Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 23 (1908)

Ms 140, 1908

Sermon/A World-Wide Work

Healdsburg, California

November 14, 1908

Previously unpublished.

I wanted to read a little to you of our experience in Sebastopol: 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 1

“Dear Brother and Sister Haskell: We had a long and wearisome journey to Sebastopol last Friday. Much of the way was over a steep and very narrow mountain road, but no harm came to us. We passed through Santa Rosa, then on to Sebastopol. We has to inquire our way several times to Brother Christianson’s, where we desired to spend the night. At last, however, we found the place, were heartily welcomed, and greatly appreciated the rest in this pleasant home. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 2

“Sabbath morning we rode seven miles to the meetinghouse. The church was not large enough to accommodate all who desired to hear.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 3

Now let us consider that. We want, in the building of our churches, to put a little more expense to have them large enough to accommodate the outside people, or any that may come in. Now there, I saw before me, well, it touched my heart. On the front seats there was just room enough to stand and sing, etc. And there were the very nicest young people, from 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 years old, and I considered in regard to the matter: if we all realize the opportunities that were offered to us in instructing the young, in giving them in simplicity the truth, and then out of the meeting live that truth. They may speak and act perhaps unbecomingly, but it never will cure them for you to act unbecomingly. We are Christian, and therefore we must exemplify the Spirit of Jesus Christ. I thought what an opportunity there was for those that were in that section of the country to do a splendid work for God, not only in their speech, but in their dress. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 4

They could dress plain and simply, and when calls came for donations, then they would have something to give, because they had not put it all upon their bodies, but they had tried in every way to obtain something, every one to act a part. It is a privilege to act a part in the work that is to go forward. Now this is the privilege of us all. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 5

“To those assembled I spoke from the first chapter of Second Peter. I then returned to Brother Christianson’s while Willie remained to visit among the people. He spoke to the young people in the afternoon. Sunday forenoon, Willie spoke again, and I spoke in the afternoon. But I am too weary to write full particulars. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 6

“I did not make an appeal for means, and thought it not wise to mention the Buena Vista property, as there were present both believers and unbelievers. However, I spoke decidedly of the great and earnest work to be done; for the world is fast ripening for the closing up of its history. Those who are truly serving the Lord Jesus will be a holy, sanctified people, communicating the light of truth to all around them.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 7

Not only in their households, but outside of their households, communicating with those who are not in the faith, not merely those that believe as we believe, and as you believe, but just present [the truth] in the most earnest manner. You can do this by taking some of the books that you have in your hand and ask them if they would be pleased to purchase these books, and thus they would have the right idea of our faith. Now that is a splendid work to do, and if they do not want the books, just converse with them in a kind and tender manner, speaking of the Scriptures, and out of the Scriptures. We do not do, from the light God has given me, one-hundredth part of what we ought to do, and get time to arouse the interest of the people. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 8

“However, I spoke decidedly of the great and earnest work to be done; for the world is fast ripening for the closing up of its history.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 9

Bear that in mind. We will have to give an account for the opportunities that we have, and we spend them on some unessential matters to occupy our time. But there is earnest work for us to do for those that are ready to perish. Do we believe the Lord is coming? That He is right at hand? Why, our cities are testifying of their corruption. They think nothing of killing a man that interferes with their ideas, and they are coming to a strange pass, and yet our people are not as much aroused as they should be to take these matters and view them in their real colors, just as they are. There they see, and put right in their papers, such a man, he did such an evil work, a terrible work. You read the papers, you know what they say. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 10

And they were under the influence of liquor, and yet the liquor stores, some are trying to make an effort to close them, but yet they live. The liquor is poisoned. It is poisoned, that when they take this liquor it runs through their veins, and they do not know what they do. They cannot tell what they do. And they are like men that are mad, and afterwards they say, Well, I did not know I did that; I was in liquor. Well, then, when the city know just what the influence of this liquor is doing, why do they not rise? Why don’t they see their duty as men in high authority, and close these things? They will have to give an account to God for these murders, because they allowed them to take place. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 11

Now God wants us to come right to the front, and He wants us to consider that we have a responsibility we can in no wise avoid. We must do everything that we can to hedge the way of this iniquity, and not leave the temptations before those, that they have kept the liquor stores open, and they have taken their drinks, and then they are mad. It is poison that they mingle with their liquor and their wines. It poisons the blood that is in their veins. Now, here is the very work we can begin to do wherever we are in any place, with an eye single to the glory of God. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 12

“Those who are truly serving the Lord Jesus will be a holy, sanctified people, communicating the light of truth for all around them. In their lives they will exemplify the value of truth practiced.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 13

“Sunday afternoon I related to the congregation some of our experiences in Cooranbong, where in beginning the work we walked out in the providence of God.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 14

And He did work for us. We did not know how in the world we were going to obtain means to carry the work, and there was no place of worship. “Well,” Elder Daniells said, “we can build up just as you take slats right up straight, and just have it enclosed, and that is the best we can do, and it is all we can do.” Said I, “Elder Daniells, the Lord does not want us to do that. I am trying for means, and I hope we shall get it. But,” said I, “don’t disturb your soul in regard to how our meetinghouse shall be built, for we shall have it.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 15

Now the Lord helped us, but it was a trying time. None of you can imagine how trying it was. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 16

We walked out into the fields and we would ask for a little schoolhouse that we might speak in, but no, no, we did not believe as they did, and we could not have the schoolhouse. Then I called them right into the field, and there we met on the [ground]. Putting down pieces of boards, we made a place for them to sit, and there I spoke to them the words of life, and if every God spoke through His humble instrument, He spoke at those times. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 17

But we were not left to go all the way struggling in this way. I sent to Africa. Said I, Will you send us 200 pounds; we must have it, and we want you to send it to us. Well, the 200 pounds came, and then you should have seen the rejoicing when I told Elder Daniells that 200 pounds had come from Africa. Now we will put up just as plain a house of worship as possible, but we must have it. Well, he could not speak for some time, but just burst out crying, and he cried, Lord, forgive us for our unbelief, forgive us. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 18

Well, then it was the school. We must have that school established. We are trying to get the buildings up where we could bring the students in, and what should we do but pray for a living faith in God that He will work His own appointed way. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 19

We kept praying, and finally I told them, We must have means; we cannot go on doing the work without it, and we must pray, and we must believe. We hired means. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 20

That is not a good plan, but we had to do it. You hire means, and they let you have means at a limited interest, but that means will be liable to be called in any time. That is not the wise thing, and our people have been getting in a queer rut. Instead of saying, Lord, I will act my part as You act Your part, I will furnish You means, I will help You the best I can, and I will go to others and get them to help You. Now do you not see that when in a very strait time, we know not how we are going to get along, that means may be called for? 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 21

Every one that can make an offering out and out, I am charged by the Spirit of the Lord to say, Make it. But do not let our brethren feel that if they just loan at interest, and make you their bank that they have made an offering to God, because it is not so. They are safer than if they were in any bank in our land, and what God calls for is self-sacrifice to carry His work at this time, for it will be bound off suddenly. Well, here you see our brethren flatter themselves that if they do loan that money it is perfectly safe, therefore they can take interest on that money, and when they want it, it is there. Well, what self-denial have you made? What sacrifice have those made that have done this work? You see there is no sacrifice at all. It is insuring your money that you never would lose it. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 22

And then those that have hired that money. I have had to do it. I have had to hire money again and again to advance the work that must be done. It comes to a crisis and it must be done. Well, then that money is entrusted to my hands. The next comes, there is some member of the family dies, and then they want that money, and so that is the way that the work goes on. They want that money that they loaned to me, because there is one member of the family that has died, and they want the money to take care of him, etc. There is our situation. I have had to go right to the bank just recently, and have had to take right out of the bank and pay interest for the money that we hired to carry on the work. Well, they did not call for it until a necessity came, but it is not the right way to do. I have been brought in such a place that it is next to impossible for me to sleep nights. It is only a few hours that I can sleep nights. I see and understand there is a work to be done. Well, then I see that work must be done; it must not be hindered. Well, I go right and draw from the bank. I have to do it, and then I have to pay bank interest. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 23

But I want to say once for all, Those that have gifts that they can offer to the cause of God, need to know that they are sacrificing to the Lord. They are giving these gifts to have a part, to be a co-laborer with Jesus Christ in His work. Well, when they want to do this way, be it a small sum or a large sum, they say, I will act my part in self-denial and self-sacrifice to the cause. Now we want you to bear that in mind. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 24

Well, we were brought to our wits’ end. We did not know what to do in Cooranbong. We prayed day and night that the Lord would teach us what we could do. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 25

Then there was quite a party, that took an interest, of the very best workmen that could be found to have a recess, and they would come up to Cooranbong, and see what they were about there. Well, Sara McEnterfer who is united with me in my work, said, “Harness the team. We must go right and see these men.” So we went, and told them our situation. “Will you work for us? What will you do for us at this emergency? We cannot pay you your price, but what will you do, what will you work for?” “We get three dollars a day for our work, and we will work for six shillings, and we will give you half of that.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 26

Well, there they came right in, and there was self-sacrifice. They sacrificed in order that we might have the very advantages that we have there now. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 27

So the work went on, and some would feel that they did not know how they could longer keep up in this way, etc. “Elder Haskell,” said I, “go right in there, tell them what we are doing. We have got to have the wells dug. We have got to use the waters from beneath, for we have none from above, and while there is a dearth we must have our wells.” “Well, how can we get them?” “Well,” said I, “let us go into the meeting place.” I tell you what a meeting place! I would not attempt to describe it, no more fit for the worship of God than a barn, and not half as much. Well, I told them the situation. “Now what shall we do? What can we do? Who will volunteer?” “Well,” said I, “you may have all of my workers.” They were clearing my land, and I had three or four workers. “I will give you my workers, and charge nothing for their work.” 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 28

Then what can we do? What shall we do now in this crisis? Twenty women stood right up in the congregation that knew nothing of what work was out of their own house. They said, “We will go. We will do this part of the work, and another would do that part of the work.” And so we brought in these workers, and when the brick man was there, these women would bring in the brick to them, and put them down and slide them to the bottom of the well. Then they would lay the bricks in the cellar. Sister Haskell and Sara McEnterfer, went right in to the house, and Brother James would pry the boards together. You could not handle them as you can here. Many of you have to bore with an auger before you can get a nail in it. One old gentleman that had retired from labor and was making it his home in our house, said he, I will attend to the painting of the doors. Well, that was a good job. So these women went in and they laid the floors, and thus the work was carried on after that order. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 29

The time was set when the school should begin. Now I want to tell you there are so few that have any kind of sense of what it means to sacrifice for the truth’s sake. But we want to be brought where we shall be tested and tried. Well, the men that were preparing the church would get out of patience sometimes. They would think they were doing nothing. “Elder Haskell,” said I, “Go right in, kneel down among the shavings, and do you pray to God there.” Elder Haskell went right in and knelt down in the shavings, and the blessing of the Lord would come upon them, and when they would arise, every one of those workers that had donated to help us, the tears were running down their cheeks, and when they would get through at night, all would gather together, and tell their experience. Well, this experience was worth something. It was an individual, thorough experience to them. Said they, “I have learned more of religion since I have been here than I knew in all my life before.” And thus we carried on the work in these new fields. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 30

I would go with my phaeton away out where they were building a railroad, and there would be the camps made where they were working, and their wives were in the tent, and I would stand up in my phaeton, and I would speak the words of life to them there. And the women, the tears streaming down their cheeks would come to me. “I never heard it in this wise before. Will you come again?” “Yes,” said I, “I will come again and speak to you again.” But that is the way the work was carried forward in Cooranbong. And every one had their part to act, and their self-sacrifice in the work. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 31

Now we want that every soul of us should come under the due obligation, to understand that they have a part to act. I know that there are many that have done nobly, and have tried to do everything that they could, but it has come to be at this time that it is a loan, and now somebody had got to meet that loan, and I have to do it more than anybody else. I meet these loans, and there is not a penny coming in to help me meet these loans. I meet them myself. Yet the blessing of God has come upon me in a special manner healthwise. And I have felt to praise His name with heart and soul and voice that He has given me health. How is it today? Next 26th of this month I shall be eighty-one years old. Now, if the Lord does not bless me, where does that blessing come from? 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 32

I want to tell you, my brethren, that we must understand individually what sacrifice means, that when you put money into the hands and reckon it up that you are doing a lot for the cause, yet every dollar you expect to be returned, they pay you interest on that, so that your money is in a sure bank, a sure bank that will not fail. Now somebody has got to meet that emergency, and we want you to get the idea how it is. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 33

We do not want to draw means out of you unless you want to give it, because it is God’s work, it is God’s means, every dollar of it. If I should tell you that for the last twelve years I have footed up bill after bill, and I cannot in any way, I cannot get beyond debt. It is there; it is right here. But I do not trouble myself about that, but I think the people are robbing themselves of the blessings that they might have. I told them, said I, “I will give to you, I will pay my workers, I have hired them, I will give to you the book, Christ’s Object Lessons. I will give this if you will handle that book freely without any money in return, if you will handle that book and bring in money to clear our schools of debt, then the printing press will do its work. They say they will do the printing. Now who will do it?” Well, it was not many months the report came: $300,000 was brought into the cause in the sale of Christ’s Object Lessons. Now you can see that the Lord works with us when we make an effort to work. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 34

Then the next thing was that here was our sanitariums, they did not know what to do. They had not means. I advised them to go straight ahead. Said I, Here is the Ministry of Healing. I dedicate that to the cause. Neither of these books have I taken to myself one penny in return. I will handle the books if you will bring in the means that the people shall have the light that we can establish our sanitariums and our schools. Then all of my work in these years that I have been getting out in these books are perfectly free. This is the way that work stands. That is my donation, and I want all of us to get an idea, for we are getting very near the closing of this earth’s history. We know we are from the Word, from the testimony of Jesus Christ that such and such things should take place. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 35

Now our schools are to be established and we are to work more for them than we have ever thought we could work before. But every one must act their individual part. I cannot go any longer in carrying the debt of thirty thousand dollars that I incurred in building the very first work in Australia. Meetinghouses there had to be built, and there was nothing that they had. It was a time when the banks had failed, and when there was everything objectionable, yet the Lord gave me the word, Move forward, move forward; and we did move forward. And the work has been going. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 36

But what about Avondale? You have not told us how that came out. Well, I will tell you how it came out. They have got one of the grandest schools, I believe, that was ever established in our world, and the blessing of God is upon it. When everything—two years at a time, not a drop of rain. There was no rain and yet in their papers, it comes out just as it was: no rain, no cattle dying everywhere, but Avondale, Avondale is an oasis in the desert. Here is their property, and here they are raising everything just as though they had rain. And the Lord blesses their efforts. They knew what we were doing. Now the Lord knows just what we are doing, and what we want is that every one of us should understand his appointed work. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 37

I am glad that I do not see the display in dress and feathers and ribbons as I do in some congregations. I am glad I do not see it. It all takes money, and I want to say to every one of you, God knows every self-sacrificing effort that you put forth. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 38

Now, I have not taken to myself one penny of these gifts that I have put out, to appropriate to myself, not one. I want to say that God will just as surely let His blessing rest upon the people that will try to do their very best, and when they do they will have the testimony that their ways please God. But here is my letter: 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 39

“Let not the words, ‘Found wanting’ be written against God’s people. [Daniel 5:27.] While we should thankfully receive loans of money with interest, yet the Lord calls for larger freewill offerings. We must be careful about the matter of borrowing large sums of money, for often this will result in our being placed in strait places afterward. There may be no trouble so long as those are living who have loaned the money, but when they become sick or die, a sudden call is sometimes made for their money. This money may have been invested in opening the work in new fields, and in order to meet this demand, we may be forced to borrow from the banks at a high rate of interest. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 40

“Let us obtain all the means possible as straight gifts. If today more gifts were brought into the Lord’s treasury, the sacrifice would yield a rich harvest. In Cooranbong, we were thankful to obtain means, and to pay a low rate of interest for their use. But we would say to all, Make your gifts as large as possible; for borrowing large sums of money may lead to future embarrassment to the one who is using the money. Let this point be guarded in the matter of moving the school from Healdsburg to be established in another place. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 41

“For many years Healdsburg has been an educating center. But the time has come when the school should be moved to a location where we shall have better advantages. Let all who can possibly do so place their money in this enterprise, as a gift. When we think of what Christ has done for us, this will not be regarded as a great sacrifice. He has given His commission to His disciples, as workers who are to lay the foundations of His church in various fields. To establish educational centers is a part of their work.” And He will work through these places. I am so thankful for the rich blessing of God that will come to His people. I opened this morning, as I was waiting for the carriage, to the fifty-second chapter of Isaiah. (Verse 1)—“see the salvation of God.” [Verses 1-10.] 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 42

Now this is what the Lord wants. He wants that the work should stand in its highest beauty. He wants that His message should go to all parts of our world. Hundreds and thousands we are sending to the foreign missions, the most remarkable places, and the Lord is taking His people and sending them were they know not the language, and there they will learn the language, and then all the time they teach them. They know how to build; they learned it. They know how to carry on the work intelligently, and they have their intelligence, to communicate to these foreign fields the knowledge that they have; they are willing to do almost anything to get that knowledge. That is just how it is with missionaries. We are educating them, educating them in Cooranbong. The word has gone forth, that there is no place that they know of, where the students have done a more noble and generous work than they have right there in giving themselves to the work. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 43

“Eyes of all the nations.” [Verse 10.] Now the Lord sees a people that go to every part of the world. They have learned to build, how to plant. This is how to carry on the work in God’s appointed way. They see that these men are far ahead of them in intelligence, and they come and build their own houses, small and plain, and in that work they are educating away from the national prejudice that would naturally exist. “Salvation of God.” [Verse 10.] Do you think that is to come to them without any effort? Every one of us can act our part, and we will wish we did act our part, when at last every one is rewarded according as his work shall be. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 44

Verses 11-13. “more than the sons of men.” [Verse 14.] Behold Him hanging on the cross with the nails driven through His hands and His feet, and there were His opposers mocking Him, “O, thou that couldest destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down: come down, and we will believe on thee.” [Matthew 27:40, 42.] This is what they were saying, mocking and deriding. But there is a sound. What is it? It is coming from a soul in agony. It is one that has been crucified upon the cross close by Christ, and his fellow that was by his side was mocking Christ, and he rebuked him. Said he, “We deserve this, but the one hanging on the cross [beside us] does not deserve it.” And the one hanging on the cross turned to Christ and said, “Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.” And what did He say? “Verily, I say unto thee today,” right while His hands are stretched upon the cross, and He dying in human agony, “verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:40-43.] Now here was the very promise of our Saviour, and the thief had that comfort while he was dying. He believed in Christ. He believed Him to be Christ; he received Him as Christ. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 45

[Isaiah 52] Verses 14, 15. Now I want that we should take the right views of the Scriptures, and do not, I beg of you stand to one side and let others do the work. You can have your reward. Here you loan your money, and you can call for it any time. It is not a gift. God’s work was a gift. He made Himself a freewill offering, and He wants every one of us to come into line and act our part. May the Lord help us is my prayer. I will not read any more just now, but I want to say just a few more words. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 46

Isaiah 53:1-5. Remember all this. He suffered for us that He might make it possible for us to obtain that life that measures with the life of God if we will follow in His footsteps. “We are healed. By his stripes we are healed.” Verses 6-8. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 47

I will not hold you longer, but I want to tell you if we cannot read the passing of events that has taken place in San Francisco, and in the judgments that are continually coming, and in the accidents and in all these things, I want you to understand we are to take our position that the end of all things is at hand. And we want to work for the Master while we can. We do not want to come up to the day of judgment, and say others have borne the burden, and others have run the risks, and they are the ones that Christ is naming here, and He will bring them off victorious at last if they will walk in the footsteps of Christ our Saviour. 23LtMs, Ms 140, 1908, par. 48