Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 187, 1907

Sermon/Thoughts on Exodus 19

Los Angeles, California

May 19, 1907

Previously unpublished.

Exodus 19:1-6. Now that takes us all in, every one of us. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 1

Verse 7. This means just what it says. Now I come to Deuteronomy 4:1-8. I wonder if most of us have forgotten that all these particulars are given in the Old Testament Scriptures in regard to a people that shall be obedient in these last days and all through history. God came down with His power and His glory upon Mount Sinai to express the very things that He would have them to be. It is the Word of the living God that we are to keep in mind, and if we studied the Scriptures one-hundredth part of what we do now, we should have one of the greatest reformations that was ever seen among our people. But there are so many that depart from the Word of the Lord. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 2

Verses 7-9. Children and grandchildren are to be taught and educated. We have no right to get into commercialism, to give our whole attention to that business and let our children come up without the sacred repetition of God’s requirements to them. Take heed to this. It begins with individual self. It is for the highest interest of our souls today and tomorrow and so on until the time of Christ’s coming in the clouds of heaven. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 3

Verses 9, 10. Sons and daughters are to be taught. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 4

Verses 11-15. Now, I want everything of these words that come straight from the lips of God to Moses on the mount, I want you to study them for your profit, for the Lord has presented to me that unless His people shall come up to a higher standard, idolatry will be in their midst in one shape or another that will cut them away from the strength of Israel. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 5

Verses 15, 16. Supposing we have less pictures taken. Supposing we shall bring ourselves into covenant relation to God, and the money we spend in getting our own pictures produced we should bring it right into the missionary work and have a missionary box in every house. In the place of committing the idolatry we should bring our children to understand that this picture-taking and these magazines that are brought into our houses are wrong. They need to keep their minds on the living God, to serve Him, lest what? Lest they should commit idolatry over humanity, over anything on the face of the earth. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 6

Verses 16-19. What He wants is His image produced in mind, in words, in regard to character; we are to carry that out. Judgment upon judgment is coming upon our earth, and I entreat of you for Christ’s sake that you begin at the Old Testament, and what God has said with His own lips that you shall pay some heed unto it. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 7

Verses 20-22. Now there was the one sin—that the man whom God had trusted and given light and evidence and power and grace, there was one sin—that he was giving glory to himself. He was angry. Should he not have been angry? He smote that rock with a rod, when God had not told him to. Speak to the rock, and it shall give forth its waters. Well, he was angry with their continual murmurings, so that instead of speaking to the rock, he smote it. Shall I bring you water out of this rock, ye rebels? There was the meekest man upon the face of the earth that forgot. It will not pay to forget. It will not pay to become careless in any of God’s requirements. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 8

My dear friends, I see you before me, whether I can make you all hear I do not know, but I want to tell you that we want to study the Bible a great deal more than we do. It is the Word of God. It has the conditions laid down for our salvation, and we need not be ignorant in this matter. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 9

Verses 23-26, 27-30. We are in the latter days. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 10

Verses 30-35. Will the rest of us know it? Isn’t it the highest consequence that the highest member of the family know God? I read this to you because I am afraid that you do not understand the claims of God. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 11

Verses 36, 37. Now, I wish that you would take these things and read them. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 12

Chapter 5:1. Now in every place and test that they came to, all these things that I have read to you, and all through the things that were come, there stood Moses and repeated them all to the children of Israel. More than that, the important matters they composed in songs. The children and they went through the wilderness were educated to go there, and step by step as they sang these songs, it was important to them to keep the step as they went. It makes some difference whether we take heed to the Word of the living God or pay no attention to it. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 13

There is much here. And I do not know as I can get through with it all. I will not read it all, but a few things more I might read. But this I want to say: We make little account of God’s Word. We read it but very little; we are not students of prophecy, very many are not, and that is the reason that your hearts are so easily diverted on many things. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 14

Now, as I travel from place to place, and as I see now when I am nearly eighty years old the great work that is essential to be done in homes, in families, O, how I long to have every father and mother realize their accountability. The father is the priest of the household. The father is where he must take the Word of God and educate his children. The mother is the queen of the household. She is not to be made a slave. But there is a mistake; the mothers let the children do just about as they please, to play all the time, and nothing serious is taught them in usefulness. Here is a mother with a large family of children; unless these children are educated from childhood to take their responsibilities and to act a part in the home to lighten the mother’s cares, let me tell you that mother is worn out before her time. She is taken away from her children. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 15

Fathers and mothers unitedly should educate their children to take charge of the younger children and thus they are obtaining an education. Educate them to be kind, to be courteous. Educate them to modulate the voice so that it shall not create a disturbance with the little ones. And here is the education coming right on in the home, and just that which is essential. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 16

I have been in many a home where the mother must hunt for everything that the children have mislaid. Fathers and mothers, unitedly take up your work if you ever want your children to be Christians and to come into line to be laborers together with God. Teach them self-denial. Teach them self-sacrifice. In the name of the Lord, do this. There are coming from all countries letters saying, We are trying to enter these new fields. Cannot you help us? 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 17

Well, I have tried to do it. I started out in Europe. I told them if they would listen to what I told them, I would just as surely help them in every way possible. They told me only to go around once. I went three times around the whole region, to Denmark and Sweden, and Norway, and Italy, and all these countries. I went around with my interpreter. I took an interpreter standing by my side, and I took pains to educate, educate, educate. And that is what I want to see done now. That is the matter with us today, why we are in so low an ebb of Christianity. Educate, educate, educate in your homes with the missionary spirit. It is not all commercialism that is going to ripen you for the kingdom of God. No. I want to say, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, that I bring you the Word of the Lord. There are too many Eli’s in the congregation of Israel that let the children do just as they please, notwithstanding God has commissioned them what they should do. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 18

But here was Eli. The curse of God came upon his children. The father hearing the battle was lost fell backwards and died. But fathers, mothers, you are to show your religious standing in your own house. Show kindness; no need to have a violent word, a scolding word. God forbids it. Your tongue is a talent. Your words are a talent. Your brain is a talent. Your speech is a talent. And God wants you to educate that talent, that it should be exercised to His name’s glory. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 19

Drunkenness is everywhere. And we see what judgments are coming upon the earth. I have been in San Francisco. I have spoken several times there in the mercy of God, in the meetinghouse my husband and I and two or three others united in building. The fire came almost to it—to Van Ness Avenue. But it stopped, and there stands our meetinghouse. There was a baptism when I was there. And I could make appeals to them of the self-denial, the self-sacrifice that we had to make to bring things in shape so that we could have a meetinghouse. And souls were converted. Well, that was many years ago, but it stands there, with only just a little plaster off from the house. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 20

They are drifting right into Oakland. From the light that I have had, Oakland will come under judgments of God for wickedness. Wickedness is revealing itself in every line. In one case, a couple married, and he got drunk, and do you know the liquor is drugged now? No one can use it, but it makes them mad, and they do not know what they are doing. He got up and took a knife and cut her fingers right off from one hand, and then from the other, and she goes into court, and she pleads for that husband, Do not punish him; he did not know what he was doing. Temperance! Why isn’t it revived? Why isn’t it being ever more extended and powerful than it is today? I ask you. It is because these Scriptures that are given here are just passed by, and not noticed at all. You cannot afford it. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 21

Fathers, mothers, you cannot afford it. It is all written in the book, every departure from the counsel of God that He came down from the highest heaven to Mount Sinai to give to His people—precept by precept, commandment by commandment. There it was written upon tables of stone, and put in the ark of the testimony to be immortalized. And we want to know what families are doing who claim to believe the truth that the Lord is at the door, and that the judgments of God are in our world. We want to know what every soul is doing. Do you let your temporal business so overwhelm you that you will not obey the counsel of God? The Lord is coming. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 22

When I was here the last time at Loma Linda, during the night season there was an awful scene presented to me. In the morning when they got up, they said, “Sister White, are you going to Los Angeles?” “Yes,” said I, “I suppose so.” And there I sat. “Well then, it is best for you to get ready.” “I cannot do a thing, not a thing. Something has been presented to me and it has taken all my life and courage away from me. Whatever is done you must do it.” So they packed up my things, and we came to this place. The first thing after we got into the place we heard the news that San Francisco was destroyed. Well, now that almost paralyzed me, the sight that was presented. The souls that were lost, eternally lost! They died without hope in the world. Not every life that was taken, but every soul that was not ready. Now it becomes us to be sensible. It becomes every one to consider we have a God, and His requirements are in His Word. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 23

At some future time I may be able to speak with you again. I have been speaking now almost continually for weeks, and we have seen the representation of the Spirit of God in our midst. And we have seen attention given to those that have no special light in regard to our field, that the Lord is soon coming. Well, there was such interest around in the places that I have entered, new places, and I want to see missionaries raised up. I am glad there is a school that is at Loma Linda, that beautiful place. I am glad there is a school there, and they are educating young men and young women to become laborers together, not aside from God, but together with God. There should be a school everywhere there is a sanitarium. And there the books should unite in the education and training of the work of physicians—physicians and also the work to be Bible doctors, so as to be missionaries. We try in every place to establish this. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 24

When we went to Australia we took a whole 1,500 acres of land, and they laughed at us. But we know we had a work to do there. And we know that we have had a work to do here in purchasing the Loma Linda property that was brought within our reach, and we want to furnish that school. And we want in every way, everything possible done to have the educating power there that shall be of a sanctified order. We want not trivial work done there. We are working for eternity, and we know not how soon the judgments of God will be in Los Angeles. From the light given me of God it is not long. It will follow. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 25

Wickedness, idolatry, drunkenness, self-indulgence are all through our cities, and God wants those that claim to believe the truth to be sanctified through the truth. “Ye are,” said Christ, “the light of the world.” [Matthew 5:14.] Now, what is the church? Let your light so shine before men that they by seeing your good works may glorify your Father which is in heaven. Will you do it? We are straining every nerve. I am up hours before any one else is stirring in the house, to trace upon paper that which will come out in books. My son and Professor Magan are at work in St. Helena. We are trying in every way that we can to create funds, that we may send men. I want to go, says one, but there is no money to take me. I want to work for the Lord. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 26

I told them in Europe when I went there, “If you will promise me that you will do your best, I will help you.” Well, they wanted a laborer; I got it for them. And then two or three thousand dollars more to carry on the work. I provided it for them. And up to this time I have not received one dollar of royalty on my books for the whole of Europe, and I say, Just as long as you work, I will not take a dollar from the royalty. You just work the best you can, and souls are coming into the truth and openings are being made everywhere. Now I cannot do everything. I have felt O so strongly that I wished that for every extra laid out for the indulgence of self, you could see before you the hungering and thirsting of others for the truth. I told Elder Matteson, “If you will take a class and educate them, I will see that you are supported in it. Will you do it?” Well, he said he would. After the last visit was made, he told me, Don’t you leave this place till you come up and see my school. Well, there were about twenty-five people, men and women, and every man had his insignia of his nationality. They did not ask them to destroy that. And he brought them; he had taught every one of them to meet me in words of English that I could understand. And they would come one after another to speak to me in English, and O how thankful I was. I felt as though nothing was lost. These young men have been working, working. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 27

One sends to me, Now I have a thousand dollars from the sale of your books, and will you let me have a part of it to educate others? I wrote right back, Don’t you ever send me a dollar. You use it for educating, educating. I believe you will, said I. So the work is extending, entering new places, opening the Scriptures, and teaching the people. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 28

I want to say about the contribution boxes, as I have written to Nashville years ago. Make it after a pattern and put it in your house; educate your children to put right in that box the pennies and the silver bits and what they are tempted to use for the indulgence of appetite. We have to have something to sustain the work in the Southern states, and to educate the colored people. Many thousands of dollars have been brought in in that way. Now I advise fathers and mothers to begin a fund, contribution boxes which have been planned for the education, and see if you cannot be self-denying as Christ was. He walked on foot from city to city and from place to place. I wanted to tell you all about here, but I am getting hoarse, and I shall have to stop. Now I want to say, The Lord lives and reigns. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 29

Now we read here in Deuteronomy 7:6. We want the spirit of self-sacrifice. We forget, some of us, that there are souls to be saved, and that God calls for missionaries. I want you to come right up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. If you have money in the banks, it is God’s money; it is not yours; every dollar, every dollar is the Lord’s. The gold and the silver, He says, is Mine. We want you to have a spirit of generosity, and to act your part in the conversion of souls. That is what we want you to do. God help you to put on the armor of His righteousness. I will not attempt to say more now. 22LtMs, Ms 187, 1907, par. 30