Manuscript Releases, vol. 11 [Nos. 851-920]

MR No. 859—Miscellaneous Counsels

[To A. T. Jones]—Dear brother, I am your friend, and I would stand in perfect harmony with you. I do not want those who have closed the door of their hearts to light to have any occasion to feel that they are right in criticizing you and Brother [E. J.] Waggoner and Brother [W. W.] Prescott. I have a great desire that you shall show Christlike wisdom in every movement.—Letter 35, 1895, p. 7. (To A. T. Jones, November 21, 1895.) 11MR 33.1

[To S. N. Haskell]—I write a few lines to you this morning by lamplight. Before receiving this, you will have met Professor Prescott. We would gladly have retained him in this country, but we dared not do this, for it would have savoured of selfishness. We hope he will do the brethren much good in South Africa, and that he will be received cordially, in brotherly love. He has the truth in the heart, as well as on the lips. God is with him, and will work by him if our brethren will receive him as one who bears to them a message from God. May it not be true of them, as of the people of Nazareth, that Jesus could not do many mighty works because of their unbelief. There is no virtue in refusing to receive the light which God shall send, and we need every ray of light from heaven. We should appreciate the love of God, who sends the light, and should accept the light joyfully. 11MR 33.2

Many need to learn that it is one thing to assent to truth, and another thing to receive the truth as the bread of God, of which, if a man eat, he shall live forever. Day by day we must feed upon the Living Bread that we may receive spiritual sustenance, as we partake of temporal food to give us physical strength. What is the Bread of Life? Jesus said, “Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him” (John 6:54-56). He does not leave us to misunderstand Him. He says, “It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (verse 63). The words of Christ are to be received with no half hearted, weak, hesitating faith. The Word gives light and assurance to all who educate their souls to believe. The heart needs the presence of the heavenly Guest—Christ abiding in the soul. We are to dwell in Christ, and Christ is to dwell in us by faith. 11MR 34.1

The largest promise that Christ could give to His disciples when He left them was the promise of the Holy Spirit. He was in search of the strongest consolation He could leave them, to do them good after His departure. Of all the subjects that were of the most importance to them, He chose that of the Holy Spirit. And what did He predict concerning the Spirit? “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). Truths had been buried beneath the rubbish of misinterpretation—the maxims of men, the sayings of finite beings that had been exalted as being of more consequence than the word of the living God. 11MR 34.2

In our day the church has been to a great degree content with the surface truths of revelation, made so plain and easy to be understood that many have thought these supplied all that was essential, and in accepting them they have been content. But the Holy Spirit, working upon the mind, will not allow it to rest in indolence. It awakens an earnest desire for truth uncorrupted with error and false doctrines. Celestial truth will reward the diligent seeker. The mind that is really desirous to know what is truth cannot be content in indolence. 11MR 35.1

The kingdom of heaven is likened to treasure hid in a field, “the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field” (Matthew 13:44). He buys it that he may work it, plow up every part of it, and take possession of its treasures. It is the Holy Spirit's office to direct this search and to reward it. The searcher, while digging the field, finds leads of precious ore of which he seeks to estimate the value, and he sinks the shaft deeper for still more valuable treasure. Thus many a rich lode is discovered. The gold fields of the earth are not so interlaced with veins of precious ore as is the field of revelation with leads that bring to view the unsearchable riches of Christ. 11MR 35.2

The Lord would have every one of His believing children rich in faith; and this is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. From the heart the Spirit works outward, developing a character that God will approve. What a vast field of the treasures of truth did Christ add to the domain of faith to be appropriated by His disciples! We need greater faith if we would have better knowledge of the Word. The greatest hindrance to our receiving the divine illumination is that we do not depend on the efficiency of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is freely given us of God if we will appreciate and accept it. And what is it?—the representative of Jesus Christ. It is to be our constant helper. It is through the Spirit that Christ fulfills the promise, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). (The bell is sounding for morning worship. I must stop here.)—Letter 38, 1896, pp. 1-4. (To S. N. Haskell, May 30, 1896.) 11MR 35.3

White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

May 21, 1981.