Recreation

Chapter 16—A Recent Experience

Sanitarium, Calif.,

July 5, 1912.

To the Sanitarium Family at St. Helena:

My Brethren And Sisters,

Last night after I had retired to rest a strange depression came over me, and for a long time I was unable to sleep. PH145 37.1

Then I seemed to be talking with companies of our people,—to a little group here, and a little group there, and a little group somewhere else. I was saying to them. You do not need to plan for unholy amusements. When your life is hid with Christ in God, you will find in Him all the enhancement that you need. Words like these had been spoken to me. PH145 37.2

As I passed from one group to another, I experienced disappointment after disappointment. There was revealed in each company a desire for foolish pleasure. Men and women, acting like children, seemed to have forgotten their responsibility to glorify God. I saw the foolish actions, and heard the foolish words that were spoken. And I saw how the Spirit of God was grieved, and the Lord dishonored. While God and angels were working by every possible means for the upbuilding of the kingdom of heaven in earth in truth and righteousness, those who should have been standing as heaven's representatives were taking a low level and dishonoring their Redeemer's name. PH145 37.3

I said to some, You should bear in mind that as God's professed people you are called to reach a high standard. The Lord cannot be glorified by such a course as you are now pursuing. He bids us glorify Him in our body, and in our spirit, which are His. I do not know with what words to describe these scenes, or what character to give them: but I know that in participating in them you are lessening your influence for righteousness; you are displeasing the Lord; you are setting an example that none can safely follow. PH145 37.4

I was cited to the words of inspiration with which Paul voiced his hope for those who had been won to the gospel in Thessalonica. “We pray always for you,” he declared, “that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The example of these converts to the faith would tell more for the glory of God than all the preaching of Paul and his fellow-laborers. And so the consistent course of believers in this age will do more to magnify the power of truth than all the sermons of our ministers. PH145 38.1

At the camp-meeting that has just closed at Santa Rosa, truths were presented and instruction given, which, if appropriated and rightly used, would work transformations in the church, and would change the atmosphere in the home, aiding parents in giving the right mould to the characters of the children and youth. It would change the relations of many of the workers in our institutions, enabling them to bear testimony for the truth in consistent, devoted lives. The impressions made by the camp-meeting were good. I feel sad that any should come from that meeting to take part in scenes that could not fail to remove the impressions of the Spirit from the mind. My heart is burdened as I think of such experiences being repeated after such good instruction had been given. PH145 38.2