Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)
Ms 17, 1906
The United States as an Asylum for Religious Liberty
NP
January 1904
Portions of this manuscript are published in Mar 193; 4BC 1171; 7BC 975; 9MR 1-4.
The Lord has done more for the United States than for any other country upon which the sun shines. Here He provided an asylum for His people, where they could worship Him according to the dictates of conscience. Here Christianity has progressed in its purity. The life-giving doctrine of the one Mediator between God and man has been freely taught. God designed that this country should ever remain free for all people to worship Him in accordance with the dictates of conscience. He designed that its civil institutions, in their expansive productions, should represent the freedom of gospel privileges. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 1
But the enemy of all righteousness has designs upon God’s purpose for this country. He will bring in enterprises that will lead men to forget that there is a God. Worldliness and covetousness, which is idolatry, will prevail through the working of the archdeceiver, till the law of God, in all its bearings, shall be made void. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 2
If men had studied the Bible, if they had read the book of Exodus, they would have seen that in the proclamation of God’s law, the seventh day was specified as the day that is to be observed as the memorial of creation. In the fourth commandment, the true and living God is shown to be the one who created the world in six days; and the seventh day is pointed out as the day on which God rested, blessing and hallowing it. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 3
In the second chapter of Genesis, we read, “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.” [Verses 1-3.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 4
Christ the Great Healer
Jan. 25, 1904
I look at my watch and see that it is three o’clock. My heart is drawn out in prayer to God, that my head may be clear and my eyes healed, that I may continue to write by lamplight. I have the burden of writing on my soul. I need my eyesight. My left eye has been a source of anxiety to me for a long time. At times it pains me severely and causes me great trouble. I am this morning offering my prayer to the greatest Physician the world has ever known, asking Him to strengthen my eyesight. He is the physician of the soul and of the body. He has wrought wonderful cures. When one came to Him, saying, “If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me whole,” Christ responded, “I will, be thou whole.” [See Matthew 8:2, 3.] These words He repeated many times a day as suffering human beings pressed round Him for help, asking to be made whole. And this morning, in my great necessity, I say, “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me whole.” 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 5
What is my work in this world?—To flash into the darkness of error, by pen and voice, the truth for this time. God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. My work is to let God’s Word shine forth in all the simplicity of its brightness into the minds and hearts of others. Christ prayed for His disciples, “Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth.” [John 17:17.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 6
The apostle Paul, giving Timothy instruction that he would need in his work, said: 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 7
“The love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 8
“I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen nor can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting.” [1 Timothy 6:10-16.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 9
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called; which some professing have erred concerning the faith.” [Verses 17-21.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 10
Jan. 26, 1904
I awoke at one o’clock. I am praying most earnestly that the Lord will be merciful to me, and restore my left eye, removing the pain and weakness that is affecting my whole head. I must do all that I can to co-operate with Him, giving the afflicted eye as much rest as possible. I have decided not to write so largely by lamplight. For sometime after I awoke this morning, I lay still in bed, pleading the promise, “Ask, and ye shall receive.” [John 16:24.] I went to sleep, and when I again awoke, it was half-past three. I did not leave my bed till fifteen minutes of four. I praise the Lord that He gave me rest in sleep. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 11
The Lord seems sacredly near to me. I seem to be in His presence. I long to say to every family of believers, Let us show Christian politeness to God. Ask Him to abide with you, teaching you how to become obedient children, so that you can teach others to be truly courteous to Christ. Speak gently to the members of the church in your home; for Christ is your Guest. Express your gratitude for all his Gifts. They are more than can be numbered. We are daily to show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 12
God’s Purpose for His People
Jan. 27, 1904
My mind is so exercised that I have had but imperfect sleep during the past night. I retired at eight o’clock and woke several times during the night. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 13
I am pleading with God that His people may know by experience the meaning of Christ’s words, “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth. As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.” [John 17:15-20.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 14
Will not those who preach the Word to others cherish a sense of the responsibility resting upon them, as the appointed messengers of God, to sanctify themselves, that in their consecration they shall represent Christ, endeavoring to do Him special honor as His representatives, and to carry out in their own families the genuine principles of Christianity. Thus they will be indeed co-operating with Christ, revealing the fruit of righteousness and sanctification, not only through their profession, but in their practice. They are to show to the world what the truth, if lived day by day, will do for the receiver. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 15
When the truth is manifested in the daily life, the fruit will be unto righteousness and true holiness. In the life that He lived on this earth, Christ has given us an example of what the lives of those who believe on Him should be. God calls for a depth of piety that many have not yet known. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 16
Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water through the Word. His prayer for the believers is: 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 17
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one, I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me.” [Verses 20-23.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 18
This high standard Christ has made it possible for us to reach. He will be present in His grace and strength, to help every striving soul not to fall short of His high calling. Our expectations need to be elevated far above that which is seen in the piety of many professing Christians. God calls upon us to reveal the Saviour to the world in works of righteousness. He calls upon us to remember that we are a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 19
Of Christ it is written: 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 20
“Verily, He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.” [Hebrews 2:16-18.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 21
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” [Hebrews 4:14-16.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 22
My brethren and sisters, study this instruction, given to be understood by you, and be wise enough to consider that silence is eloquence in reference to what will be in heaven. This human beings are not required to know; they would make a wrong use of such knowledge. Christ’s word to us is, “Teaching them all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” [Matthew 28:20.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 23
*****
There is an unerring register kept of all sins committed. All man’s impiety, all his disobedience to heaven’s commands, are written in the books of heaven with unerring accuracy. The figures of guilt rapidly accumulate, yet the judgments of God are tempered with mercy, until the figures have reached their appointed limit. God bears long with the transgression of human beings and continues through His appointed agencies to present the gospel message until the set time has come. God bears with divine patience with the perversity of the wicked; but He declares that He will visit their transgressions with a rod. He will at last permit the destructive agencies of Satan to bear sway to destroy. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 24
*****
The United States is a land that has been under the special shield of the Omnipotent One. God has done great things for this country; but in the transgression of His law, men have been doing a work originated by the man of sin. Satan is working out his designs to involve the human family in disloyalty. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 25
The Divine Rest-day
The fourth commandment of the Decalogue defines who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. And in Genesis God declares: 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 26
“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 2:1-3.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 27
It was not the first day of the week that the Lord sanctified, but the seventh day, the day on which God rested and was refreshed. When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy, the seventh day was set apart as the divine rest-day. Thus the day of God’s appointment was celebrated. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 28
“And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 29
“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 30
“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; 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 17, 1906, par. 31
“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 17, 1906, par. 32
“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. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 33
“Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 34
“Thou shalt not kill. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 35
“Thou shalt not commit adultery. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 36
“Thou shalt not steal. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 37
“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 38
“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.” [Exodus 20:1-17.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 39
The first four of the ten commandments, which define our duty to God, are called the first table. God is to be placed high above all things in heaven and in earth. It should be distinctly understood that the Sovereign of the universe is above all. He is to be exalted as omnipotent. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 40
“Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” [Luke 10:25-27.] 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 41
Our duty to God comes first. To worship and love and serve God with the whole being will prepare man to love his neighbor as himself. Those who love God supremely will love and appreciate those for whom Christ has died. 21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 42