Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 269, 1904

Kellogg, J. H.

Berrien Springs, Michigan

May 22, 1904

Portions of this letter are published in 11MR 316-317.

Dr. J. H. Kellogg

Dear Brother,—

I wish to write you a few lines. Oh, how my soul is grieved on your account, because you are standing where you now are. But you will not stand there long; you will make some change in your present position. I am now bidden to say to you, You may now come to the Saviour. Your opportunity is here. At the General Conference held in Battle Creek in 1901, the Lord in the testimonies borne in the tabernacle pointed out the way that you were to follow, but you did not choose to follow it. At one time, after the Conference held at South Lancaster, you broke down, and you did see your self, but in none too strong a light. Had you then kept the repentance that needeth not to be repented of, you would have boldly taken your stand under the banner of Jesus Christ. But it is not natural for you to yield, and you cherished a stubborn determination to carry out your own will and way. You would not yield to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. You kept yourself under your own control, devising first one plan and then another plan and working against the Lord’s plans. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 1

At the General Conference of 1901 you were once more invited by the Lord to return to Him, and you started on your way to do a good work. But you were still influenced by another power, to which you had often submitted. The experience through which you have passed has been of a kind hard to define; but as you have walked in the light of the sparks of your own kindling, you were really under the leadership of the adversary. You have been receiving spiritualistic, fanciful ideas from the father of lies. You can not break away from his binding power until you make an entire surrender to the Lord. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 2

You may inquire, What is a man to do who is desirous of breaking the spell of Satan’s power? Become truly penitent, and confess your backsliding. Of yourself you have no power to overcome. Your only hope is to break the spell. You must die to your ambitious desire to do great things. You must be born again. Earnest prayer to Christ for unison with your brethren would bring to you power from above to break the spell. But the spell can never be broken by you alone. You have given yourself up to the seductive teachings of the enemy, thinking that you were in the light, and you have not yet broken the spell. You are not to confine yourself to prayer, but working with your prayers are to make decided efforts to correct that which is wrong. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 3

You have spoiled your record, and you will continue to spoil it until you change counsellors and take your stand wholly and humbly on the Lord’s side. If you could leave your work in the charge of some other physician, and go away from Battle Creek for some months, with some one who understands your danger, you might break the spell. But this seems to be an impossibility. You do not realize the danger of your condition. Strenuous work must be done in renouncing very much of that which you have called principle, but which has its origin in the desire to control. You must break with yourself; for you are not a safe teacher or guide for yourself. A power holds you with a vice-like grip—a power which nothing can break but the power of your Redeemer. Renounce every evil method and flee into the arms of Christ. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 4

If you could see your peril, you might be helped, but a deceptive power holds you captive. Break the spell through belief in Christ. Place yourself under the shield of His protection. Lay hold of His power. This is your only hope. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 5

Repentance and brokenness of heart, as well as forgiveness, are procured only through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. You need to be in association with those who are constantly receiving a rich measure of the power of God. By casting your helpless soul on Christ, you will place yourself where He can work for you with His renovating power. Christ pardons none but the penitent. By His Holy Spirit He works upon mind and heart until He makes the soul penitent, and then pardon comes. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 6

You have a work to do for yourself that no one can do for you. Yield yourself to Christ: yield fully: yield without reserve. I call upon you to throw back upon the originator of sin the spell that he has cast upon you. I call upon you to put to the tax every spiritual energy in the effort to escape from the snare. Follow right principles in dealing with yourself. You are not your own; you have been bought with a price, and you are to give to God that which is His own—the service of all your powers. You are to glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are His. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 7

You have a decided part to act in gaining your own salvation through the merits of the blood of a crucified Redeemer. Activity in the right direction is to be shown. Your time is precious. Overcome the pride that would keep you from yielding to Christ. He alone, formed within the hope of glory, will enable you to wrestle successfully. Your way is not God’s way. Your character is in need of a decided change. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 8

The light that Christ gives reveals the desires and inclinations that must be manfully resisted and overcome. Make a desperate effort to escape. Confess your sins. The promise is that Christ is faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. You can repent with the help of the Saviour. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 9

I am moved by the Spirit of God to tell you to break with the powers of darkness. Come to Jesus. Make wrongs right, even though this takes an effort that would seem to dissolve human nature. Take yourself in hand, and go straight to Jesus, your invisible Mediator. Go in spite of the opposition of the flesh. Resist every inclination to draw back. Make the break. Die to self. Then you will be able to say, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet to Thy testimonies.” [Psalm 119:59.] I know your piety and early devotion. I know that you have backslidden, and I urge you to repent. Unless you do this, the message is, “I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.” [Revelation 2:5.] Thou hast lost thy first love, lost thy love for Christ, and hast become lukewarm. There has not been a proper acknowledgement of this on your part, because a man that is spiritually blind cannot see. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 10

My soul has not ceased to yearn for the salvation of your soul. 19LtMs, Lt 269, 1904, par. 11