago. God forbid that you should make appeals to the people for means to complete the new sanitarium in Battle Creek, when you already have many buildings in your possession, and when you have thousands of dollars in sight. Bring your building to your means. Give other parts of God’s vineyard a chance to have facilities. Let plants be made in other cities. Especially is the Southern field to be given aid. This field has long stood before God in its nakedness, pleading to Him for advantages. The condition of the Southern field is a rebuke to the Christian churches of America. It has been laid open before you and your fellow workers that God has been reproached by this neglected field. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 17

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and I will not hold my peace. These words were repeated: “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting unto them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and to them that remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, Ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.” [Verses 17-22.] 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 18

God has kept a record that shows His dealing with His people from age to age, and which shows also their mistakes, their unfaithfulness, their dangers, their emulation, their self-exaltation, and the way in which the Lord has worked to counteract the dangerous plans brought in. The record has been carefully cherished for the admonition and correction and guidance of God’s people from generation to generation. His people who live in this time, upon whom the ends of the world are come, are admonished to take warning and repent. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 19

The uncertainty and the shortness of human life should lead us to the most solemn, serious consideration. We need to repent and be converted and to bring eternity into our reckoning; setting our affection on things above, not on things that perish with the using; seeking the riches that will endure forever, the righteousness that will never pass away. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 20

God calls upon every one who claims to be in His service to make their calling and election sure. Many of us will soon close up our accounts in this world. But God’s mercy and grace to His church shall endure forever. As stewards of His grace, let us labor for souls as they that must give an account. Multitudes are neglected. Multitudes will be saved through the self-denial and self-sacrifice of God’s faithful workers. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 21

God will call for laborers from among the humbler members of His family here below, because men of larger experience and ability, through whom He would work, take their defective judgment and weave it into the great web that is being woven for time and for eternity. God calls for workers from every church among us to enter His service as canvasser-evangelists. God loves His church. If the members will do His will, if they will strive to impart the light to those in darkness, He will greatly bless their efforts. He represents the church as being the light of the world. Through its faithful ministrations, a multitude that no man can number will become children of God, fitted for the everlasting glory. Every part of God’s dominion is to be filled with His glory. What, then, is the church doing to enlighten the world, that from all parts of the earth a tribute of praise and prayer and thanksgiving may ascend to Him? 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 22

I must not write more now, although there is much more that I shall write when I know that the time has fully come. 17LtMs, Lt 124, 1902, par. 23