Testimonies for the Church Containing Letters to Physicians and Ministers Instruction to Seventh-Day Adventists

Chapter 7—Words of Counsel

Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.,

July 23, 1904.

Dear Brethren Magan and Sutherland,

I have words of counsel for you. There must be harmony between you and the men in responsible positions in the General Conference. You catch at straws in matters concerning Elder Daniells and Elder Prescott. Why?—Because they have not harmonized with you in all your plans, and have not given you the credit that you deserved. But when the Lord corrected errors, and spoke encouraging words concerning your efforts, why did you not praise Him, and show your gratitude by manifesting thankfulness and a forgiving spirit, and by showing an appreciation of the burdens borne by these fellow workers of God's appointment? Why did you cast imputations upon them, or allow others to cast imputation upon them? SpTB02 40.1

Your feelings in regard to Elder Daniells and Elder Prescott are not correct. If you expect them to harmonize with you, you must harmonize with them. SpTB02 40.2

Elder Daniells and Elder Prescott have made some mistakes. But where can you find men of capability who have not made mistakes? A grave mistake was made when you and Elder A. T. Jones set yourselves to the defense of the movement for the re-opening of the Battle Creek College, the full results of which none of you understand. The Lord did not inspire the words spoken in defense of that movement, and the criticisms that were made against the attitude of the men who felt it to be their duty to point out the dangers attending the effort to bring a large number of our youth to Battle Creek. Another counselor had taken the place of the divine Counselor. SpTB02 40.3

In this perilous time the Lord has given us men of His choice to stand as the leaders of His people. If these men will keep humble and prayerful, ever making Christ their confidant, listening to and obeying His words, the Lord will lead and strengthen them. God has chosen Elder Daniells to bear responsibilities, and has promised to make him capable by His grace of doing the work entrusted to him. The responsibilities of the position he occupies are great, and the tax upon his strength and courage is severe; and the Lord calls upon us to hold up his hands, as he strives with all the powers of mind and body to advance the work. The Lord desires every church to offer prayer for him as he bears these heavy responsibilities. Our brethren and sisters should not stand ready to criticize and condemn those who are bearing heavy burdens. Let us refuse to listen to the words of censure spoken regarding the men upon whom rest such weighty responsibilities.... SpTB02 41.1

I know that Elder Daniells is the right man in the right place. He has stood nobly for the truth, and has striven earnestly to deal in a right way with the controversies arising regarding the relation of the medical work to the evangelical work. SpTB02 41.2

If the men whom the Lord has chosen to stand in positions of responsibility will heed the testimonies that God has given and is giving, if they will keep close to His word, if they will separate from those who are binding up with worldly influences, they will be safe men for the times upon which we have entered. SpTB02 41.3

The words and attitude of Brother E. A. Sutherland and Brother A. T. Jones at the Berrien Springs meeting struck an inharmonious note,—a note that was not inspired of God. It created a state of things which resulted in harm that they did not anticipate. It made the work of the meeting very much harder than it would otherwise have been. Had it not been for their injudicious course, the Berrien Springs Conference would have shown very different results. SpTB02 42.1

My brethren, God is dishonored when you seek to throw a burden of censure upon your brethren, as you did at that meeting. You were not working in harmony with God; for this is not the way in which He works. If you felt it your duty to lay before your brethren matters reflecting upon the leaders in General Conference work, it was your duty first to call the most reliable men together and modestly present to them your statements. You should not have thrown in your ideas without counsel, as you did. The impulsive disposition of Brother Jones has led him many times to make wrong movements, which have called for correction and reproof. SpTB02 42.2

At the Fresno camp-meeting, after I had borne a very plain testimony, Brother Jones acted the part of a man, doing thorough work in confession. He was working out his own salvation with fear and trembling. The blessing of the Lord came in, and the glory of the Lord was revealed. Angels of heaven were present in that meeting, and a great blessing was experienced by all who were present. And so it would have been in the meeting at Berrien Springs, if Dr. Kellogg had heartily accepted the message sent by the Lord, and had fully broken with the enemy. A spirit of humiliation would have filled every heart, and sincere confessions would have been made by all. SpTB02 42.3

At the Berrien Springs meeting, a special message of hope was given for Dr. Kellogg. He might have stood on vantage ground, accepting the Lord Jesus as his counselor. In and through the power of the Saviour, he might then have broken the spell. But he did not. SpTB02 43.1

For a long time Dr. Kellogg has not been humbly accepting Christ as his teacher, and, unknown to himself, has been taught by the master of sophistries. And the enemy has used him as a channel through which to exert a strong controlling influence upon the physicians associated with him. But the Lord will break the spell that is upon these men if they will allow the yoke that has been placed upon them to be broken. SpTB02 43.2