Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Ms 118, 1903

What a Medical Missionary Leader Should Be

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

August 13, 1903

Previously unpublished. +^Note

Christ was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, but He humbled Himself and came to this earth in human nature, to show men and women God’s ideal of what a medical missionary should be. He who consents to bear the responsibilities of a medical missionary leader should be guided in all things by pure, well-defined gospel principles. If there are in his work defects that would bring reproach upon the cause of his Master, let him bow in contrition before God, confessing his sins and the mistakes he has made, and asking forgiveness for misrepresenting in word or act the holy name he bears. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 1

In every phase of Christian experience, in every line of missionary effort, the Lord expects His representatives to speak the right words at the right time. He expects them to speak words of caution, of warning, of encouragement, adapting their efforts to the necessities of the situation in which they find themselves, and in every respect showing themselves to be true representatives of the great Medical Missionary. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 2

When Christ was on this earth, how surprised His associates would have been to hear Him utter one word of impatience, one word of accusation or faultfinding! He expects those who love Him and believe in Him to represent Him in sweetness of character. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 3

Although a man may attempt to educate others, yet if he himself does not glorify God with his lips, he might better refrain from teaching until in word and deed he shows that he is a child of God. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 4

Is a leader in any branch of God’s work—when his plans and projects are interfered with—led to speak threatening words, declaring that if such and such a thing takes place, he will appeal to the civil law? If so, let his associates take knowledge of him that he is not walking in the footsteps of the meek and lowly Jesus. He has not complied with the invitation, “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.” [Matthew 11:29.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 5

No word of boasting is to be brought into the life of the Christian. It does not become those who name the name of Christ to boast of the harm they will do their fellow men if their plans are interfered with. God despises all such pomposity. If the one who has done the boasting and has placed himself in a threatening attitude could see on whose side he is standing, he would be ashamed of his weakness of character. From the life of a true Christian, all boasting, all bravado is excluded. Our salvation is the gift of God; it is not earned by our works, “lest any man boast.” [Ephesians 2:9.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 6

There is no room for boasting in the life of the one who wears Christ’s yoke and heeds the invitation, “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.” [Matthew 11:29, 30.] It is an evidence of great weakness for a man to boast of his cunning and his power to deceive, as if this were something worthy of praise. And it is also an evidence of weakness for a man to boast of his own abilities. He who boasts thus shows that he is a stranger to the blessed experience gained by wearing Christ’s yoke. Self is brought into the words and acts, as if it were a precious treasure. But in the end the man will find that he has placed himself under the dictation of a cruel tyrant. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 7

Medical missionary leaders who refuse to be led and taught by God will sadly misrepresent in word and act the self-sacrificing Redeemer. They will make propositions that are not in harmony with the gospel. They will follow theories and plans that will lead them away from God. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 8

Medical missionary work is to open the way for the entrance of the truth as it is in Jesus. In its every feature and department, this work is to commend itself to intelligent men and women. Those engaged in this work as leaders and teachers are to do nothing that will dishonor the great Medical Missionary. They are to show that a practice of the principles of health reform has brought to them physical, mental, and spiritual improvement. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 9

Only those whose hearts are filled with the love of God and whose lives are adorned by the grace of Christ should engage in medical missionary work. Those who take up this line of Christian effort should look upon their work as a high and holy calling. It is committed to them as a sacred trust; and whatever may be its difficulties, the Lord expects them to reveal the excellence of their mission. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 10

The greater the knowledge of leaders and teachers in medical missionary lines, the heavier and more solemn the obligations resting on them to represent, in word and deed, the mighty, all-powerful Medical Missionary, who came to remove all sin and disease from the bodies and minds and souls of those who accept Him as their Teacher and their Physician-in-chief. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 11

Messages of Mercy and Warning

Never are missionaries for Christ to make untrue statements in order to bring about certain ends and to accomplish certain purposes; of all who stoop to engage in such work, He who reads the heart will say: “I know their works. Their good deeds do not excuse their sinful works.” 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 12

To His church today Christ says: “I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars; and hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” [Revelation 2:2-5.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 13

Will those who have fallen, repent? Some will, and some will not. I have felt very sad as I have heard men, who have stood as educators and as guardians of sacred trusts, say, while others were confessing wrongs, “I mean to change my course of action, but I will make no confessions; for to confess might injure my influence.” Men whose many actions have resulted in terrible injury to the cause of God have refused to humble themselves and to walk in the way of genuine repentance and reformation. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 14

In the third of Revelation is brought to view a most earnest work that must be done: “Unto the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” [Verses 1-3.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 15

Let not those whose characters are defective, those who for years have known the truth and yet have not obeyed it, refuse to humble their proud hearts. Even though they may be standing in positions of responsibility, let them repent. The Lord will surely remove His protection from those who dishonor Him. There will come a time when they will pass the boundary line, and then the Lord will reveal that He knows all about the evil works so dishonoring to His name. He is ashamed of those who, instead of repenting, desire to climb upon the judgment seat and threaten to coerce their brethren; He is ashamed of those who, refusing to make crooked things straight, take a course that hurts and bruises their brethren. The Lord, who has been so merciful toward them and has done so much for them, is dishonored; for in the estimation of such men no distinction is made between the righteousness of the righteous and the wickedness of the wicked. Let us remember that those who act as sinners will be punished as such, unless they repent. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 16

The divine Teacher continues: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.” Then follow the impressive words, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” [Verses 4-6.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 17

Let all give careful attention to this instruction. Let those who have a name to live, but who are dead, heed these words of mercy and encouragement and warning. “Be watchful,” ye stewards who have thought it your privilege to ascend to high places, “and do the first works.” “Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” [Revelation 3:2; 2:5.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 18

The Messenger of heaven gives this warning. It comes not from human lips, but from the lips of One who cannot be “inspired” by human influence. The whole of the third chapter of Revelation was penned by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. Let us “hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” [Verse 6.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 19

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” [Verses 7-13.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 20

Following this message is the warning to the Laodicean church. And who can question its application? 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 21

“Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.” [Verses 14-16.] This is a most appropriate representation of the state of those who have once known and loved the truth. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” [Verses 17, 18.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 22

In this Scripture is portrayed a church fully satisfied with its spiritual condition, but under a terrible deception. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” [Verse 19.] These are not words concerning which some human being can say, “Somebody has told the human agent.” It is the Lord, the true Witness, who is speaking, and He will vindicate His Word to the letter. Shall we not unitedly engage in the work of searching our hearts diligently for the prevarications and subterfuges and other evils that God hates? Let us make most careful search; for it is a terrible thing for the very ones whom God has loved and co-operated with, to be rejected as offensive to Him. 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 23

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Again is given the admonition: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” [Verses 20-22.] In the very last days of this earth’s history a revelation is given to the church. God will not leave any one without an opportunity to hear, if he will, “what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 24

Many have closed their hearts to light and warning. I am now instructed to call attention to the message that Christ has borne to the churches. A crisis has come, and the call that comes to us is inspired by no human messenger. God’s words are presented, in order that no man shall dare to claim, “I inspired this message that has been given.” God gives a warning that all will soon, very soon, wish they had heard with a determined purpose to understand and to heed. What excuse can any one frame for not hearing what the Holy Spirit saith unto the churches? 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 25

Again I call attention to the words: “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down from heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” [Verses 9-13.] 18LtMs, Ms 118, 1903, par. 26