Manuscript Releases, vol. 5 [Nos. 260-346]

Unity

Good Cooking, True Missionary Work—If your duty lies in the kitchen, seek to be a perfect cook. Prepare food which will be healthful, nourishing, and appetizing, so that the members of the family need not resort to stimulants of any kind. This is true missionary work.—Manuscript 47, 1896, p. 7. (“The Lack of Unity a Cause of Failure,” undated.) 5MR 361.3

Unity Unity in Variety—Life in nature objects to uniformity. There is variety in the human body, from the eyes to the feet. Yet all these members are dependent upon one another to make a perfect whole. In all the variety composing the human body, there is harmonious action in conformity to the laws controlling the being.... 5MR 361.4

The more we as believers drink in of the Spirit, the more we shall be animated and united by His surpassing love.—Letter 53, 1900, pp. 1-4. (To Elder S. N. Haskell, April 5, 1900.) 5MR 362.1

Illustrated by the Vine and the Branches—By the figure of the vine and the branches Christ illustrated not only the relation that should exist between Him and His followers but also the union between every believer and his fellow-believer. The branches of the vine are related to each other; but they are not alike. Each has its own individuality, which cannot be merged into that of another, but all have a special connection with each other. The root that supplies nourishment to one branch supplies nourishment to every other branch. Each must depend alike on the vine for sustenance; all must be joined to the parent stalk. The life and growth and faithfulness of each depend alike on the parent vine. In obedience to the laws of nature, their common hold of the true vine makes them one; in their diversity there is unity. 5MR 362.2

The lesson of the vine and its branches holds a deep meaning for the workers in the cause of God. Every worker is to draw his strength from the same Source, and while the individuality of each is to be maintained, unity and harmony is to be preserved. When this spirit of oneness pervades the work, our institutions throughout the world will be united in their interests, while the individuality of any one will not be merged into that of any other one.... 5MR 362.3

It is not the purpose of God to centralize in this way, bringing all the interests of one branch of the work under the management of a comparatively few men. In His great purpose of advancing the cause of truth in the earth, He designs that every part of His work shall blend with every other part. The workers are to draw together in the Spirit of Christ. In their diversity, they are to preserve unity. One institution is not to be brought under the control of another, but all are to exercise their powers harmoniously.—Letter 112, 1907, pp, 4. 5. (To the directors of the Nashville Sanitarium and the Southern Union Conference, March 10, 1907.) 5MR 363.1

Do not allow your individuality to become prominent. If differences arise, do not insist on having your own way, thereby creating strife. Let your individual preferences be unexpressed, when you see that they would create discord. 5MR 363.2

Unless some question of vital importance is involved, be ready to yield your own opinion rather than to create a dispute. Even though you may by argument gain your point, yet you may place a burden upon someone else, far outweighing the advantage you think you will gain. It is hard to heal the wounds caused by harsh words. 5MR 363.3

Often you may preserve peace by guarding the tongue. Never introduce into your conversation matters that will create strife, hurting your own soul, and the souls of others. Keep your differences to yourself. Tell them only to God.—Manuscript 60, 1903, p. 2. (“Unity in the Home and in the Church,” typed June 24, 1903.) 5MR 363.4

Unite With Confidence in One Another—It is not in accordance with the mind of the Lord to encourage suspicion, jealousy, envy, and evil surmising. The Lord desires His people to unite and to look constantly to Jesus. They are to work in sympathy and love, with entire confidence in one another. Christ declares, “All ye are brethren.”—Letter 116, 1901, p. 3. (To Elder W. M. Healey, August 21, 1901.) 5MR 364.1

The Law of Cooperation—The Lord has designed that His people shall organize and combine all the united elements, sanctified through the truth, as vast influential agencies to transform the human into divine agencies, to work out as united plans, the divine cooperating with the human, the power of the future world brought into and imparted to the present, which means the Holy Spirit pervading His body, the church.... 5MR 364.2

All the united converted agencies are to combine in one, and the law of cooperation is the great one work in reciprocal influence. There is to be no kingly power, one man controlling the whole. All influences are brought to bear one upon the other in revealing Christ and the cross to a world that is perishing in sin and iniquity.—Letter 183, 1901, pp. 6, 7. (To “Dear _____,” November 26, 1901.) 5MR 364.3

Perfect Oneness—I urge our people to cease their criticism and evil-speaking, and go to God in earnest prayer, asking Him to help the erring. Let them link up with one another and with Christ. Let them study the seventeenth of John, and learn how to pray and how to live the prayer of Christ. He is the comforter. He will abide in their hearts, making their joy full. His words will be to them as the bread of life, and in the strength thus gained they will be enabled to develop characters that will be an honor to God. Perfect Christian fellowship will exist among them. There will be seen in their lives the fruit that always appears as the result of obedience to the truth. 5MR 364.4

Let us make Christ's prayer the rule of our life, that we may form characters that will reveal to the world the power of the grace of God. Let there be less talk about petty differences, and a more diligent study of what the prayer of Christ means to those who believe on His name. We are to pray for union, and then live in such a way that God can answer our prayers. 5MR 365.1

Perfect oneness—a union as close as the union existing between the Father and the Son—this is what will give success to the efforts of God's workers.—Manuscript 1, 1903, p. 6. (“An Appeal,” January 7, 1903.) 5MR 365.2

Union With God through Christ—Complete union with Christ and with one another is absolutely necessary to the perfection of believers. Christ's presence by faith in the hearts of believers is their power, their life. It brings union with God. “Thou in me.” Union with God through Christ makes the church perfect.—Manuscript 182, 1905, 7. 5MR 365.3

Why So Little Effort to Preserve Unity—an Appeal to an influential Minister—We need to walk very carefully before God. I have in times past had many heartaches as I have been shown your dangers. When once you have taken a position in regard to any subject, there is a set determination to hold to the stand taken. You have not pursued a right course in reference to the questions upon which there is a difference of opinion. At times you are altogether too sharp and severe toward your brethren who are younger in years, and yet whom the Lord is manifestly using to give light to His people. 5MR 365.4

The One who has paid the purchase money for our souls, prayed just prior to His crucifixion, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.” 5MR 366.1

Here are the credentials we are to bear to the world, that the Lord hath sent His Son, Jesus, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” When so much importance is attached to the unity of believers, why is there so little effort to preserve unity? Why are not the words of our Saviour more decidedly practiced? Why is not greater caution exercised that differences should not exist; and if there are differences of opinion, why swell them to as large proportions as possible, and make the breach as wide as possible? Why present these differences conspicuously before the world? 5MR 366.2

This matter grieves my soul, because it grieves the soul of Him who died for us that we should be one in Him and one in God. 5MR 366.3

I have great respect and love for you, my brother, and it hurts me to see you in any way taking a course that in the least resembles the course pursued by the Jewish nation, which separated them from God and bound up their minds in prejudice and unbelief, that the true light shining all about them was not discovered and acknowledged.... 5MR 366.4

I have been shown it is because the feelings of the natural heart, unsubdued by grace, have the supremacy. If they had an understanding of the word of God, men living amid the perils of the last days would rather sacrifice their dignity, though dear as the right arm or the right eye, than disregard the plainest precepts of God's word as they have done.... 5MR 367.1

The enemy has been making you wide awake to discern error in those whose views in some points differed from yours. You have thought that you could see inconsistencies in Brethren A and B and those who were in harmony with them. My dear brother, those men are human; in the intensity of their feelings they may make mistakes; their expressions may sometimes be stronger than will impress minds favorably. But have you as a colaborer, one who has had long experience in the work, gone to these men with your soul imbued with the love of God, feeling pained to the very heart to perceive a shade of difference in views and positions, and said to them, “Brethren, we must be a unit”? Christ prayed that we might be one as He is one with the Father. Let us together bring our ideas to the Scriptures. Let us lay aside prejudice, and be determined we will cherish brotherly love, and in meekness and lowliness of mind try to see eye to eye.” 5MR 367.2

But few have courage to do this; yet it is the only Christlike course that will prevent divisions.—Letter 25b, 1892, pp. 1-8. (“Conflicts and Victories of the Church,” August 30, 1892.) 5MR 367.3

Would it not be well for you to seek the Lord as the disciples sought Him before the day of Pentecost? After Christ's ascension, His disciples—men of varied talents and capabilities—assembled in an upper chamber to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this room “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.” They made thorough work of repentance by confessing their own sins. Upon them was laid no burden to confess one another's sins. Settling all differences and alienations, they were of one accord, and prayed with unity of purpose for ten days, at the end of which time “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”—Letter 98, 1902, p. 3. (“To the Churches and Companies in Greater New York,” July 8, 1902.) 5MR 368.1

Deficiencies Supplied as Men of Varied Abilities Work Together—The Lord has not qualified any one of us to bear the burden of the work alone. He has associated together men of different minds, that they may counsel with and assist one another. In this way the deficiency in the experience and the abilities of one is supplied by the experience and the abilities of another. We should all study carefully the instruction given in Corinthians and Ephesians regarding our relation to one another as members of the body of Christ.... 5MR 368.2

Christ is mine and I am His. It is positively necessary for us to sit down and think how Christ our Saviour descended from heaven, from the throne of God, clothing His divinity with humanity, to show all mankind what human beings may become if they will unite their weakness to His strength, if they will die to self and live to Christ. Thus the strong, unchristlike traits of character that they have cherished will be softened, subdued, purified. They will unite one with another, that they may be one with Christ in God.—Letter 80, 1902, pp. 1-7. (To Elder J. E. White, May 25, 1902.) 5MR 368.3

Reciprocal Action—In the varied lines of Christ's work, each part depends on the other part. God has made provision for reciprocal action and mutual relation of all animated beings. He has made arrangements that all shall be connected together, and the whole to God. No one can be dropped out of the Lord's plan without affecting the whole. Nothing is independent of the rest. In creating Adam and Eve as our parents, God designed that each human being should stand related to the rest, to be a part of the web of humanity.—Manuscript 157, 1898, p. 1. (“Be Ye Therefore Perfect,” typed December 6, 1898.) 5MR 369.1

God's Kingdom Allows No Place for Strife for Supremacy—Christ gave His disciples a most important lesson in regard to who should be His disciples. In the kingdom that I am about to set up, He said, strife for the supremacy shall have no place. All ye are brethren. All My servants there shall be equal. The only greatness recognized there will be the greatness of humility and devotion to the service of others. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be abased. He who seeks to serve others by self-denial and self-sacrifice will be given the attributes of character that commend themselves to God, and [will] develop wisdom, true patience, forbearance, kindness, compassion. This gives him the chiefest place in the kingdom of God.... 5MR 369.2

“He that will come after Me,” Christ said, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” This is the proof of discipleship. If church members would be doers of the word, as they solemnly pledged themselves to be when they received baptism, they would love their brethren, and would be constantly seeking for unity and harmony.... 5MR 370.1

If we are laborers with Christ, we shall work just as Christ worked. Our way and our dispositions are not to be grafted into the work. If we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are none of His. Profession is nothing. “By their fruits ye shall know them.”—Manuscript 165, 1898, pp. 1-11. (“Unity a Test of Discipleship,” typed December 13, 1898.) 5MR 370.2

Not by Human Methods—When church members are imbued with Christ's Spirit, they will be able to fulfill His commission. But unless they strive with all their capabilities to answer the prayer, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word, that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee,” they are not bound up with Him. The spirit developed by the natural character will not lead us to work as Christ worked. There can be no unity while this spirit is cherished. The pure principles of God's word, which are essential to our moral health and purity, cannot be followed while self is upheld. Individual consecration means that the whole being, mind, soul, heart, and strength, is placed on the side of Christ. This is genuine sanctification, and is brought about through obedience to the truth. This sanctification every individual must have who would overcome as Christ overcame. Each must possess that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. This will produce true unity. 5MR 370.3

The unity that God requires cannot be secured or maintained by any human methods. But all who are united to the parent stock, as the branch is united to the vine, will be one in Christ.—Manuscript 156, 1898, p. 2. (“The Need of Self-sacrificing Effort,” typed December 5, 1898.) 5MR 371.1

Self must be laid aside; or God will lay the human instrument aside.—Manuscript 168, 1898, p. 4. (“Fragments,” undated.) 5MR 371.2

Christ's seamless garment is a representation of the unity that should exist in the church. All must see that there must be no rending of the seamless robe.—Letter 107, 1898, p. 2. (To the brethren and sisters in Rockhampton,” November 6, 1898.) 5MR 371.3

The truth cherished in the heart will work out a blessed unity among Christ's disciples in the lower school of earth.—Manuscript 9, 1906, p. 8. (“Unity in Christ,” typed January 16, 1906.) 5MR 371.4

Christlike Forbearance Basic to Unity—May the Lord show you all what to do that you may be filled with thanksgiving, gratitude, and praise to God for the precious gift of the Son of God, and not with envying, jealousies, and rivalries. Then true love and unity will exist.... 5MR 371.5

Nothing can perfect a perfect unity in the church but the spirit of Christlike forbearance. Satan can sow discord; Christ alone can harmonize the disagreeing elements.... When you as individual members of the church love God supremely and your neighbor as yourself, then there will be no labored efforts to be in unity, there will be a oneness in Christ, the ears to report will be closed, and no one will take up a reproach against his neighbor. The members of the church will cherish love and unity and be as one great family. Then we shall bear the credentials to the world that will testify that God has sent His Son into the world. Christ has said, “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one for another”.... 5MR 371.6

Let the capacities of the mind expand that you may take in the heavenly beauties and the blessed promises. Only believe in Jesus and learn in the school of the greatest Teacher the world ever knew, and His grace will act mightily upon the intellect and heart. This teaching gives clearness to the mental vision. It gives compass to the power of the thought; ideas are created, the soul hunger is filled. The heart is softened and subdued and filled with glowing love, that neither discouragement, despondency, affliction, nor trial can quench. God will open to the mind's eye [to] His preciousness and His fullness. Then let us labor and love.—Letter 29, 1889, pp. 5-9. (To Brother and Sister Buckner, November 8, 1889.) 5MR 372.1

Endowment of Holy Spirit Brings Unity—But I know that just as soon as the Holy Spirit shall come upon hearts, there will be unity in voice and understanding; and wisdom will be given us.—Manuscript 16, 1903, p. 4. (“Unity of Effort,” talk at General Conference, April 1, 1903.) 5MR 372.2

Bound by the Golden Chain of Love—Christians are to be united, not in faultfinding and criticism, but in fellowship, in dependence one upon the other, bound by the golden links of the chain of love. If they will unite in partaking of the divine nature, they will be bound to the throne of God. This must be the case if we are ever to meet the Lord Jesus. There must be a receiving of the attributes of pure, holy, sanctified characters, such characters as man would ever have possessed had he remained loyal and true to God. By an intelligent understanding of the word of truth, we may understand the character of Christ.—Letter 366, 1907, p. 4. (To Elder J. E. White, November 10, 1907.) 5MR 373.1

Through Prayer and Bible Study—Now let the work grow, and let there be the strongest union possible among the workers, heart cemented to heart through prayer and searching of the Scriptures. In order that this union may exist, let your hearts be joined together in Christ Jesus.—Letter 8, 1907, p. 1. (To Elder O. A. Olsen and his fellow workers, January 17, 1907.) 5MR 373.2

Not by Independent Action—An army would be demoralized if they did not learn to obey orders of the captain. Each soldier must act in concert. Union is strength; without union efforts are meaningless. Whatever excellent qualities a soldier may possess, he cannot be a safe trustworthy soldier if he claims a right to act independently of his fellow comrades. This independent action cannot be maintained in the service of Christ.... 5MR 373.3

Self-restraint is essential to be exercised by every Christian if they answer the prayer of Christ. He is not a good soldier who will not submit his own judgment and his own ideas to preserve unity of action. We have a noble captain and every soldier must obey orders. The meekness and lowliness of Christ always leads to unity and hence to strength in united action.—Letter 62, 1886, pp. 5, 6. (To Dr. J. H. Kellogg, circa August 2, 1886.) 5MR 373.4

Illustrated by Temple and Its Foundation—The word of God represents the power of the Christian church to be an individual dependence upon Christ and unity between the members. The union between the members of the church and the leader is illustrated by a temple and its foundation. The whole weight of the temple rests upon the foundation, without which it could not stand. So the members of the church of Christ are to build upon Him; for He is the only true foundation.—Letter 20, 1896, pp. 4, 5. (To Brethren Colcord, Daniells, and Faulkhead, August 25, 1896.) 5MR 374.1

Released August 1973.