Pacific Union Recorder
1903
January 15, 1903
A New Year's Letter
Elmshaven, Sanitarium, Cal.,
January 4, 1902.
My dear Brethren and Sisters, PUR January 15, 1903, par. 1
The old year, with its burden of record, has passed into eternity, and the new year has begun. Let us gather up the treasures of the past year,—our remembrances of God's goodness and mercy,—and carry them with us into the new year. Let us brighten the future by the thought of past blessings. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 2
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Let us cooperate with the Lord Jesus. Only thus shall we be able to accomplish our part of the work. He is our efficiency. He will give us power. Let us plant our feet firmly on the platform of eternal truth; then we may know that over us is the protection of God. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 3
Oh, what wonderful blessings and opportunities God has in store for those who wear Christ's yoke! Trouble comes to us because we manufacture yokes for ourselves, refusing to wear the yoke of Christ. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 4
“Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” To be justified means to be pardoned. To those whom God justifies He imputes Christ's righteousness; for the Saviour has taken away their sins. They stand before the throne of God justified and accepted. They have crucified self, and Christ abides in their hearts. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 5
My brethren and sisters, during this new year let there be among you no accusing. This is the work of the enemy. If he can lead professing Christians to accuse and condemn, he is served as he desires to be. Let no one, by yielding to feelings of envy, weaken the hands of his brother, so that the work entrusted to him is marred. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 6
Be very careful how you carry reports. Often what you tell to others, though seeming to you to be truth, is misrepresentation. Thus false conclusions are formed. Thread after thread of misrepresentation is woven into the web, until the pattern is spoiled. Oh, how many hearts are grieved and wounded because of statements made by those who do not really know that what they report is true! How much pain is caused by cruel handling of reputation!. The course of those who utter the slander would be just as dark if represented as they represent the course of the one whom they are accusing. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 7
I ask you to study the eighteenth chapter of Matthew and the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians. Pray earnestly for grace, and then prepare your hearts to receive the answer to your prayer. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 8
We are being tested and tried. May the Lord of heaven shut us in with Him, that the wicked one may have no power over us. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 9
Often, when the Lord works upon a certain man's mind to do certain things for the advancement of His work, another man thinks that he can see defects in his fellow-worker's efforts. Let him keep to his own work. The Lord, who sees the end from the beginning, will fulfil His purposes. He will unite with the one to whom He has entrusted His work, and will bring about its accomplishment. He knows just what is needed. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 10
Christ is the great Master-worker. We are laborers together with Him. He has a right to give each one his work. And let each one be sure to do the work given him. He who neglects his definite work for the work that some one else has in charge is out of place. Thus time is lost, confidence abused and shaken, and the work hindered. When we learn to attend closely to our own work, the Lord will help us, and all parts of His cause will move in harmony. PUR January 15, 1903, par. 11
Ellen G. White