Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 23 (1908)
Ms 129, 1908
Warning Against Lending Aid to the Enemy
NP
1908
Previously unpublished.
Yesterday and this morning I have had a message to give to our brethren. I was in a gathering of people, and there were collected in groups persons who were dwelling on certain things, and they were questioning the reliability of some things in my early experience which they thought were in error. One drew near and listened attentively to the words spoken. All understood he was a man of authority. He said, “Your words are not called for. Questioning is not timely nor wise nor just. Can you not see all this issue you are bringing in is untimely? Can you judge righteously on this subject? Who gave you this burden? Not the Lord. It is certain to create an issue to put into the hands of your opponents. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 1
“Cannot you read from cause to effect? The matter of difficulty is not to be talked of or dwelt upon, for it creates an issue and you get this interwoven with your labors. The very work that has been so long neglected—to give the message of Bible truth, which is vital to the souls of the people—will be neglected still. The enemy will work to great advantage. This question is on a subject that in no wise concerns the salvation of souls as a test question. Silence on your part is eloquence.” 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 2
The testing truth for this time is to be made straight and plain before the people with clear, determined voice. There is now a decided work to be done. There is a company who are not doing the work which should be their burden. The message is yet to be given in all the cities of the South. Do not place before the mind a question that will, if agitated, cause division at the very heart of the work. Let your burden be to reach souls. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 3
You are putting into the hands of the enemy questions which are not to be agitated. Can you not reason from cause to effect? This is a scheme of Satan and, Elder Prescott, if persons come to you with questions which you are placing before the minds of others, that are not vital questions, and get the minds into confusion, you will work on the enemy’s side. The cities are kept before you unwarned; and when the converting power of God shall come in to work with every soul that is in Takoma Park, Washington, and gather those who will have a vital interest, they will not be dwelling on subjects that are in no way essential for this time. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 4
I am to warn our people, Give the enemies no opportunity to be furnished by you with questioning doubts of the work the Lord is doing through the testimonies. God has not laid on any man this subject. The great subject now is the commandments of God. I was referred to Isaiah, chapters 48, 51, 52, 58 and 60. These chapters should stir the souls of the people. Carry these things in your mind, and seek the Lord and work the works so essential to be done. But give not yourselves into the hands of the enemy, for you have not that spiritual strength that you need. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 5
Keep out every question that is not of vital interest to the saving of souls. Other questions will be thrust in that will set minds upon a train that will give the enemies of our faith great rejoicing, and those who are wise need to keep before the people the great issues that determine the soul’s salvation. Let every soul connected with the work in your conference take time to pray to the Lord; and if they individually desire to have physical health, let them discard all meat eating and tea drinking and eat simple food of a kind to strengthen the physical and mental powers. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 6
Now there were many things presented to me that I must present to you. As families near the sanitarium, seek that you shall recommend the sanitarium by your own temperance in health reform; and then the tongue will speak of the goodness of the Lord in a sanctified way. The Lord God of Israel has given me many words to speak, but He has not given you the burden that you shall give to our enemies just what they want, for them to use as Satan shall move them. Now let your words be proper words. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 7
I was also given words to speak to the leading men who are acting as a dominating power. The Lord would have a change in the administration in Oakland and Mountain View and all important places connected with Oakland. Three years is a long time for men to serve in such important places—men who pay no regard to the cautions the Lord has given, but who have carried their own judgment and their own ideas to the molding of the people. There must now be a change in the order of things. The Lord is not honored or glorified by the administration, and a different religious atmosphere must now be brought in and a different work accomplished than has been done. The Lord will have Elder Haskell and his wife to come in, and the most faithful and true men to act the coming year, and this I present to the people. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 8
Elder Cottrell, the Lord calls upon you to help Elder Haskell in every way possible, for unless the converting power of God shall mold and fashion Elder Knox and Elder Corliss after the divine similitude, their influence will not be a saving influence. There are men who have been long in the truth, but whose ministration of the truth is perverted. Jeremiah 5:1-5; 7:1-7. The end is near. The judgments of God are in the land, and San Francisco is a living testimony to the condition of our world. And now, with all this before the men who have served, there has been a ministration that would, if continued, make the testimony God has given a matter of nought. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 9
I thank the Lord with heart and soul and voice for the work the Lord is doing for Elder Reaser, because he gave heed to the testimonies God has given. These testimonies are now becoming established in the churches in the southern field. But it is repeated to me, The Lord will have the spiritual atmosphere changed in Oakland and a decided effort made to cleanse away the objectionable features that exist in Oakland and the surrounding villages and towns. The Lord would have a decided message come into Oakland and extend as far and as strong as possible to San Francisco. The work of sanctification and purification needs to be constantly going on in these cities, for there are those who will be warned and will be converted. Daniel 7:9-28. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 10
The great things to take place are before us and we, all who are living, shall see to the end of these judgments which are before us in San Francisco. We can say, concerning San Francisco and the many places where the judgments of God have been witnessed, that they are a standing warning to the people in Oakland, opening to them what Daniel in vision saw would be. “And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterwards I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.” Daniel 8:26, 27. “And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession.” See Daniel 9:3-19. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 11
Let all who have a careless disposition in spiritual things come to their senses. We are the people concerned in these things in our world, and no soul is to take up suppositions and make them definitions of the Word that shall confuse the people of God and do more harm than our enemies. We read: 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 12
“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” Daniel 9:1-3. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 13
Here we have the source of Daniel’s wisdom. He sought the Lord. He could not confine himself to the king’s business, but he was speaking with the King of kings and Lord of lords. Daniel had communion with God. The address of Daniel to God was in the Lord’s keeping before he was cast into the lion’s den. The one special duty of Daniel was to keep close to his duty in prayer, although under the decree that if any man made a prayer to God, he should be cast into the lion’s den. A promise had been made, “After seventy years ... I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you.” Jeremiah 29:10. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 14
Though Daniel was himself a prophet, yet he consulted the scriptural record found in the books. He understood by books that seventy years was the time fixed for the continuance of the desolation of Jerusalem. The book was the prophecies of Jeremiah. God had said, “I will visit you and perform My good word toward you.” [Verse 10.] Though Daniel himself was a great prophet, well acquainted with the visions of God, yet he was a diligent searcher of the Scriptures. He thought it wise to consult Jeremiah’s prophecies. And he prayed to God aloud most earnestly. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 15
We are to learn the lessons God has given us and to seek the Lord and to understand. Great things are before us. And if the enemy can obtain access to minds, to undermine the testimonies God has given me in my youth, he will make every word the ministers shall speak as a voice to create doubt. Unless they shall seek the Lord and become sanctified in speech and in their hearts, they will be left in darkness. (Daniel 10): hear this. Take notice of verses 20, 21. Here are the heavenly powers in connection with the earthly. “Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your Prince.” There are heavenly agencies communing with the earthly to reveal that which shall take place. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 16
“And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God ...; yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.” Daniel 9:20-22. 23LtMs, Ms 129, 1908, par. 17