Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 58, 1905

Talk/The Work in Washington

Takoma Park, Maryland

May 19, 1905

This manuscript is published in entirety in RH 06/01/1905. +^Note

The Work in Washington (Second Surprise Party)

Friday, May 19, 1905, at 10 a.m.

A talk by Mrs. E. G. White

We feel very grateful to our heavenly Father because He has moved by His Holy Spirit upon the minds of His people to give so liberally for the establishment of the work here in Washington. Every dollar of the money that has been sent in is needed. If God’s people knew as I do the necessities of the cause in different parts of the great harvest field, and if they felt as they should the urgency of the work, they would not permit of delay. I have seen workers on their knees, pleading with God to open the way for the truth to be proclaimed in places where souls, unwarned and unsaved, are perishing in their sins. There are houses of worship to be built, and in some places it is necessary that there be erected small sanitariums, that the higher classes may be reached. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 1

There are those in the world upon whose hearts God Is moving, and if they but knew principles of present truth, they would heed the message for this time and would go forth to give it to others. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 2

The money that has been sent in for the work here is the Lord’s. The gold and silver are Mine, He declares, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. [Haggai 2:8; Psalm 50:10.] God bids us deny ourselves in the expenditure of means and put into His treasury the money thus saved. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 3

I thank the Lord for these gifts. Those who sent them are in so doing fastening themselves to God’s work. As they give of their means, their interest in the cause of God’s work is deepened, and the act of giving thus becomes a double blessing. I feel so grateful for what has been done, because in figures and representations, I have seen the necessity of help in foreign fields, and also in the southern field; and I know that the Lord will move upon hearts in the large cities that have not yet been worked. We must not leave these cities unworked; but the very first necessity is right here in Washington. The work in this important point must be established. A publishing house must be established here. God directed that the publishing work should be transferred from Battle Creek to this place. He will place His approval upon the efforts made to carry forward His work on the lines that He has marked out. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 4

The establishment of the work here in Washington is creating a wide-spread interest in other places. Tracts and pamphlets have been widely circulated, and when we begin to work in other cities, we shall find those who have been studying this literature. We shall find that they are not utterly ignorant of our truth, but that they have been studying the facts regarding the establishment of our work here. As people read of what has been done, they say, “That means work, and we must learn more of what this people is doing.” 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 5

The work that has been done here would never have been accomplished had there not been a determined effort to press the battle to the gates. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 6

I am thankful that the Lord has not left us in ignorance of how to gain His blessing. Read the eighth and ninth chapters of Second Corinthians, and you will find the whole matter outlined in a few words. Read how the believers came to the apostles and laid their offerings at their feet, praying with much entreaty that they would receive the gift. When God by His Spirit stirs the hearts of His people, leading them to see the necessities of this work, there will be a denying of self, and gifts will flow into the treasury for the proclamation of the message for this time. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 7

If there are those who think they are making large sacrifices for the work, let them consider the sacrifice that Christ made in their behalf. The human race was under sentence of death, but the Son of God clothed His divinity with humanity and came to this world to live and die in our behalf. He came to stand against the host of fallen angels. We must have a Defender, and when our Defender came, He was clothed with humanity; for He must be subject to the temptations wherewith man is beset, that He might understand how to deliver the godly out of temptation. He took His stand at the head of the fallen race, that men and women might be enabled to stand on vantage ground. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 8

Christ did not come to this world with a legion of angels. Laying aside His royal robes and kingly crown, He stepped down from His high command, and for our sake became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. This was the plan laid in the heavenly courts. The Redeemer of mankind was to be born in poverty, and He was to be a worker with His hands. He labored with His father at the carpenter’s trade, and into all that He did He brought perfection. His companions sometimes found fault with Him because He was so thorough. What is the use of being so particular? they said. But He would work till He had brought what He was doing as near perfection as He could, and then He would look up with the light of heaven shining from His face, and those who had criticized Him would turn away ashamed of themselves. Instead of retaliating when found fault with, He would begin to sing one of the psalms, and before those who had found fault with Him realized it, they, too, were singing. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 9

Never should botch work of any kind be allowed in our institutions. Every student should be taught that in order to pertain to perfection in character building, he must be faithful in the smallest duties appointed him. “Ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building” [1 Corinthians 3:9], and your work is to be done as in the sight of a holy God. Do your best, and holy angels will help you to carry your work on to perfection. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 10

Who was He who came to our world to redeem the fallen race? Isaiah tells us, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” [Isaiah 9:6.] 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 11

Let us make it known that provision has been made for our redemption. Christ left the heavenly courts and came to this world to make an atonement for us. All who come to Him in living faith will be enabled to stand on vantage ground. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 12

As God’s servants proclaim these things, Satan steps up to some of those who have itching minds and presents his scientific problems. Men will be tempted to place science above God. But who by searching can find God? Men may put their own interpretation upon God, but no human mind can comprehend Him. This problem has not been given us to solve. Let not finite man attempt to interpret Jehovah. Let none indulge in speculation regarding His nature. Here silence is eloquence. The Omniscient One is above discussion. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 13

Christ is one with the Father, but God and Christ are two distinct personages. Read the prayer of Christ in the seventeenth chapter of John, and you will find this point clearly brought out. How earnestly the Saviour prayed that His disciples might be one with Him as He was one with the Father. But the unity that is to exist between Christ and His followers does not destroy the personality of either. They are to be one with Him as He is one with the Father. By this unity they are to make it plain to the world that God sent His Son to save sinners. The oneness of Christ’s followers with Him is to be the great, unmistakable proof that God did indeed send His Son into the world to save sinners. But a loose, lax religion leaves the world confused and bewildered. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 14

My brethren and sisters, take your stand on an elevated platform, and work to the point to be one with Christ. The heart of the Saviour is set upon His followers’ fulfilling God’s purpose in all its height and depth. They are to be one with Him, even though they are scattered the world over. But God cannot make them one in Christ unless they are willing to give up their own way for His way. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 15

In view of all that Christ has suffered for us, should we complain when we are called to endure self-denial and suffering? Would not this make God ashamed of us? Let us rejoice that it is our privilege to be partakers in the sufferings of Christ; for thus only can we be fitted to be partakers of His glory. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 16

I thank God in behalf of those who have sent in their offerings to the work in Washington. I think Him for the privilege and satisfaction of knowing that there are hearts which are alive to the needs of the work of God and are influenced by the Holy Spirit to give of their means for the advancement of this work. I thank God with heart, and soul, and voice. The work in this place is to be carried forward solidly. In the buildings that are to be put up, there is to be no extravagance, but the representation is to be such that those in the world will see that we understand what propriety is. Brethren and sisters, let us have characters so pure and holy that Christ can with joy present us to the Father. Let us be filled with the living principles of the truth for this time. Let us live lives that will lead sinners to the Saviour. Christ carried His humanity with Him into the heavenly courts, and all humanity can claim Him as their representative. We may be made complete in Him. How?—By becoming partakers of the divine nature. To be partakers of this nature means more than many of us realize. It means giving up one’s own way and following the path that Christ has marked out. As we become partakers of the divine nature, we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. 20LtMs, Ms 58, 1905, par. 17