Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 146, 1906

Sermon/“Remember the Sabbath Day, To Keep It Holy”

“Laguna Street Church,” San Francisco, California

November 10, 1906

Previously unpublished.

In Genesis we read: “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 1

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.” [Genesis 1:31; 2:1-3.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 2

Let us turn to the twentieth chapter of Exodus. Here we find recorded the Ten Commandments. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 3

“And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” [Verses 1-4.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 4

Let us bear this in mind. No image is to be made to represent God; no image is to be worshiped in the place of God. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 5

“Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 6

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 7

“Remember”—now here is something that is particularly enjoined on every one of us: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” [Verses 5-11.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 8

Look at the world, and see what they are doing. There is only a remnant who are keeping the Sabbath and who are explaining its importance to the people and urging them to keep the very day that God has specified. The Ten Commandments have been given us to observe. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 9

It was because of our desire to let the people know of the Sabbath truth that my husband and I, many years ago, came to Oakland and San Francisco. We knew that some provision must be made for the people to assemble to worship God. At that time we had no house of worship in either city; but we went to work with a will. We sold our property in Michigan, and, with a few others, many of whom are now sleeping in the grave, we erected this meetinghouse in San Francisco. When I heard of the earthquake and the conflagration, I wondered if the meetinghouse were destroyed. Well, here it is, and here I am standing in the desk to speak. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 10

In order to advance the cause, my husband did the work of three men. His whole soul was in the cause of present truth. In 1881 we had to close his eyes in death, and lay him away, there to rest until the morning of the resurrection. After his death, some of our brethren came to me, and asked, “What are you going to do? Will your work stop now? Shall we not come and pray for the Lord to raise your husband from the dead?” “No,” said I; “he has done the work of three men, and he has died in the faith. Let him rest until the morning of the resurrection. I shall have my sons to depend on to help me in my work. The Lord is coming, and we must prepare for it. We must prepare a people to stand in that day.” 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 11

I was not expected to live until the time of the Lord’s coming because of having been a sufferer nearly all my life. But the Lord God in mercy has given me health and strength; and the twenty-sixth of this month (November), if I live, I shall be seventy-nine years old. I have never suffered so little pain in my life as I have during the past few years. Especially since the July camp meeting in Oakland, I have been blessed in health. Before that meeting, I had been writing early in the morning, night after night, from one o’clock—and sometimes from twelve o’clock—till breakfast time; and then through the hours of the day, in order to prepare manuscripts that were to be sent to all parts of the world. Every morning I felt as if possibly it might be the last morning I should see. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 12

But at the camp meeting held in Oakland, the blessing of the Lord came upon me; and although I felt great weakness at the beginning of that meeting, yet I stood up before a large congregation in the mammoth tent; and as I began to speak, the blessing of God rested upon me in a very special manner. Every time I spoke during that meeting (six or seven times in all, besides laboring sometimes for those who came forward for prayers), I had not a weary feeling in my body. I felt like one refreshed. I felt like one upon whom the blessing of God was resting. I was very thankful indeed for His presence. Since that meeting, most of my time has been spent in writing and in speaking; and yet I am thankful to be able to say that the Lord has preserved me, so that I feel no discomfort healthwise. I have been revived by the Holy Spirit. I thank the Lord for all this. I praise His holy name with heart and soul and voice. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 13

I desire to say to you that I have realized the blessing that comes from keeping the Sabbath. At the beginning of my Christian experience I knew nothing about God’s holy Sabbath; but soon after the period of disappointment in 1844, additional light came; and as we began to inquire into matters, the light of the Sabbath broke in upon us, and we have been teaching this truth ever since that time. We have no doubt but that these commandments of God are given to perfect Christian character through obedience. This is why we are here today—as an evidence that we keep the seventh-day Sabbath, not the first day of the week. The first day is not the Sabbath that the Lord has specified. In the commandment is specified the seventh day. “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day.” What is the conclusion? “Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” [Verse 11.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 14

There is not a single evidence in all the Word of God that this day, which God has blessed and sanctified, has been changed by Him afterward into a common working day. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 15

The remaining commandments are: 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 16

“Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 17

“Thou shalt not kill. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 18

“Thou shalt not commit adultery. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 19

“Thou shalt not steal. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 20

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 21

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.” [Verses 12-17.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 22

These are the commandments of God. Regarding these holy precepts, and particularly the fourth, we read in the thirty-first chapter of Exodus: 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 23

“The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.” [Verses 12, 13.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 24

“It is a sign.” [Verse 13.] Let us not forget this. When God gives a sign, He means that we shall recognize it. Through obedience to the law of God, we are to have a knowledge of the fact that the Lord is our sanctification and our redemption. Whatever the world may do, whatever any denomination may do, no man or no company of men can change the Word of the Lord. It means just what it reads. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 25

“The Sabbath is a sign”—how long? “Throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death.” [Verses 13, 14.] The death penalty is not now required, but it was exacted in the days of Israel for Sabbath-breaking. When a man wilfully went before the congregation and gathered up wood to make a fire, or did some other unnecessary work, he did it against the commandment of the Lord and was cut off from the people because of his transgression. God is very particular regarding the observance of His holy law. And although the death penalty is not now exacted, yet there is coming a time when man must answer for every disregard of God’s law. Upon us rests a solemn duty to study how to observe the Sabbath of the Lord our God and to teach others regarding its sacredness. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 26

“Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.” [Verses 14-16.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 27

Do you desire to destroy the covenant between yourselves and your God? “A perpetual covenant” means just what it says. “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever;” God declares, “for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.” [Verses 16, 17.] This is our evidence. You will see ere long that there will be those who will become weary of hearing repeated the things that they ought to do but do not desire to do, and they will change the wording of the Bible. We know what the Lord says in Revelation about those who do that. “A perpetual covenant” is a perpetual covenant. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 28

In the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy we read: 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 29

“Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you.” [Verses 1-3.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 30

The Lord does not immediately execute His judgments, but He gives time for the people to come back to a knowledge of the truth. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 31

“But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day. Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land wither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” [Verses 4-6.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 32

Not only will our brethren and sisters in the church understand, but the nations of the earth will see and know that the Lord has power to shield and guard those who keep God’s commandments. Commandment keepers will stand before the world and before God as “a wise and understanding people.” [Verse 6.] And if the commandments of God had been kept, oh, what a different state of things would exist in the world today! 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 33

Why here we should be going forth, and every one that shall speak in meetinghouses should give the very same message that God gave; but here we see that they are laboring a first-day law that shall forbid any work being done on the first day. Well, now, that is an insult to Jehovah, and supposing, dear friends, supposing that the people had kept the law of Jehovah. Would they be in the situation they are in today? Would this earthquake have come? Would this suffering and death be brought to so many? This great loss of property—would it have come? No, no; for God says He will keep them, He will bless them. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 34

“For what nation is so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for?” Deuteronomy 4:7. Well, then, search it out, find out what God has said. Find out what God will claim as His right—obedience. And then, let me tell you, in doing obedience, you can ask Him for His blessing, and He will give it to you. Now He says: Verse 8, quoted. “So righteous.” Why, it is righteousness. It is taught that neighbor shall look after neighbor, and that they should be friendly, and that all wickedness should be put away. Now, we have a very busy devil in our world. He is gathering in his harvest. We cannot afford to dishonor God one iota in disregarding one precept of His law. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 35

Verse 8; Verse 9. “all the days of thy life.” “Teach them thy sons and thy sons’ sons.” Verse 10. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 36

Do you suppose that these robbers that are filling up their wickedness, do you suppose that if they had been educated from their childhood to respect the law of God, to be obedient to it, do you think that they would be found among the robbers? No indeed. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 37

First portion of (Verse 10) quoted: “And I will make them hear My words.” Yes. There was a cloud that covered the mount. Through that cloud they heard the words of the infinite God that came down from the infinite God to Sinai, and there He spoke these words with a voice that made the people tremble every time they heard it. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 38

“I will make them hear My words”—last part of Verse 10 quoted. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 39

Now I want every one to consider what kind of an account the parents have to answer to if they let their children come up in ignorance and disobedience of the very words that the Lord has spoken. You consider that. We have children. We must bring those children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In every house is a church. We should realize, in every house, if it is only father and mother and the children, they are to be educated and trained to fear God and keep His commandments. Why?—Because all will be cut off to be punished by the wicked, who disregard this Word of the living God. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 40

Verse 11, quoted. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 41

Verses 12, 13, quoted. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 42

And there sacredly they are preserved, and they will be brought forth. They are hidden now, but they will be brought forth in that great day, when every case is judged and every case is settled, whether the man will be obedient to God or obedient to the great transgression of God’s law. Now we have a case to settle with our God, and I am very anxious that you shall have all the blessings that are possible to come through obedience, and I would invite every one of you to make the Bible your textbook, and do you search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life. Yes, and you are to think, for it is a right kind of a thought, that if you obey the Word of God, it is life, eternal life, to you. It is not make-believe. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 43

Verses 13, 14. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 44

“To teach you statutes.” Moses is talking. He is going to leave the children of Israel soon, and he is talking: 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 45

“that teach you statutes” ... Verses 14, 15. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 46

“Lest ye.” Now let us see why they do not find any similitude. Verse 16. Now you see they are guarding every point. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 47

Verse 19. “To worship them.” They are grand beings, wonderful beings. But there is One that created them, that demands all your service. The whole confidence of your life and heart and soul. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 48

Verse 19. “To worship them, serve them.” 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 49

Now He has divided all these blessings; He has given unto man. Well, now, it seems that we ought to respect the law, and to do His commandments; and thus He goes on. He gives, He enforces the law of God, and over and over it is enforced, and you read through Deuteronomy, these Scriptures, and you will see what blessings the Lord gave them; and He tells them not to make marriages with the daughters and sons of unbelievers, “for they will turn away thy sons from following thee, ... unto the Lord thy God.” 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 50

Deuteronomy 7:1-9, quoted. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 51

Keep His commandments how long? How long?—To a thousand generations. Now then, when those thousands of generations are brought in, we, all that are in the world, that have served God will be translated to heaven, and the dead shall be called forth, and there we shall see the King in His beauty. Yes; He comes for us; He raises the dead; He calls them, and He takes the clouds with Him, and the gates of the holy city are swung back on their glittering hinges, and the nations that have kept the truth shall enter in. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 52

Do you suppose that He would bring in there one that would not keep His commandments in the world, after He told them to do it? Would He bring in father or mother or children to spoil the heavenly courts? They have had one rebellion, but they will never have another one. No; those who are commandment keepers, and that are tried, and that love God supremely, they will have a welcome into the golden city. There they will be welcomed by Christ Jesus, for they have kept His commandments. Now I wanted to read this, that you might know that the Lord has respect unto those that are obedient. But what shall we do now? Why, the very work that we are to do is to remember that He has given this to a thousand generations. They are to keep His covenant for a thousand generations. And if we will do this work, the great God will let His blessing rest upon us. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 53

And He says: Verses 9-13, 15, 17, 18, quoted. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 54

Now here Pharaoh, after he had agreed to let the children of Israel go, and had kept them until all the whole country was destroyed, all Egypt was suffering under the curse, why, then he concluded to let them go; and no sooner had they gone than he pursued right after them. There were his chariots, and there were his horsemen, but what about that? Why, there were the people trembling, trembling, but a path was made for them to walk on dry land, and they thought that they could go right in that path where Providence had prepared. They went right along; they could not see where they were going, because the light was not shining upon them to see where they were going, and Pharaoh and his host, every one of them, were destroyed. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 55

Now, we want that every one of us should realize that we have a special work upon us, and that is to give to the world an evidence that we repent that we have broken God’s law. That is what we are to give. We are to show them what it means to keep the commandments of God. It is life to us; it is strength to us. I have traveled nearly over the world, and an invalid, but the Lord presented before me the message that He gave me to bear, that there should not be a hand laid upon me to harm me. And there never has been; and the blessing of God now is such that I enjoy better health than I have enjoyed all my lifetime that I know. And I want every one of us should come into right relation to God. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 56

We have a case to settle with our God, and we had better begin to settle it here, and that is to repent and be converted. I want a part in the city of our God. Christ will welcome every one of us that is prepared to enter there. But those that are not prepared, let me tell you there is no place for them there, because there never will be a second rebellion in heaven, and there will never be a risk run to take a person that is not sanctified soul, body, and spirit first in this world. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 57

We are to make preparation right in this world for the future kingdom home in the heavenly courts; and if we do this, we shall certainly have a converting power upon the minds of others; but we are not half converted ourselves. There are those that keep all the Sabbath, but they do not appreciate it; they do not understand its value. It is a sign—a sign between obedience and disobedience. “It is a sign between Me and you through your generations forever.” [Exodus 31:13, 17.] Now, there is no period of time when you can be lax. Well, what can you say to the world in that great day when the judgments will come, and there is such slackness and looseness, that you have not appreciated the Sabbath even that God has given you as a sign between you and Him? He wants that you should be prepared, that He can let His blessing rest upon you. Sweet tempers, heavenly tempers. Be kind, be courteous. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 58

You need not drive souls; you need not be harsh; you need not be uncourteous. There is nothing that you need to be uncourteous about in handling such precious promises as these—such promises, full of meat and satisfaction—full of blessings which God has promised. And then he refers here,—Moses calls them to have reflection—“How He bore you through all this wilderness, and your shoes did not wax old upon your feet, and you were not weary.” [See Deuteronomy 29:5.] He presents here all the blessings that God has given them. Your garments wax not old and what was he carrying them through that wilderness for? Why, it was the only way to get them away from the idolatry of the Egyptians, and of other nations, and for forty years—who led them? Who led them the forty years? Moses was the personal leader, but here was One enshrouded in the clouds of heaven, that when they became rebellious there, this signal from heaven would come right down to the tabernacle, and there it was that they were called to account. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 59

And some of them were slain—hundreds, and thousands, were slain on that journey, because they “braved” the matter through to do as they pleased. It is not the best thing for us to do as we please. What we want is willing obedience to God. And the seventh day, He declares, is the Sabbath. No matter whether the Pope of Rome, no matter whether the ministers in the congregations, may try to establish themselves that they are right, let me tell you that they will have to give an account to the God of heaven for the influence that they have given to the world to transgress the commandments of God. If everyone had obeyed the Word as it was his duty to do, why then they would have been greatly blessed. The nations would have looked upon them. I have read to you how the nations would all have said they were a nation of wisdom, a nation where God had manifested His wishes unto them. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 60

Now every one of you should have in your homes a sanctifying influence over your children—precious children. They do not understand the importance of these things that these older minds ought to understand. And then again, while you are educating your children—the father, the priest of the household, and the mother, the queen of her family, the queen in her home—there is not to be a single word of scolding or of fretting. There is a better way. It is to be kind and attentive. But when the children need discipline, discipline them, and let them feel that you are weeping over them, that you do not want to bruise their flesh in any way, if they will only come to obedience; that you cannot bear with them as Eli bore with his children, to lead the people of Israel astray. No. And Eli missed the mark; and we do not want any of you to miss the mark. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 61

Educate your children, but do not fret at them. When you fret at them and scold them, there is an opposition that rises right in their hearts and minds, against your corrections, so that it does not do them any good. Wait until everything is calm, and then talk with them. They may have gotten rid of that wicked feeling that they had. We want more praying, a great deal more praying, and we want our houses sanctified, made holy and clean and pure. Why? Because we want to invite the holy angels to come in. They are right in our homes, watching over us, and we want to show that we honor God, and that we keep His commandments. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 62

Do you give the attention to your children that you should? Think what our papers are revealing today! Think what terrible history is being written, when young men are robbing, killing—all this thing they are carrying on. Even youth, quite young, are being educated in that line. Is it not time that you began to be afraid? Is it not time that we began to get our family in a condition that they will stand amid the temptations and perils of the last days? It is time, and it is worthwhile. If one soul is more precious that the whole world, how are you acting in regard to that soul? May God wake up our sensibilities. May we see the necessity of seeking the Lord while He is to be found. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 63

I have not much more to say on this subject, but I want to say: I want you to have heaven. It is a grand place. Paul tells you about it. He tells you of the many visions that he had, and he does not tell you one-hundredth part, one-thousand part, of what has been revealed to him in the sight that he had had in the heavenly courts. It was too much for him, and to have all these preparedness that we shall have, why, we want to wake right up. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 64

There are souls to be converted here in San Francisco. There are souls to be converted in Oakland, and I leave my home and come down—change after change to get here—but I am always glad I came; I always feel thankful that I have a chance of speaking a word in season. I want a home in heaven, and I want it at the cost of everything here. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 65

If it is persecution, let it come. We see what is going on in our world, that the Spirit of God is leaving the world. We see hardness of heart. We see such wickedness. Well, shall we not seek to arrest this wickedness by a counter-influence? Shall we not exert an influence which shall lift up and sanctify and ennoble? That is God’s work, and He wants us to be what? Co-workers with God. He wants us to be built up in the most holy faith. He loves us with a love that is immeasurable. He love us. What did He do to show His love? Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God. Now the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God; but it doth not yet appear what we shall be; when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 66

Now, you think of that. We can look upon Him. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” [1 John 3:3.] Now, that is what can be done. Will we come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty? The powers of darkness are very great, but God and His angels are round the righteous, and they can make the impression. I do not expect to make the impression on your heart. I have no special eloquence, but I have a determination that I will exalt my Saviour, I will honor Him. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 67

Only think of it. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not”—thank God for that “not”—“should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] Live for it; teach it in your family; read the Bible. Oh, it is full of precious things. Talk of it, and in every way possible be so that you can indeed appreciate the work that Elder Haskell and his wife are doing here, and Elder Simpson and others that are at work in connection with their fields; seek to appreciate their labors, and help them all that you can. We want the help from heaven, and we want that our prayers shall go up together with heartiness, and go up to God, that he shall take our petitions and shall help abundantly. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 68

Your families, your families! What we want is religion. What we want is a reformation in the families; every one take hold of it. Heaven we must have; and we try with all our might to have Christ as our Saviour. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 69

“Not perish, but have everlasting life, a life everlasting.” [Verse 16.] Only think of it! And God suffered His Son to pay the price of all the redemption of every single soul that is in this house, every soul that is in the world, the redemption price. And yet they won’t be converted; they won’t be good; they don’t love goodness, and the devil takes possession of them. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 70

Now I leave this subject with you, and I ask you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to make a determined effort that you will keep the commandments of God, and live, and His law—what a description—as the apple of your eye. 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 71

A child was struck, just before we came here, with a piece of wood, and it destroyed the sight of the eye. Oh, what sadness. That mother walked the room almost desperate. Her husband was in Africa. But what could be done? The apple of the eye. Well, now, let us every one of us keep His law as He says, “the apple of the eye.” [Proverbs 7:2.] 21LtMs, Ms 146, 1906, par. 72