Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 151, 1904

Butler, G. I.

“Carroll House,” Takoma Park, Maryland

May 4, 1904

Portions of this letter are published in SpTB #6 25.

Dear Brother Butler,—

The Lord is looking upon you with the tenderest pity and love. Do not look to man, but look to God. Hold fast the beginning of your confidence firm unto the end. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 1

Come to the Berrien Springs meeting prepared to stand firm for the right. There are stern, decided battles to fight. Dr. Kellogg is seeking to draw as many good workers as possible to Battle Creek, to labor with all their might, that his image, as seen in the glory and wonderful success of the mammoth Sanitarium, may be approved and honored. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 2

In the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, it was to the Hebrew captives, those who felt that they were exiles in a strange land, and that God was their only dependence, that the Lord opened the glory that they had in heaven. He did not show this to those who were charmed with the splendor of Babylon. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 3

Today He desires to teach His medical missionaries the precious lessons of heaven. To those who refuse to be charmed by the things of time and sense, He will reveal the treasures of eternity. To those who will come out from the world and be separate, faithfully performing the duties assigned them, will be opened the glories of the eternal world. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 4

After giving the wonderful dream to Nebuchadnezzar, the first thing God did in its interpretation was to silence the wise men of Babylon. They were placed where they had to acknowledge their inability to revive in the mind of the king his forgotten dream. In many ways God can show the wisdom of men to be folly, in order that man may not glory in his wisdom. The Chaldean magicians were placed where they had to acknowledge the inefficiency of their scientific power, so that God could show the superior wisdom possessed by those who worship Him. He sought to lead princes and people from broken cisterns to the living fountain, by revealing the divine science of eternity. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 5

Daniel told the dream and the interpretation to Nebuchadnezzar. The words, “Thou art this head of gold” [Daniel 2:38], made a deep impression on the king’s mind, and he resolved to make an image which would be all gold to represent himself. This image he caused to be set up in the plain of Dura and gave command that at a certain time all were to fall down and worship it. But the Hebrew captives refused to obey, saying to the king: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” [Daniel 3:16-18.] 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 6

The story is familiar to all. God’s faithful servants were delivered, and the king’s wrath was turned into praise and thanksgiving to Jehovah. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 7

Nebuchadnezzar erected the image to gain glory for himself. A king has power, and when this power is allied to goodness, it is exerted in harmony with the divine will. But when it is allied to evil, it leads to sins that God will visit with His chastisement. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 8

My brother, I want you to understand that the Battle Creek Sanitarium was erected against the expressed will of God. Presidents of conferences and others were consulted, it is true, and they assented to the plans presented, because they did not desire to differ with the leader of the medical work when they could possibly agree with him. And besides, they had not received all the messages that he had received. Those who had not seen the testimonies that the leaders in the medical work had seen were not responsible for what they did not know. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 9

The experience that we have passed through since the Conference of 1901 has been a complicated one, and thus our experience will continue to be. Just as long as the managers of the Sanitarium try to make Battle Creek a great center, so long will they call for men and women and ministers to do the work which they cannot do. How can we encourage the plans to gather our youth into Battle Creek, when our heavenly Father has said that this place is not to be made a great center for educational work? Those educated there have not been receiving a training that will rightly prepare them to engage in the work of God. Seeds of doubt and of opposition to the testimonies have been sown. Better far would it have been for the future of our work if those who have received their education in Battle Creek had been educated where the spiritual atmosphere is purer. 19LtMs, Lt 151, 1904, par. 10