The General Conference Bulletin

April 25, 1901

Remarks by Mrs. E. G. White

EGW

Mrs. E. G. White: I know what it means to leave home and friends, and I would say to those who are going forth to foreign fields, You have a Helper who will always be with you. I have been reading in Isaiah some words which I wish to read to you: GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 1

“Lift up your eyes on high and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he called them all by names by the greatness of his might: for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary; and the young men shall utterly fall; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 2

“Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee; they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 3

I feel the strongest assurance that all who go forth in the name of the Lord will be blessed and sustained. Remember that if you hang your helpless soul on Jesus Christ, you will constantly have his divine efficiency and sufficiency. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 4

God said to Abraham, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee.” Abraham heard and obeyed; and as he journeyed, he built altars and offered sacrifice to God, that those who afterward passed by that way might know that he had not forgotten God, that as he went forth from his home, he held communion with his Maker. He sought the Lord, and God met with him and was his friend. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 5

And God will be a friend to every one who goes from this Conference to foreign fields. He will be your Helper, your front guard and your rereward. Do not feel that as you go away you will be severed from God. Remember that the closer you keep to him, the more successful your work will be. Cling to the mighty One. Do not allow the enemy to interpose between you and your God. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 6

I earnestly hope that those laboring in the fields to which you are going will not think that you and they can not labor together, unless your minds run in the same channels as theirs, unless you view things exactly as they view them. This is a very wrong idea. Are there any two leaves on a tree alike? You can find no two precisely alike? So it is with us. None of us have exactly the same experience, and yet each one of us may have a very precious experience. Let each worker remember that he has an individuality of his own, and that this individuality is not to be submerged in any other human being. That individuality is to be sanctified, purified, refined, but it is not to be lost in the individuality of some one else. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 7

Christ compares his followers to the branches of a vine. “I am the vine, ye are the branches,” he says. In the branches of a vine there is diversity, and yet in this diversity there is unity. Every branch is united to the parent stalk. Every branch draws its nourishment from the same source. When we are branches of the true Vine, there will be no quarreling among us, no strife for the supremacy, no disparaging of one another. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 8

Let not those who go forth to work for God measure their fellow workers with their human measurement, to see if they are in all things as they think they ought to be. God alone is able to measure men. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 9

Christ compared the kingdom of heaven to a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers. In the morning and at different hours through the day he hired men and sent them into his vineyard. “And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 10

And at even, when the laborers came for their wages, they all received the same. Those who had labored all day were paid the same amount as those who had worked but one hour. Thus God would teach us that during the time that we work, we are to do our very best, be that time long or short. We are to serve him to the best of our ability. He will reward all who work faithfully for him, those who have labored but one hour, as it were, as well as those who have labored all the day. This is the spiritual lesson we are to learn from this parable. Let us remember it. Let those who audit the accounts of the workers in the field gain as clear an understanding as possible of each individual case. God desires them to learn what is right to do, and then do it. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 11

Some men in our Conferences have not had the advantages of education that others have had. Shall the Auditing Committee measure their work by the number of sermons they have preached? GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 12

One man has gone into a new place, where the work had to be started. He has worked with his hands in erecting buildings. He has labored hard, under great difficulties, and he has souls to show for his labor. He has erected buildings where those who have accepted the truth can meet to worship God. And then the question may be asked him by the Auditing Committee, “How many sermons have you preached?” The sermons are counted up, and he is paid accordingly. But every blow he struck in constructing buildings was a sermon. Not only did he work with his hands,—he prayed as he labored, and this does far more to fasten the truth in the minds of the people than if he had merely stood in the desk and sermonized. There are several such laborers as this, and we would like to see thousands more of them. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 13

As men go out into new fields, the Spirit of God will indicate the way in which they should work. They will visit, they will hold meetings, but their usefulness is not to be measured by the number of sermons they preach. From the light God has given me, if our ministers would preach about one quarter as many sermons, and devote their energies more to perseveringly educating and training young workers, opening the Scriptures to them, showing them just what they need to do, thus fitting them to take a place in the ranks of God's army, more would be accomplished. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 14

We shall see things that are wrong, things that we want to correct. Ask yourself whether you can do this discreetly. There is a better way of correcting errors than by rebuking them abruptly. Some persons are so sensitive in regard to being in any way reproved that you will need to be very careful. Do not feel that it is your special duty to criticise. That is a mean business. Do not take it up. Leave it for Satan. He delights in such work. If you think a person is in error, and wish to tell him, go to him in love and tenderness. Speak to him kindly, and in this way you will help him. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 15

We need an abiding Christ. The angels of God are near us to help us in our work. We are co-laborers with God, and we need the Spirit of Christ. Let us walk with Christ, and then we shall always be in connection with heaven. The sweet Spirit of the Saviour will fill our hearts, enabling us to help one another. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 16

You need not think you can convert the young by trying to impress them with this dignity, making them feel that they must give you all the attention, while you give them no special attention. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 17

The Lord has given every one of us a sense of self-respect, and this must not be opposed too abruptly. God wants us to respect ourselves. In our families, and in the church, we too often seek to destroy self-respect. Do not do it. Do not do it in our schools. Do not do it in our offices. The Lord has said that every one of these institutions are to be educational in character. The students and workers will follow the example set by those who have charge over them. The teacher is to be a pattern to the learner. If he wants the youth to respect him, he must respect them. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 18

When the youth do wrong, do not be rough with them. Take them apart. Christ did not correct his disciples before the multitude. He said, “Come ye apart.” They had just returned from their first missionary tour, and had made many mistakes. They came to him and told him what they had done. One said, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us.” Christ told him that that was not the way to do. “Forbid him not,” he said; “for he that is not against us is for us,” although he may make no definite profession. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 19

Keep your hands off one another. Examine yourselves just as closely as you please. When night comes, talk of where you have failed through the day, and repent that you have given an example to the youth that you would not wish them to follow. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 20

When a student has erred, think of how you wish God to deal with you when you err, and how you wish your brethren to treat you when you have done wrong. Deal with the student accordingly. By harsh words, or by taking pains to make his deficiency known to every one else, you may turn his head from you, and drive him from Jesus Christ. If a student acknowledges his fault, the teacher has no right to make that fault known to a single soul. God does not want wrong to be magnified and the enemy glorified. When you proclaim a wrong, Satan says, That is just as I want it to be, just as I would have it. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 21

Wrongs—serious wrongs—have been committed in Battle Creek. I did not know how we would get along at this meeting. The Lord gave me instruction regarding this. I was referred to an incident in the life of the prophet Elisha. The prophet was in Dothan, and thither the King of Syria sent horses and chariots and a great host, to take him. “And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not; for they that are with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 22

“And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria. And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite them those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.” GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 23

God presented this to me, and I did not know what it meant. I did not understand it. I pondered over it, and then, as the lesson was fulfilled, I began to grasp its meaning. I do not know that I would ever have seen the significance had it not been fulfilled right here. Who do you suppose has been among us since this Conference began? Who has kept away the objectionable features that generally appear in such a meeting? Who has walked up and down the aisles of this Tabernacle?—The God of heaven and his angels. And they did not come here to tear you in pieces, but to give you right and peaceable minds. They have been among us to work the works of God, to keep back the powers of darkness, that the work God designed should be done should not be hindered. The angels of God have been working among us. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 24

If any people have reason to praise God, we have. Angels of God have been at work here. The Lord knew our needs, and sent us food which has given spiritual strength and light, showing us how we should work. We have been trying to organize the work on right lines. The Lord has sent his angels to minister unto us who are heirs of salvation, telling us how to carry the work forward. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 25

Remember that there is a much better way to get along than to have controversy. When I was upon the waters of the Pacific amidst the confusion and noise, the Lord spoke to me: Do not enter into any controversy. Speak to the people that they be of one mind. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 26

When you are all in Christ, there can be no variance. Your brother may not have just the same manners and ways of speech as you have, but God does not require this of him. He may be able to reach a class that you can not reach. The very word which you wish he had not spoken may be the word which will bring conviction to hearts. Christ has made none of you church tinkers. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 27

My brethren and sisters who are going to foreign fields, perhaps you will be connected with those whose habits and customs are not like yours. Do not let this hinder your work for the Master. Do all in your power to come into Christian relation with those for whom you shall work. May it not be that your ideas need changing? Remember that there is as much room in the world for one as for another. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 28

Let us every one strive to be assimilated to the likeness of Christ. There are those in the church who have made mistakes. But because of this, do not tear yourselves apart from them. Where is Brother Henry today? Who during this meeting has labored for him? Who has gone to him as a friend and brother, and endeavored to remove from his mind the wrong impression he has had regarding his brethren? I hope some one has done this work. I wish to ask, “Is it not best for us to do all in our power to heal the souls that are wounded nigh unto death. Is it not best for us to try to prevent the enemy from gaining the victory over those for whom Christ died? Shall we not do the work Christ did?” He said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” If any of you should have a sheep, and it should fall into a hole, would you not take it out, even on the Sabbath day? And shall we not think as much of a man as we do of an animal? GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 29

The moral image of God is to be restored in man. It was to make it possible for this to be done that Christ came from the heavenly courts to this earth, full of heaven's compassion and heaven's love, to stand at the head of humanity. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 30

Christ was ever kind and merciful, but he gave the most scathing rebukes to the hypocritical Pharisees. I hope that such rebukes as these will never have to fall on our leaders. Let these men remember the temptations which come to the young, and do all in their power to help them. Christ is spoken of as a tender Shepherd, who lovingly cares for the young, carrying them in his arms. If one hundred times more of this work were done by our leading men, they would be carrying out the plan of God. And by this work, the rough edges would be removed from their characters. They would be polished after the similitude of a palace. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 31

After this meeting has closed, and we have separated, Satan will come to you with his temptations. He will bring up before you the errors and mistakes that have been made in the past. Remember that God has buried these, and he does not want you to think any more about them. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 32

I was never more astonished in my life than at the turn things have taken at this meeting. This is not our work. God has brought it about. Instruction regarding this was presented to me, but until the sum was worked out at this meeting, I could not comprehend this instruction. God's angels have been walking up and down in this congregation. I want every one of you to remember this, and I want you to remember also that God has said that he will heal the wounds of his people. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 33

Press together, press together. Let us be united in Christ. God is dishonored by disunion. I shall not keep you much longer, but I wish to say a few more words; for I feel that perhaps I shall never again see those who are going from us. I want to read you a few words, that you may see what God is willing to do for his people. Christ is praying to his Father, and he says, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word.... They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. As thou has sent them into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; and that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 34

Is this possible? It must be, or Christ would not have said it. He is ready to give us all the preciousness there is in the virtue of his character. There is joy in the Lord, joy in sanctification, in unity, receiving Christ as our Saviour. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 35

To those who are about to take up the work in new fields, I would say, Remember that Christ is by your side. He says, My right hand will uphold you. His blessing will rest upon you. If you will walk in the light of his countenance, you will be lights in the world. Regarding this, Christ says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill can not be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light to all [that] are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 36

You are going forth to carry the torch of truth. Kindle your taper from the divine altar, and bear the truth to those who are in darkness. You may be sure that angels of God will be round about you. As you impart to others, you will realize that the life of Christ in you is as a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 37

The word of God is to be your daily food. Christ says, “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Talk the truth wherever you go. There is more power in visiting families, talking to them of the truth and praying with them, than there is in all the sermons that can be given. This does not mean that you are not to speak from the desk. You are; but you are to take time also for house-to-house labor. As you do this work, angels of God will be by your side and will give you words to speak. Thus you will become all-round, efficient gospel workers, of whom people will say, “They have nothing but the truth on their lips.” God help us to be Christians in every sense of the word. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 38

I may never meet you again on this earth. I feel that my life is almost over. I may meet you again; God knows; I do not. But if we meet no more here below, God grant that we may meet around his throne, each wearing on his brow a crown of immortality. O, what a time of rejoicing that will be, and we tell the story of our trials and difficulties on this earth—tell it, not with sorrow, but with joy. GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 39

God knows that we have only just begun the study of his Word. He knows that many have only a surface knowledge of the truth. When in the redeemed family above we follow him whithersoever he goeth, he will open to us the mysteries of his word. When this mortal shall put on immortality and this corruptible shall put on incorruption, he will say, “Child, come up higher.” We shall be caught up to meet our Lord in the air. The Saviour will welcome us with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,”—the joy of seeing souls redeemed. Then he will lead us by the living waters and escort us through the paradise of God. He will show us the beauty and loveliness of his word, which now we do not half understand. Then we shall cast our glittering crowns at his feet, and touching our golden harps, fill all heaven with rich music, singing, “Worthy, worthy is the Lamb, who died, and who lives again, a triumphant conqueror.” GCB April 25, 1901, Art. A, par. 40