Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 245a, 1903

Kellogg, J. H.

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

October 5, 1903

Variant of Lt 245, 1903. Previously unpublished.

Dr. J. H. Kellogg

My dear Brother,—

I should be unfaithful to my trust as a shepherd, as a watchman on the walls of Zion, were I to keep silent at this time. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 1

I supposed that after the council meeting in Battle Creek, following the Oakland General Conference, the spirit within you would change. In every way I had tried to bring about unity between the medical missionary workers and the churches. I had told our brethren and sisters to be very careful in regard to the words they used concerning you; and I had cautioned them not to lead you to suppose that they were your enemies by criticizing you. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 2

I expected that some confessions would be made by you, but none were made. And this is the reason that no reformation has taken place. I heard of the work being done in Battle Creek. My anxiety was anticipated, and a telegram was sent me saying that perfect peace had been established between the General Conference brethren and the Sanitarium brethren. A letter followed, representing that in a most wonderful manner the Holy Spirit had been manifested in the work of uniting ministers with medical missionaries as one in spirit and purpose; that now the ministers of the General Conference were just as verily medical missionaries in heart and in influence as were those whose lives were devoted wholly to so-called medical missionary work. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 3

My brother, there is no other man who has claimed to be a worker for the Lord who has caused me as much heart anguish as Dr. Kellogg has; because, while standing in an exalted position, you have many times not been worthy of bearing the name of God’s appointed medical missionary worker. This has been presented to me again and again. You have been mingling with worldlings and in spirit have become one with the world. It was while men slept that the enemy sowed tares. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 4

When there was devised the plan of issuing bonds with which to raise means for the completion of the Sanitarium, you indulged in a spirit of boasting and rejoicing. This plan is not endorsed by God. It has been accepted by men, but they will be disappointed. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 5

Dr. Kellogg, you are not regarded by God as a converted man. As Christ said to Nicodemus, so I am instructed to say to you: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” [John 3:5.] You have not a true understanding of your individual self. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 6

You have received many letters from me—testimonies in which you have been warned, reproved, and instructed; but because of your great self-assurance, you have not accepted all these messages. You have been in company with one who has been misleading you. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 7

There is one thing that I will urge; namely, that you shall not bring into the company of believers at Washington your spirit and prejudices, your feelings of envy and jealousy, by endeavoring to establish the medical missionary work in that city. We ask you kindly to stand aside, and let the work that God has commissioned us to do be done without the stamp of Dr. J. H. Kellogg being placed upon it. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 8

I have told you the truth in regard to the manner in which you have been carrying on the medical missionary work; and now, if you desire to continue the course that you have pursued, please keep out of the way of those whom you think have abused you. Take care of your own work. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 9

In the visions of the night I am still instructed in the same way in which I was instructed when there was presented before me the large building in Chicago, with embellishments. I supposed this building had been erected, and I wrote immediately in regard to the matter. Afterward, I learned that no such building had ever been erected there. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 10

When the letter was received, Dr. Kellogg said, “Somebody has told her a falsehood.” I wrote the message as something that the Lord had revealed to me. And if a view of this building had not been presented before me in vision, it would be standing today in Chicago, a place where God has forbidden us to erect large buildings. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 11

This matter was explained to me by one in whom we have confidence. He said that although Dr. Kellogg used this testimony as a proof that what Sister White writes is not always true, specifications had been written out and a drawing made of a large building to be erected in Chicago, which building exactly answered the description of the one shown me in vision; and that as soon as my testimony was received, all these plans were at once laid aside and the project abandoned. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 12

Should not these facts be regarded as positive evidence that the Lord represented this building before me in time, so that the plan should not be executed? The message that was sent to meet the situation arrived just in time to prevent our brethren from erecting a large, expensive building in Chicago. As soon as the letter reached them, to their credit be it said, they stopped planning to put up the building. This experience throws light on the design of God to prevent things that should not be. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 13

Fearing lest you might again repeat the story in regard to the so-called error in the message received concerning the great building in Chicago, I make this statement of facts as they have been told me. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 14

In answer to your charge in regard to the testimonies—“somebody has told her”—I will say, Yes; somebody has—One who never makes a mistake. It is this One who told me of the building in Chicago concerning which I wrote. But I leave this matter with you. I will not trouble my mind about it. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 15

At the beginning of the General Conference of 1901, I spoke of the evils that had come into our work and of the reformation that must take place. One or two have told me that in conversing with you in regard to my speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit while bearing the first three messages at the opening of the Conference, you remarked, “It was I who gave Sister White that inspiration.” My brother, you may be assured that you will have to meet this statement in the judgment. I know not to how many you have repeated it. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 16

We agreed that if I lived in your home during the Conference, no words should pass between us, lest some one might be tempted to say that I was in any way influenced or informed by you. We had no conversation in regard to the matters concerning which I spoke until after my testimony had been borne. If you had talked with me before, you would have broken your agreement. I may have spoken some words to you about commonplace matters, or I may not; for I was determined not to give the least occasion to any one for stumbling. And to think that you would make such a statement as you have made, after the messages had been borne under the inspiration of the Spirit of God! 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 17

My brother, I will not make any charges against you, or attach any blame to you. I will let the Lord handle your case. But you certainly have not told the truth; and your lack of truthfulness is a trait in your character that is contemptible in God’s sight. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 18

On several occasions I have seen one in disguise linked up with you and presenting matters before you in a perverted light. In the future he will work more decidedly upon your mind, unless you choose to be transformed by being born again. When you are under the spiritualistic influence of the wily foe, you are liable to say anything about any one; for the seducer uses you as an agent through whom to voice his words, as in the garden of Eden he used the serpent through which to address our first parents. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 19

When under Satan’s power, you make false representations. After the spell is broken, and others repeat to you the words that you have uttered, you deny everything; whereas the very words spoken are the words that in the visions of the night I have heard you speak for effect—words that are untrue, but that you cannot help speaking when you are under the influence of satanic agencies. At such times you have no control over mind or spirit and are as fully under the influence of evil agencies as the converted are under the influence of the Holy Spirit. You do not resist the enemy, that he may flee from you. By him you are led to do many things that are abominations in the sight of God, but of which you have no knowledge and never will have unless you shall be converted. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 20

I am not at all desirous of having any connection with you; for you have given Satan the advantage over yourself and at times act in a manner unbecoming a Christian in every way. You claim that you are abused; and so you are—by yourself. You convey to others the impression that your brethren abuse you; but this is untrue. You have not dealt openly and righteously with your brethren, but deceptively. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 21

Under the discipline of satanic agencies, your deceptive powers are sharpening. The sentiments that you entertain and advocate are similar to and even more dangerous in evil results than were the sentiments in regard to “holy flesh,” which I rebuked while at the General Conference of 1901. Our brethren from Indiana were sincere in their belief; you are not honest in your deceptions. You need to open your eyes, and heed the testimonies given you, before it shall be everlastingly too late. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 22

If those who sustain you only knew how near the brink of ruin you are, some would nobly take their stand on the Lord’s side and save their own souls, even if they could not save your soul. Let those who have helped you along the downward way by their own blindness now seek the Lord most earnestly for divine enlightenment, that they may know how to break the spell of skepticism and unbelief that is upon you. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 23

*****

After his fall from heaven, Satan’s enmity against God found a new field in plotting the ruin of the human race. He determined to incite the holy pair in Eden to disobedience and bring upon them the guilt and penalty of sin. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 24

Like the angels, the dwellers in Eden had been placed upon probation; their happy estate could be retained only on condition of fidelity to the Creator’s law. They could obey and live or disobey and perish. God had made them the recipients of rich blessings; but should they disregard His will, He who spared not the angels that sinned could not spare them; transgression would forfeit His gifts and bring upon them misery and ruin. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 25

The angels warned them to be on their guard against the devices of Satan; for his efforts to ensnare them would be unwearied. While they were obedient to God, the evil one could not harm them; for, if need be, every angel in heaven would be sent to their help. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 26

The tree of knowledge had been made a test of their obedience and their love to God. The Lord had seen fit to lay upon them but one prohibition as to the use of all that was in the garden; but if they should disregard His will in this particular, they would incur the guilt of transgression. Satan was not to follow them with continual temptations; he could have access to them only at the forbidden tree. Should they attempt to investigate its nature, they would be exposed to his wiles. They were admonished to give careful heed to the warning which God had sent them and to be content with the instruction which He had seen fit to impart. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 27

In order to accomplish his work unperceived, Satan chose to employ as his medium the serpent—a disguise well adapted for his purpose of deception. The serpent was then one of the wisest and most beautiful creatures on the earth. It had wings and while flying through the air presented an appearance of dazzling brightness, having the color and brilliancy of burnished gold. Resting in the rich-laden branches of the forbidden tree, and regaling itself with the delicious fruit, it was an object to arrest the attention and delight the eye of the beholder. Thus in the garden of peace lurked the destroyer, watching for his prey. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 28

The angels had cautioned Eve to beware of separating herself from her husband while occupied in their daily labor in the garden; with him she should be in less danger from temptation than if she were alone. But absorbed in her pleasing task, she unconsciously wandered from his side. On perceiving that she was alone, she felt an apprehension of danger but dismissed her fears, deciding that she had sufficient wisdom and strength to discern evil and to withstand it. Unmindful of the angels’ caution, she soon found herself gazing with mingled curiosity and admiration upon the forbidden tree. The fruit was very beautiful, and she questioned with herself why God had withheld it from them. Now was the tempter’s opportunity. As if he were able to discern the workings of her mind, he addressed her: “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” [Genesis 3:1.] Eve was surprised and startled as she thus seemed to hear the echo of her thoughts. But the serpent continued, in a musical voice, with subtle praise of her surpassing loveliness; and his words were not displeasing. Instead of fleeing from the spot, she lingered wonderingly to hear a serpent speak. Had she been addressed by a being like the angels, her fears would have been excited; but she had no thought that the fascinating serpent could become the medium of the fallen foe. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 29

To the tempter’s ensnaring question she replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” [Verses 2-5.] 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 30

By partaking of this tree, he declared, they would attain to a more exalted sphere of existence and enter a broader field of knowledge. He himself had eaten of the forbidden fruit and as a result had acquired the power of speech. And he insinuated that the Lord jealously desired to withhold it from them, lest they should be exalted to equality with Himself. It was because of its wonderful properties, imparting wisdom and power, that He had prohibited them from tasting or even touching it. The tempter intimated that the divine warning was not to be actually fulfilled; it was designed merely to intimidate them. How could it be possible for them to die? Had they not eaten of the tree of life? God had been seeking to prevent them from reaching a nobler development and finding greater happiness. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 31

Such has been Satan’s work from the days of Adam to the present, and he has pursued it with great success. He tempts men to distrust God’s love and to doubt His wisdom. He is constantly seeking to excite a spirit of irreverent curiosity—a restless, inquisitive desire to penetrate the secrets of divine wisdom and power. In their efforts to search out what God has been pleased to withhold, multitudes overlook the truths which He has revealed and which are essential to salvation. Satan tempts men to disobedience by leading them to believe they are entering a wonderful field of knowledge. But this is all a deception. Elated with their ideas of progression, they are, by trampling on God’s requirements, setting their feet in the path that leads to degradation and death. 18LtMs, Lt 245a, 1903, par. 32