Manuscript Releases, vol. 3 [Nos. 162-209]

MR No. 175—Materials Requested for White Estate Use

We need more to be shut in the audience with God. There is need of guarding our own thoughts. We are surely living amid the perils of the last days. We must walk before God meekly, with deep humility; for it is only such that will be exalted. 3MR 207.1

Oh, how little man can comprehend the perfection of God, His Omnipresence united with His almighty power. A human artist receives his intelligence from God. He can only fashion his work in any line to perfection from materials already prepared for his work. In his finite power he could not create and make his materials to serve his purpose if the Great Designer had not been before him, giving him the very improvements first in his imagination. 3MR 207.2

The Lord God commands things into being. He was the first designer. He is not dependent on man, but graciously invites man's attention, and cooperates with him in progressive and higher designs. Then man takes all the glory to himself, and is extolled by his fellow men as a very remarkable genius. He looks no higher than man. The one First Cause is forgotten.... 3MR 207.3

I am afraid we have altogether too cheap and common ideas. “Behold the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee.” Let not any one venture to limit the power of the Holy One of Israel. There are conjectures and questions in regard to God's work. Take off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Yes, angels are the ministers of God upon the earth, doing His will. 3MR 207.4

In the formation of our world, God was not beholden to pre-existent substance or matter. “For the things that are seen were not made of the things which do appear.” On the contrary, all things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice, and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things that are therein, are not only the work of His hand, they came into existence by the breath of His mouth. 3MR 208.1

The Lord had given evidence that by His power He could in one short hour dissolve the whole frame of nature. He can turn things upside down, and destroy the things that man has built up in his most firm and substantial manner. “He removeth the mountains; He overturneth them in His anger, He sweepeth the earth out of its place, and the billows thereof tremble. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproof: the mountains quake at Him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at His presence.”—Manuscript 127, 1897, 2, 5, 6. (Untitled, November 22, 1897.) 3MR 208.2

Terrible shocks will come upon the earth, and the lordly palaces erected at great expense will certainly become heaps of ruins. The earth's crust will be rent by the outbursts of the elements concealed in the bowels of the earth. These elements, once broken loose, will sweep away the treasures of those who for years have been adding to their wealth by securing large possessions at starvation prices from those in their employ. And the religious world, too, is to be terribly shaken; for the end of all things is at hand.—Manuscript 24, 1891, 3, 4. (Diary, cir. January 1, 1890.) 3MR 208.3

A Letter to Martha Bourdeau—My mind goes to you, Martha, in Torre Pellice.... We want to see you, and we want to see you trusting fully in the precious Saviour. He loves you, who gave His life for you because He valued your soul. I had a dream not long since. I was going through a garden and you were by my side. You kept saying, “Look at this unsightly shrub, this deformed tree, that poor stunted rose bush. This makes me feel bad for they seem to represent my life and the relation I stand in before God.” I thought a stately form walked just before us and He said, “Gather the roses and the lilies and the pinks, and leave the thistles and unsightly shrubs, and bruise not the soul that Christ has in His choice keeping.” 3MR 209.1

I awoke, I slept again and the same dream was repeated. And I awoke and slept and the third time it was repeated. Now I want you to consider this and put away your distrust, your worrying, your fears. Look away from yourself to Jesus.... 3MR 209.2

Do not listen to Satan's lies but recount God's promises. Gather the roses and the lilies and the pinks. Talk of the promises of God. Talk faith. Trust in God, for He is your only hope. He is my only hope.... 3MR 209.3

Now, Martha, do not look to yourself but away to Jesus. Talk of His love, talk of His goodness, talk of His power.... While praying for you I see a soft light encompassing a hand stretched out to save you.... 3MR 209.4

Your life is precious in the sight of God. He has a work for you to do.... Lay your hand in His.... The Bible promises are the pinks and the roses and the lilies in the garden of the Lord.... Now you want to turn your face away from the briers and thorns to the flowers.... 3MR 209.5

You love Jesus and He you. Now just patiently trust in Him.—Letter 35, 1887, pp. 2-5 (To Mrs. Martha [A.C.] Bourdeau, February 6, 1887.) 3MR 210.1

It seems rather strange this morning to wake up in a strange place. The morning is cool. Heavy frost last night. It is clear and bracing. We are close by the beach. It is a romantic home.... 3MR 210.2

We had a very enjoyable ride in the trap seven miles and return which makes fourteen miles. The road winds like a letter S around the rocky beach road. The bay road is very pleasant. The two younger children, eight and eleven years old, walk three miles to school and back, six miles. Frequently they are fortunate enough to catch a ride. In returning from our ride we took them in from the schoolroom. We enjoyed the ride. Although the two-wheeled trap was not an easy phaeton, yet I enjoyed the ride, jolting and all, for I can only walk a little ways on account of my hip. I shall take all the rides I can in this trap and know it will do me good. The scenery is very nice and we had sunshine all the way. And now the Sabbath is drawing on and I must lay aside my diary.... 3MR 210.3

We designed to return to Wellington today (Thursday) but the storm is very much opposed to this. We decided to wait until Friday. 3MR 210.4

Friday, August 4, 1893—It is not raining so hard. We prepare to go to the depot. We find that all is uncertainty in regard to the cars. There is a heavy washout between Palmerston and this station called Paremata. We waited at the station—which affords no convenience for travelers—in the trap, covered with burlaps to keep dry. After waiting two hours we decided to return.... Between two and three o'clock the train that left Wellington returned from the place of obstruction and we could have gone to Wellington had we waited. We concluded the Lord would have us remain here over the Sabbath.... 3MR 210.5

I have labored faithfully for them.... 3MR 211.1

At family prayer the Lord wrought. I called for a decision, commencing at Bell, who is possessed of much influence in the family....I set before her the case and she decidedly assented to take her stand under Christ's banner. Alex is about seventeen years old. I then asked him if he would confess Christ and enlist in His service. He decided he would. Then Victoria, a noble girl about fifteen years old, as I put the question to her, answered promptly, “I will be a Christian.” Charlotte, the cook for the family, is very silent, scarcely saying anything. I addressed her and she responded; so here were four in that family who decided to help the mother and the sister Martha in maintaining the religious services in the family.... We had a precious season of prayer. We dedicate this home to God. Martha prayed, the mother of the children prayed, and Emily prayed. Our hearts were made joyful in God.—Manuscript 82, 1893, 2-6. (Diary, July 27 to August 7, 1893. With the Brown Family at Long Point, N.Z.) 3MR 211.2

We want to let the life of Christ shine in us that we may let grace for grace shine unto others.—Manuscript 174, 1903, 5. (Diary, July, 1903, At St. Helena, July 5, 1903.) 3MR 211.3

Last night I had a wonderful experience. I was in an assembly where questions were being asked and answered. I awoke at one o'clock, and arose. For a time I walked the room, praying most earnestly for clearness of mind, for strength of eyesight, and for strength to write the things that must be written. I entreated the Lord to help me to bear a testimony that would awake His people before it is forever too late. I was glad that there was no one in the room below me. Sara and Maggie usually occupy this room, but during the summer they sleep in a tent pitched under a great live-oak tree growing close by the house.... 3MR 211.4

The experience that I had last night has impressed me very deeply. I seemed to have Christ close beside me. I was filled with hope and courage and faith and love for souls. I pleaded with God to sustain me, and He lifted me up, and made me to triumph in Him.—Letter 130, 1902, pp. 5, 13. (To Elder J. E. White, August 14, 1902.) 3MR 212.1

Paul Daniels, My youthful Brother: Have you given yourself unreservedly to God? And if not, why not? Ought you not to be a Christian? Has not Jesus purchased you with infinite cost to Himself? Did He not suffer and die upon Calvary, that you might by faith claim the merits of His blood? 3MR 212.2

I gave myself to Jesus when I was not as old as you now are. I sought my Saviour with my whole heart; and how deeply I regretted that I had not before yielded my will, that I might be drawn to Christ. I found peace in Jesus, believing that He heard my prayers, and that He would do in my behalf just what He had promised in His word, “Those that seek Me early shall find Me.” (Proverbs 8:17.) I laid my Bible open before the Lord and said, “There Lord, is Thy pledged word, ‘him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out’ (John 6:37). ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you’ (Luke 11:9).” 3MR 212.3

The promise is to be claimed by faith, Jesus invites you to come to Him and learn of Him, and “I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). “Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:29). This rest is not found in inattention and idleness, but in yielding the will to the will of Jesus; for, says Christ, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30.) Therefore your will must become God's will. Your peace, your rest, comes in wearing Christ's yoke; you have the peace of Christ, and your conscience is not continually scourging you because you have not committed yourself to do the will of God. When you love to do the requirements of God, there is sweet enjoyment, not in idleness, but enjoyment identified with, and realized through, the exercise of all your powers on the Lord's side. 3MR 213.1

Christ's service means work. You can be a dutiful, obedient child of God. A soldier of Jesus Christ does not mean pleasure but hard work. You may say, “What can I do?” By coming out fully on the Lord's side, you can exert an influence over your young companions; by refusing to do a wrong action, you can place yourself thus far on Christ's side. 3MR 213.2

You may have real conflicts in overcoming self, but you have Jesus to help you. Will you try, Paul, to be a Christian? Will you write to me and tell me that you have fully decided to be a soldier of Jesus Christ?—Letter 12, 1889, pp. 1, 2. (To Paul Daniels, July 4, 1889.) 3MR 213.3

Released August, 1965.