Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Lt 94, 1900

Smith, Brother and Sister [Uriah]

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

July 3, 1900

Portions of this letter are published in LDE 220.

Dear Brother and Sister Smith:

Never was there a period of time when I have felt more deeply the necessity of decidedly carrying the work of the gospel ministry in its own elevated, sacred character than today. Every kind of voice is heard; Christ is here, and Christ is there; Christ is in the wilderness, and Christ is in the cities. We may open our ears to every call, if we will; but Christ has told us, Go not ye after them, nor heed them. 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 1

We have our work outlined in the prophetic Word, and we will not be diverted from God’s way and methods of bringing the truth before the world. Satan will set everything possible in operation to divert the work into wrong lines. The reason for this is that it shall, under the devising of human methods and human inventions, lose its peculiar, holy, select character to represent its efficiency and power to our world, the order and sanctification and elevated character of those who shall compose the chosen, commandment-keeping people of God. Satan would so commingle the righteous with the wicked that the distinction will be so indistinct as not to have the sign of God’s commandment-keeping people appear as a sign of God’s distinguishing sign of the sanctification of the Spirit in true humility and holiness. “To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” [Isaiah 8:20.] 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 2

Even the working of the Spirit on mind and character is to be tested, because there are many spirits gone out into the world. In proportion as the human agent shall submit his way and character unto the Lord, they experience in doing the Word of the Lord the fulfillment of the promise of His guiding presence. They have the inward testimony in blessed assurance that the witness within bears witness with the Spirit and with the Word of God that we are children of God, and He will keep His covenant with us. And we can bear testimony that we are sons and daughters of God. There is an habitual certainty on Scriptural promises that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. The tree is always merited or demerited by the fruit it bears. 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 3

The Lord has ever calculated that His work, executed in its various lines, should in living characters bear testimony that the truth is the test of character for this time. God wants His people to be rooted and grounded in the truth. We are not to be divided, and our message is not to be divided and to give an uncertain sound. The message we are to bear is not to be muffled so that no one can know what is the truth for this time. We must give our message to the world in clear distinct testimony, “Yea and Amen.” [See 2 Corinthians 1:20.] Thus saith the Spirit unto the churches. 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 4

We have the truth which in its proclamation is to bring the crisis for this world’s history. The observance of the Lord’s memorial, the Sabbath instituted in Eden, the seventh day Sabbath, is the test of our loyalty to God. Those who bring in, as there will be brought in, lords many and gods many, so that there is no distinct recognition of acknowledged loyalty to the Lord God, cannot have His mark, His seal of obedience. What is the great practical lesson we are to learn from the review of Revelation and Daniel? Is it not to prompt the question, How stands my case before God? Is my name written there—in the books of heaven, in the Lamb’s book of life? How stands our work with our churches and with our families and with individuals? 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 5

We have a most solemn review to make. Have we forgotten the solemn vows of our dedication to our God to keep His covenant? Are there appearances of indistinct delineations between us and the world? Should not the sign of God plainly speak to the world that we are God’s people, chosen and precious? Has the cable been cut which anchored us to the living Rock? How many are, now, in religious things, dark and forbidding, drifting, drifting, farther and farther out into uncertainty, into the sea of darkness and peril? 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 6

Let us call upon the people to return. Let us put our whole soul into the work of preparing for the Lord’s coming. First ourselves, next our example, will prepare others. But return, return, and let us do the first work to bring the love of Jesus into our souls, else our light will be moved out of its place; worldliness and pride will extinguish the love of God in the soul. 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 7

Speak for me, Brother Smith, to the churches. Tell them the Lord’s work is to go forward in the churches. The last chapter of Revelation is the message given to John. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13, 17. 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 8

I cannot write more now. I am, my brother and sister, in unity with you. Let us strengthen one another in the work to give the certain third angel’s message everywhere. 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 9

Love to your family. 15LtMs, Lt 94, 1900, par. 10