Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 164, 1907

Sermon/God’s Plan of Addition

San Fernando, California

April 21, 1907

Previously unpublished.

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:1, 2). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 1

We see that this means much. It is through a knowledge that we have of God, and of His relation with Christ, and of Christ’s relation to God. “According as His divine power had given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that had called us to glory and virtue” (verse 3). Now you see, there are certain conditions, certain influences, that will work through every soul that will consider and weigh the matter, and that will think intelligently. The Lord would have us use all the tack of our brainpower to understand what saith the Word; for it is as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 2

Here are the conditions: We are to become acquainted with God and Jesus Christ, whom He has given to our world. And what a gift it is! Wonderful! “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have” [John 3:16]—now that have is worth everything to us—“but have”—here it is: “exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, and beside this” [2 Peter 1:4, 5], now take it all in, all its meaning, because it is God’s Word, and we want to pray for that intelligence that God shall give us that we may understand the Word and not be like Chorazin and Bethsaida, that heard and heard and listened, but they did not do any work to reform. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 3

They were just the same and carried on the very same unbelief and did not co-operate with Jesus Christ; therefore the woe was pronounced upon them. “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 4

Now we must understand that the words that come to us are life, as it is represented in the Bible. It is for us to lay hold upon it by living faith. And what then? Why faith is demonstrated by actions. It is carried out by practice; therefore we demonstrate to the world that we are on Christ’s side, and that we will carry out the principles that He has laid down in His Word, in order that our light may be reflected to all that is around. The very light that comes from Jesus Christ is to be reflected to all that is around us. Now here is a way to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust—“And beside this, giving all diligence,”—now here is given a sum—“add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:4-8). Now you see the sum of addition is given to every soul of us that wants to understand the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the saving faith that they may work to add grace to grace, and be constantly working upon the plan of addition. Why, if you could make a worlding understand this, what then? If you can make those whose affection is upon what they possess, if they could understand this truth, that there is something higher for them to obtain, why if you could only make them understand it—well, try it! I am afraid you do not try to make them understand it. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 5

Now the Lord wants everyone who has His light to let that light shine. And if that light shines, as it comes from the heavenly light, then it will be reflected upon others, whether they receive it or not. And they have the light. You are clear because you have done your duty. You are to work, every one of you is to work, upon the plan of addition, and now what?—“Add to your faith virtue,”—a virtuous character, “and to virtue knowledge,”—constantly seeking to increase in a better understanding of what saith the Scriptures. “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance.” You see that comes before patience—“and to temperance patience.” [Verses 5, 6.] Now you must have temperance else you cannot have patience. You just read in the newspapers, they will teach you something. They will teach you this: That notwithstanding they may reach the very highest round of intelligence in book learning, if the Bible is dropped out, why, then they never can mount to the highest round. They cannot do it—“Giving all diligence”—the whole mind. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 6

The lawyer came to Christ and asked Him: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” What did Christ say? He turned right to the lawyer and He said, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” (Luke 10:25, 26). Well, He went on to tell him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself” (verse 27). Now there is something for everyone of us to test ourselves by, to see whether we are carrying out the principles of the precious Word, because it means everything to us. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 7

You want to know that you are working on the right plan. Well—“and thy neighbour as thyself.” And that lawyer asks, “And who is my neighbour?” (verse 29). Then Jesus goes on to tell him of an incident of one who had been beset by robbers, and there he was, robbed and wounded and left half dead. When a priest came that way and looked at him—now that priest was the one that ought to have attended to that duty, but he did not do it. He looked at him, “Well, that is a very objectionable case, that man is wounded and apparently dying”—and he passed on the other side and did not take any notice of him to help him. There was another one of the dignitaries that passed by. The priest passed by on the other side and took no notice of him. Then one who was a Samaritan, that they looked upon as being very objectionable in their eyes, having some points of faith that they could not consent to, came by. He looked at the wounded man, and he went right to him and began to work with him as soon as he came to him. He took the groaning man, and he helped him upon his own beast and went by the side and held him there until he got him to a house where he would be taken care of. Then he said to the host, “I give you this money; and when that is used up, when I come this way again, I will repay you for what you have done” (see verse 35). Then Christ asks, “Who is his neighbour?” [Verse 36.] Well, the people forgot, they had been listening and listening so intensely. “Why he that had mercy on him” (see verse 37). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 8

And that is exactly it. It is he that could do something; he that would do something; he that was trying to live upon the plan of mercy and the love of God; he took up the man and cared for him. Well, now, that sentiment was expressed right by the very ones that would have done just the same as those who had passed the man by, but it was presented in such a way that they cried right out, “Why it is he that had mercy on him.” [Verse 37.] They were the ones who were friends to this suffering man. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 9

“Beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge” (2 Peter 1:5). We want every soul in our schools to understand the true definition of what virtue is, and then to lay hold of it. Why? Because it is according to the law. The law of God, His Word. You are carrying out His sentiments by being merciful to him that needs mercy. “And to knowledge temperance.” [Verse 6.] We cannot take that subject up here today; we want to just mention it. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 10

You read in the papers that this one or that one has been violent toward his fellow man and killed him. They stand up and say, “It was the liquor that did it.” Well, so it did. And liquor is drugged today. And when it is drugged, it always makes men mad. You can say when under the influence of this liquor they did not know what they were about, and they did not, indeed. But here they had the opportunity in San Francisco—I have been there several times—they had the opportunity to carry out their first expression; it was after the city was burned. Why, said they, “there never has been so much quiet and order in this city as since there was no liquor to be had.” 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 11

Now that is temperance. And if they had kept that—but no, the liquor drinkers, the very ones that were manipulating the law, those very ones that were standing in high places voted for the saloons to be opened; and as a result there has been murder, robbery, and every kind of evil, because men have put poison in liquor. It is bad enough to have liquor, but when they put in liquor that which gives it intensity, those who drink it become mad when it reaches the brain. They do not know what they are doing. They are crazy. They do not understand. They do not know anything. Why didn’t the authorities take the position and hold it that that little period in which no liquor was sold was the best behaved they had had in years. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 12

Well, now, here, here is the Word: “Beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.” [Verse 5.] Virtue is character. It is the duty of every man and woman before me to understand that they have a mind which is under accountability to God and that they are to preserve that mind, that it shall speak intelligently, that it shall work for their benefit. And, as it works in the virtue of character for their benefit, that very virtue is an influence in a community. It is telling its story on the right side—now here is where the addition should be: “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge.” Why it is impossible for a man to have knowledge and at the same time pursue a course in which he sacrifices his virtue and destroys his nerve power. If he does so, he is adrift. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 13

God wants every nerve of your brain preserved in the most sacred manner. Why, with the mind we serve the law of God and the Scriptures. Confuse that mind, take a position where your mind is weakened by anything that you may eat, anything you may drink for your own gratification, step aside from the right, straight path as God has given us, and you are doing a serious wrong to yourself and to your neighbor. You can neither keep the commandments of God yourself nor be an example to your neighbor, therefore every living soul is under accountability to God. We have brain power, and God has given it to us; and He is telling us to preserve virtue, He is telling us to obtain knowledge—“Add to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance.” [Verses 5, 6.] You see, if you let your head become unbalanced, you go anywhere and anyhow. It is necessary for everyone that has had a strong defect of character, because of a defect of mind, to put that right; and they can do it, and God will help them to do it. God wants you to have a straight mind that you may know something. Here is a wonderful thing that I want to bring out in this chapter, and I want everyone to understand it. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 14

Temperance means everything to us. Open the saloons, and you can see its effect in robbery, you can see its effect in bribery, you may see its effect in stealing—overreaching, robbing your neighbor. Let liquor alone! You are not compelled to drink that which confuses the brain nerve power and puts it into a position that it cannot distinguish between right and wrong. You are bought with a price, bought with a price—and what a price! Our Prince, the Prince of life, the only begotten of the Father, was given—“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish” (John 3:16). Thank God for that not! There is a path that was purchased for you, which, if you follow, you shall not perish but have everlasting life. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 15

What did Christ do? Why, He laid off His royal robe, He laid aside His royal crown, He clothed His divinity with humanity and came as a little child of poor parents. He did not take life as a prince to rule, and yet divinity was clothed with humanity so that humanity might grasp the divinity and have that power to overcome the defects of the human character. To this end He worked at the carpenter’s trade with His father, humbling Himself to take temptations from the very first intelligence, and carrying through that great plan that in God men should stand as God designed they should stand—“partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [2 Peter 1:4.] 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 16

Can any of you make such a sacrifice? You can practice the sacrifice that Christ made by being faithful to God and faithful to the truth, then [be] “a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verse 4.] These victories are promised for us. How then can we destroy this nerve power and know not what we are about? How can we take a reckless course, I ask you, when the Father has estimated the value of man by giving you His only begotten Son to die a shameful death, taking the sins of the whole world upon Him? He died upon Calvary’s cross, and there was Satan exulting. But there was one scene—that was when the one who was hanging by His side confessed his sins to Christ and asked for a place when Christ should come into His kingdom. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 17

Now Satan was listening to all this. What did Christ say? “Verily I say unto you today,”—not that he would be in paradise today—“I say it today,”—because Christ was not in paradise that day; He did not go to His Father that day. “Verily I say unto you today”—hanging on this cross in mortal agony—“Thou shalt be with Me in paradise” (see Luke 23:43). Oh, what a promise was that! Who heard it? Satan heard it as a death knell. Though Satan had stirred up minds to kill; if He who was hanging upon that cross could say, “Verily I say unto thee today, Thou shalt be with Me in paradise,” the vindication of Christ would place the dying thief where Satan could not overcome him. Satan tried to overcome Christ by every kind of pain and suffering that he made our Saviour endure. But our Saviour came through it all. Thank God. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 18

Well, now, it is best for us to stand on the side of temperance. We want a clear perception, we want a calm frame of mind. Fathers, mothers, children, you want, every one of you, to stand in that position in which your perceptive faculties can discern between righteousness and unrighteousness; so that you can stand in a position to distinguish between what is godliness and what is ungodliness. You want to be very careful in this matter. I am very glad to see that our people are getting out of the ungodly cities, not that they do not make any effort for those that are in the cities, they should make for them every effort possible. They carry the truth to them; they have camp-meetings; they employ various means to reach sinners. Souls are being brought into the truth, and then you must help them. [Then those who accept] say, “I want now to go over to China, or into the great cities, places where they do not know the truth. I want to tell the truth to them.” The call is made continually, “Can you send us workers? Can you send us means? We have no means.” Some have gone out without means, right in among the greatest opposition, but the Lord has gone before them, and their work there shows—most wonderfully shows us—that they could carry on that work. What made that possible? It was the God-given power that impresses the hearts of men what they should do. He also has His protecting hand over His servants. And He gives them messages to bear. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 19

Temperance, temperance is all through the Scriptures. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue”—a virtuous character—“and to virtue knowledge.” [2 Peter 1:5.] What are you here for? What are the students here for? It is to obtain knowledge, and I am glad that you have this nice building in which you can educate, educate, educate. We must take our children from their very babyhood and educate them. How can you educate them from babyhood?—Never to speak a cross word, never to scold them. Why?—They don’t know what you mean? Why, I have seen little ones burst out crying as if their hearts would break if the voice would change. “Why, what is the matter with that child?” [someone would ask]. “Why,” said I, “you did not speak sweetly to him.” The little things recognize a scolding voice, and you must not do it. You must not bring them up in that way. What we want is to be fathers and mothers, to tell them to be converted and take their children from their babyhood and treat them gently, and yet not by indulging them to have everything they want. Say, “No, that won’t do you good.” Repeat that, and they will understand that you mean just what you say. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 20

Now, next to temperance, “patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity”—love. [Verses 6, 7.] I want you to understand that here is the sum that we are to work upon. It is an addition process, and here we read in the second verse—we go back—“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” You want a knowledge, you want to act out that knowledge, you want to act like sensible men and women. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 21

What are we preparing for? Do tell us. We are preparing for the society of the heavenly angels in the city of God. We are to form a character here in this life for a future immortal life. And then, when we come up to the gates of the city of God with our children, the gates are swung back upon their glittering hinges, and the nations that have kept the truth shall enter it and become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 22

Well now, in this world is our preparation. We must make that preparation most earnestly, as it is presented to us here. “And to godliness brotherly kindness”—charity. [Verse 7.] “For,”—now listen to the reason—“if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 8). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 23

Now you have got to work. The sum is turned over to you. You have to work on the sum of temperance. You are to guard your brain, that it shall not be overtaxed. ... 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 24

I went into a house of one little room, and there was a child sitting. He was sitting and trying to get his lessons. His father, a wicked man, said it is all he can have. “Well,” I inquired, “why did you not come and tell me? I take care of students. I have books. They are [sold] all over the world. I have a fund. Why did you not tell me?” Oh, the tears rolled down his cheeks. Said he, “It is too late now. The doctor says I am past recovery.” And in a few weeks he was in his grave. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 25

Where were those who should have looked after that man? Where were the teachers to inquire? Where was the medical missionary work that should have been carried on in that case? Well, that is only one case, while there are very many that are left stranded. They have the education, but they cannot use it. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 26

But the subject—“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Verse 8.] There you have the promise. Will you grasp it? Students, will you grasp it? But take care of the brain’s nerve power. I am glad you have got land where you can do something—exercise. How do you expect your poor brain to work from morning till night? Here are the limbs, they are to be exercised so that the blood won’t be taxed to the brain so much, so that they lose a sense of what they are about, until it is too late. Watch one another, help one another, invite one another to come out and to exercise their bone and their muscle. This I have been teaching for the last forty years. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 27

The light that has been given me of God, I have tried to give to the people, and we want to act like sensible men and women. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 28

But now, I shall not finish my subject unless I hurry on: “But he that lacketh these things is blind” (verse 9). They would rather study than to exercise their muscles, and some would exercise their muscles and overdo that. So we have to have Christ before us. We are bought with a price, and we must take care of Christ’s property, so that we can present ourselves to Christ without fault, so that He can welcome us into the family of God. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 29

Now, we must be diligent students. God help us to work to that point. “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (verse 9). And God wants us to take care of this body; He wants to put a harp in your hand; He wants to put a crown upon your head, and He wants to clothe you with white raiment, white and spotless. But you must, every one of you, work intelligently. God wants you to be in heaven, because He has bought you and has paid the price for your redemption. But you cannot be there unless you obey the commandments of God, and unless you follow out to preserve your own being in the very best condition of health to make the best impression upon the world around you. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 30

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (verse 10). If you will just take the words of God and carry them out, “ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom.” Now I want you to keep that everlasting in your minds—“into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent,” says the apostle, “to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me” (verses 11-14). Now here—“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty, for He received from God the Father honour, and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (verses 16, 17). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 31

Now we want to consider next the “entrance,” the 10th verse. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things ye shall never fall.” Now bear that in mind. “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verse 11.] What is this? My dear friends, what is this?—It is your life insurance policy. The eternal life insurance policy. Will you bear that in mind? If you will keep these things in remembrance, and do as He has told you, why, He says, “an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Now there is your eternal, everlasting life insurance policy. I want you to take that chapter and read it and read it until you understand it. You are to work first on the plan of addition, and, as you work on the plan of addition, then, like “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” (verses 1, 2). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 32

You work on the plan of addition and you see if the multiplication is not realized. “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (verses 3, 4). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 33

Now you just read this, and you will see your life everlasting policy. It is in obeying the Word of God verily—intensely obeying it. And may God help us, every one of us. He says: “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them” (verse 12). Who is he advising? Those who know them and “be established in the present truth.” Yet these, unless they take hold of the power of One who alone can hold them, will fall short. Why?—Because the devil lives. He is in our world; he is working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, and we want to have all this understood and ever before us, that we may have a sanctified will, that we may work on the principle of addition, while God works on the principle of multiplication. Now you just consider that this is the way the work is going. Every soul that is here in this building, consider these things. Do you want eternal life? Do you want the everlasting life insurance policy to be yours for a home in the kingdom of God? Why, it is life, life, eternal life! and it is glory that cannot be estimated by your neighbors here. I know that when that glory came upon me—sometimes as I would be speaking in the desk—I would catch a glimpse of that glory and fall prostrate to the floor; it was more than I could endure. It is the glory of God. I know what I am talking about. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 34

They gave me up to die away back when I was only 13, 14, and 15. They said I could not live after I was 15 years old. But I said, “Amen and amen, and if God sends me, a child, with a message—East and West and North and South—I shall go there,” and I have been working for the salvation of souls ever since I was first converted. And I tell you it pays, it pays. And I am now five months going into my eightieth year. I have a few months more to fill and I shall be eighty years old. I have been a cripple, a cripple for years, a cripple with a diseased hip, thrown from a horse in Colorado. I have had both limbs broken, one at the ankle and one between the ankle and the knee—split up. [Some said,] “Well now, with all these things she cannot live; she cannot live.” Said I, “I have a message, and I shall carry that message wherever I go. I have to write the things which I shall give to the world.” I have written a pile of books that high (measuring three or four feet with her hands) that have been printed; and yet my work is not done, and I thank God that He has spared my life. I have never had better health during my life than I have had for the last years of my life. We know God can do for us great things. I know it. I know He can do it, if we will do our duty faithfully to God. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 35

Now I want to know which of you that want to secure this eternal life policy. I have only just hinted at it, but I have written many books that explain these things. I want to know how many want eternal life. I want to know how many in this room are seeking for this life insurance policy. Will you rise up and let me know? (Congregation responded by rising.) Thank God. Every soul that is brought to Christ, and that will live after Christ’s pattern, will walk into the open gates and go no more—no more out forever—separated from our God. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 36

Why, I do not consider anything a cross. But I do consider it is one of the greatest things to win souls to Christ. I speak to these students because I go now to Loma Linda, then to San Diego, and I want to say to all, “Help one another.” If you want to help yourself, help one another. Be kind. Do not speak a word that will irritate, because that is the devil speaking through you, and you cannot afford it. God wants us to have His temper, He wants us to have a sweet disposition. He wants every one of us to be kind, to be courteous. Try it, children. You will see how much easier it will be for you when you kneel down to pray, that you have been obtaining victories. Children, may the blessing of God rest upon you in its fullest measure, and may you discern what Christ is to you, and what you may be to Christ. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12, 13). 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 37

Everyone, keep that in view. I will not irritate one of my schoolmates. I will not by my voice, by the tones of my voice, or by any of my actions place a temptation in anyone’s way. I will try to help them. The devil with all his host is trying to rush right in and to take advantage of that mind that you have darkened with temptation. It does not blister your lips to speak a pleasant word. You can speak pleasant words and kind words. And let me tell you, it will not be written in heaven that you have spoiled your own experience and you have spoiled the experience of others. Now God help you that you may put on every piece of armor and that you may fight manfully the battles of the Lord. We have a heaven to win and a hell to shun. Now God loves all these young people, and He wants you to represent Him in this school. He wants you to be in a position, working on the plan of addition—“Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8). There is the promise. Will you take it? Will you hold it? God grant that you may. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 38

I will not hold you here [longer]. I do not want to weary you, and I will not hold you here any longer, but I want to say to you that I am very thankful that you have this place, this house. They wrote to me before it was purchased. “What do you think of purchasing that house?” But they brought in many objections to the things around it. Said I, “Do not wait at all. We have no money with which to build houses now; but if they will offer it at a reasonable sum, and you can go right into it, take it, by all means.” 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 39

I gave the first speech here. That was over this chamber, over this room. But I made the first speech to the scholars, there were but few, in a little room, not as many as in this column of seats, but there was a promise in my breast. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 40

What you want, fathers and mothers, is to get your children out of the cities. Get them where they shall not fall into temptation wherever they go. That is my message. Get buildings out of the cities. I was asked, “What about Loma Linda?” That splendid property offered for forty thousand dollars. “What do you think of it?” The question came while I was away at Washington. We were building other houses there—the school houses and the printing offices—and we had that matter of moving to Washington. I told my son [W. C. White]—it was Friday and next day was Sabbath—“Go just as quickly as your feet can carry you, and tell them to take that by all means.” Well, another unfavorable message came in: “Don’t get that building, for it will be an elephant on your hands.” But I had sent my letter explaining—the one that we had given Elder [J. A.] Burden—that we had given orders and directions. He said there are objections to purchasing it, but my letter got in soon after my telegram. So he went right back to them. He went right back. “I have words positive to take this building, and I am going to take it.” Said they, “I am glad. I was just going to send two men to give these buildings in their charge to dispose of.” And thus we were just in time. But I knew that we ought to have that building. We have got it, thank God, we have got it. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 41

Thank God you have got a place here. When they sent to ask about that, I said, “Take it, by all means.” When they sent to ask for the one at San Diego as to what they should do, a great noble-looking building that cost $25,000 was offered for $15,000. We took it, and it is occupied. It is one of the nicest sanitariums. We had to put additions to it, and it is now being carried on today. Another that was purchased is Glendale. Now the Lord presented this, that these things should be taken up. We cannot sit down and rest and do nothing. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 42

Students are to be educated that they may be missionaries at home. They are calling for missionaries from all parts of the world, and we try to furnish them with money and with men and women. And the Lord is blessing their efforts. We believe that in the little time that we have here to work, we must act like men that are waiting for their Lord, when He shall return from the wedding, and when we shall go into the marriage supper of the Lamb. Christ is coming, we believe it without a doubt, and we want all of you to get ready; but let me tell you: Be kind, be courteous, be tender, be true. When you feel that there is something said that you have to refute, just remember, “silence is eloquence.” Do not put out your words that will irritate, irritate, but be silent. Do not irritate; keep your words from irritating, and that will be the greatest rebuff that you can ever give to the busybodies. God help us to take hold of the work. Christ is coming in the clouds of heaven. Christ warned us of what would take place in divers places, and He went on to describe all about it, and you just read it in the Word, and then every one of you put on the wedding garment. What is the wedding garment? It is Christ’s character. It is to put on the virtues of Christ’s character, as I have been reading to you. God help us that we may every one of us help a brother or a sister, and don’t tell one thing that will discourage. We want to be helpful, we want to sing the praises of God. “Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth” God (see Psalm 50:23). Why, then, let us place every soul possible that we can on vantage ground, to have strength to put on the armor and to resist the enemy, and to fight the battles of the Lord, and in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth obtain the victory. Now there is a victory for every one of us, if we will have it. Remember, Sister White has told you that from the light God has given her, there is victory for everyone who will have it and will work for it. But unless you work on the plan of addition, you never can receive on the plan of multiplication. You are to work, to add grace to grace, faith to faith, and the power of God will come in, and you will find that you will have a Counselor in our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless this co-operation. I would like to pray a few words. 22LtMs, Ms 164, 1907, par. 43