Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)

Ms 63, 1911

A Message to Parents and Ministers

1911

Previously unpublished.

I am impressed to make an important call to arouse our people, fathers and mothers, to sense their responsibilities. The home duties are not taken up as they should be by a people who have the light and are responsible to the Lord to fully bring this light into home practice in their own daily life as Christians. They are to see the necessity of being converted daily. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 1

Do fathers and mothers understand their individual duty in the home life to represent the truth as it should be represented in practical life, to represent the heavenly requirements before their children? They must give an example of that which God requires of them as parents. God requires them, in their words and in all their works, to consider that they must give account to God, to be true and Christlike in their daily lives, to save the souls of their children. Take time, fathers and mothers, to educate your children to keep the commandments of God. You need to be reconverted, else you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven. I am verily in earnest to awaken our ministering brethren. Time is short, and the Lord would have fathers and mothers have a full sense of their responsibilities. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 2

I call most earnestly to warn ministers for God. There are many families who give altogether too much time to common matters. I call upon ministers and their wives not to descend to cheap, common, worldly practices. The holy law of God has its requirements. Ministers of the gospel, a most solemn work is to be done in your own homes in representing the keeping of the law of God. God’s law is to be obeyed in verity and in truth. Christ came into our world to represent obedience to the law of God, and he who ministers in word and doctrine is to be a testimony to the truth in his words, his spirit, his actions, and in the education of his children. You are, in every household, to live as children of God. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 3

Has every family the transforming grace of God in character? Are fathers and mothers acting out Christ’s teaching? Do they live and act as Christians in the home life? Are they born again by practicing the virtues of Christ’s character? 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 4

Ministers of the gospel, I am charged with a strict injunction to represent the work of the gospel ministry. You may have the character of Christ; you have the privilege of becoming converted daily. Whole households need the pure, clean virtues of Christ’s character. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 5

“Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled.” Luke 14:23. We have an important work, which eternity alone will reveal. I call upon our presidents of conferences, for Christ’s sake, to awaken to a sense of the perils of this time. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 6

You are not to become careless, fathers and mothers. There is a large responsibility upon you. You should not disregard the situation. Do not fill your time with responsibilities that you cannot handle wisely. It is due to the children you bring into the world to receive the time you give to other engagements. Do not rob the children of the due attention they must have to receive the training God requires that you give your children to educate and prepare them for usefulness in this life. We are to use our God-given ability to educate and train these children to have a character that will honor and glorify God. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 7

The Lord is dishonored when children are educated to possess an avaricious spirit, to obtain advantage. The sharper’s act is not essential for your children to practice. Do not speak of such things to your children, for Satan makes use of them. I am to charge, fathers and mothers, to guard your words. The great cleaver of truth is meant to separate the evil practice from the good. God is not glorified in taking advantage of one another and repeating in your family the advantage obtained in business transactions. The sharpest tact is not to be cultivated under any circumstances, for such transactions are marked by your children. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 8

We have been separated from worldly practices by the sacred cleaver of truth. The gold of strictest dealing is essential. It is now we are to form characters of strict righteousness and truth, under all circumstances. The law of God demands this in all our dealings. All petty sharpness is unworthy of a Christian character. We are not in any dealing to be led to do a wrong action. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 9

God calls for ministers to educate and train children to strict truthfulness. Bear in mind that we are separated from the world by the great Bible cleaver of righteousness and truth. These are the united elements which will prove the gold of character. Petty sharpness is unworthy of a Christian. The crucible of God’s test will prove us and develop character. These rugged traits must be brought under the chisel and hammer in the Lord’s great workshop. The grace of God must positively smooth and polish every character that finds a place in the glorious temple of God. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 10

God can make our churches occupy a place of highest value, more precious in their influence than the golden wedge of Ophir, if they will yield up themselves to His transforming grace. We are all to make determined efforts to improve our opportunities. The Word of God must be our study. The weakest follower of Christ is to enter into right relation to God. We see the various movements being made. I am instructed that the love of many, even ministers, is in danger of waxing cold. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 11

What we need now, as churches, is to awaken from dullness, to set in activity every power. It is too late for parties of pleasure and social gatherings to amuse, to pass away the time. There is work to be done in our world. The Lord has given me instruction that the world at this period needs to hear the most sacred truth, reproving their indifference. An exalted greatness is to come into our connection with God. Men and women, if converted daily, will make the most precious truth of the Word their diligent study. The Lord will strengthen all who will follow on to know the Lord by most earnest prayer and humbling their souls before God because they are obeying His voice. He will guide fathers and mothers to be patterns of piety. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 12

Will the work move forward under the faithful ministers of the gospel, bearing a message of solemn warning to give to the world, a message that will be a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death? Ministers should never lose sight of their message. The Lord would do much more for His ministers if they would ever bear in mind their high calling. They must maintain their sense that they are chosen of God to do the will of God. There are some who are very assured who, unless they are converted, will not be overcomers. Therefore, I have need to urge you to make diligent work lest you fail of the grace of God. 25LtMs, Ms 63, 1911, par. 13