Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)
Lt 277, 1904
Read, A. J.
Washington, D. C.
July 31, 1904
Portions of this letter are published in 1SM 199-200; 1MR 53. +Note
Dr. A. J. Reed
My dear brother,—
I have a message for you. Christ speaks to you, saying, look away from every human being to the great Teacher. The message that rang through Judea in the time of John the Baptist, “Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” is the message for today. [Matthew 3:2.] Repentance means a change of heart, a change of mind. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 1
The Son of God, the divine foundation of all faith, all truth, all righteousness intends that fallen human beings shall have every possible advantage as they strive against evil. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” [John 1:1, 3-5.] 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 2
The closing words of this Scripture point to the condition that many who suppose themselves to be advanced in a knowledge of the truth are in at the present time. They are following paths that are leading them away from the Light and Life of the world. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 3
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” [Verses 6-9.] The Saviour is calling, “Follow Me, and ye shall not walk in darkness.” [John 8:12.] God is calling upon you, my brother, to turn away from human devising, to follow His guidance, to refuse to be deceived. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 4
“He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” [John 1:10-12, 14.] 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 5
This is the message that I am instructed to bear to our physicians. The Lord calls upon those who claim to be medical missionaries to free themselves from the control of any human mind. He says, “Break every yoke. My servants are not to be under the jurisdiction of any man. Their minds belong to Me. They have not been sold into bondage to any human being; for him to lead them into philosophical speculation and spiritualistic theories.” 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 6
Christ never causes confusion in minds. He says, “I will surely bring punishment upon those who put themselves in My place to control the minds of My blood-bought heritage; for thus they endanger the souls of those who have been purchased with the price of My own blood. These physicians are My workmen. They are to present to the world a standing evidence that the human mind, under the control of the Holy Spirit, represents the heavenly world. Better would it be for a man never to have been born than to spoil the souls of My heritage. The soul that is turned away from the Word may lose eternal life. Unless the one who does this work comes to Me with repentance and confession, he will lose the life that measures with the life of God.” 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 7
One soul mislead—forfeiting eternal bliss—who can estimate the loss! 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 8
The missionaries of the Christian church are to stand in their God-given manhood, with the privilege of exercising freedom of speech and freedom of faith. When they see that a fellow laborer is not doing as a man in his position ought to do, they are not to harmonize with his plans or be cowed into silence by a masterful spirit. For them to do this would be a great injury to him and to them. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 9
I am given a message to bear to you and to the rest of our physicians who are connected with the Medical Missionary Association. Separate from the influence exerted by the book Living Temple; for it contains specious sentiments. There are in it sentiments that are entirely true, but these are mingled with error. Scriptures are taken out of their connection and used to uphold erroneous theories. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 10
The thought of the errors contained in this book has given me great distress, and the experience that I have passed through in connection with the matter has nearly cost me my life. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 11
You have had access to the Testimonies to the Church, volumes VII and VIII. In these Testimonies the danger signal is raised. But the light so clear and plain to minds that have not been influenced by deceptive theories has not been discerned by you. Dr. Kellogg has exerted a strong influence upon you and his other associate physicians. He has placed on your necks a yoke which must be broken, else your life records will be spoiled. He has led into by and forbidden paths the feet of men appointed of God to do a special work. Had not his soul been lifted up unto vanity, had he not determined to follow the counsels of his own mind, the book Living Temple would never have appeared in print. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 12
While the destructive theories of this book are entertained by our physicians, there cannot be union between them and the ministers who are bearing the gospel message. There should be no union until there is a change. The power of Christ and the power of Satan are at war against one another. Between these powers there can be no connection; for they are utterly antagonistic to each other. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 13
I am instructed to speak plainly. “Meet it,” is the word spoken to me. “Meet it firmly and without delay.” But it is not to be met by taking our working forces from the field to investigate doctrines and points of difference. We have no such investigation to make. In the book Living Temple, there is presented the Alpha of deadly heresies. The Omega will follow and will be received by those who are not willing to heed the warning God has given. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 14
Our physicians upon whom important responsibilities rest should have clear spiritual discernment. They are to stand constantly on guard. Dangers that we do not now discern will soon break upon us, and I greatly desire that our physicians shall not be deceived. I have an intense longing to see them standing free in the Lord. I pray that they may have the courage to stand firm for the truth as it is in Jesus, holding fast the beginning of their confidence unto the end. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 15
We are to make advance moves; but we cannot unite with Dr. Kellogg until he is a changed man. Had he received the light and encouragement that Christ gave him at the Berrien Springs Conference, and acknowledged his errors; had he at that Conference cleared the King’s highway, and taken up the stones; had he removed the obstacles by which he has continually obstructed the progress of the work, he would have received great blessings. For years message after message has been given, telling him that God forbade certain things, and yet he has been determined to carry matters in his own way. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 16
When medical missionaries made their practice and example harmonize with the name they bear, when they feel their need of uniting firmly with the ministers of the gospel, then there can be harmonious action. But, the time has come when we must firmly refuse to be drawn away from the platform of eternal truth, which since 1844 has stood the test. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 17
I was instructed that the future success of our work as a people has been imperilled by the investing of so much means in the institutions in Battle Creek. Messages were sent saying that this should not be done, but plans of human devising were followed. And now, when it is seen that the work is hedged about by difficulties, it is declared that influences must have been exerted to place the work in such a position that there must be shifting of the responsibilities. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 18
I am instructed to say that as matters now stand, we should show ourselves unfaithful servants did we allow the debts of the medical association to be laid upon the General Conference. Properly managed, sanitariums will sustain themselves. But unless there is wise management, they will become involved in debt. The duty of taking over the institutions that are crippled with debt has not been laid upon the General Conference. We are to open new fields and are to work from a different standpoint altogether. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 19
The Lord forbids that every sanitarium which is established shall be placed under the control of one association or one group of men. 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 20
It will be said that Living Temple has been revised. But the Lord has shown me that Dr. Kellogg has not changed, and there can be no unity between him and the ministers of the gospel while he continues to cherish his present sentiments. I am bidden to lift my voice in warning to our people, saying, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” [Galatians 6:7.] 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 21
I now ask you, Will you take your stand boldly for the right? Will you break completely the yoke that has been upon your neck? 19LtMs, Lt 277, 1904, par. 22