Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)
Ms 81, 1912
Talk/Remarks by E. G. White at Carr St. Church, Sabbath, March 23, 1912, 3 o’clock p.m.
Los Angeles, California
March 23, 1912
Previously unpublished.
Isaiah 58:1-3. We want to be in a position that we can understand the movings of the Spirit of God upon the human heart. We want to be in that position that we can understand we are dealing with God, and God is dealing with us. Our work is to come so intelligently before God that He can approve our earnest desire to follow on to know the Lord, that we may know His going forth is prepared as the morning. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 1
We are not to allow, in our churches, our mouths to be closed if we see there is sin that needs to be reproved. We can come to them, and say, Let us go aside and talk over this matter. And then you can talk together and pray together and that will frequently heal the difficulty. It is a wonderful healing influence to bring souls into close relation to our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He has given Him for us that He might make it possible for every soul to overcome through the blood of the Lamb and the word of the testimony that He has given them. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 2
We are to act like intelligent human beings. We cannot afford to make any mistake as we are seeking the Lord with all our hearts. And what has He done?—given us His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Then as we lay this matter before you in all its greatness (it is something we cannot fully do), it is something that must be done under the baptism of the Holy Spirit of God. We are fighting and warring against the enemy, and fighting the battles of the Lord that we may be overcomers through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 3
If we will keep in view the great and infinite sacrifice that has been made for us, we shall be careful in our homes, we shall be careful in our speech to our children. We shall see that our words do not create an enmity in them against the great plan of salvation because it is not presented to them in the light it should be. Now, the Lord wants every soul in this building truly to understand what he must do to inherit eternal life, that he shall make no mistake in this. Why? Look at your families. Look at your children. Oh, it is a big work, but it is a grand work. If you make a success, you have won your household to God. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 4
Husband and wife are to unitedly join to work the reformation in the children. The children have a right to expect that there will be life for them and grace for them that shall come through Jesus Christ, who came into the world and gave His life that He might build up the premises for the children, that they might work intelligently. And if they need correction, never do as I have seen some do in meeting—shake their children. It makes them mad. That does not convert them. I am night after night pleading with parents, telling them, Here is a family, and you are God’s representative to present to that family what they must do in order to inherit eternal life. You must yourselves give the example. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 5
If neighbors come in at a time when you are engaged in educating and teaching and guiding your children, you should not leave that work in order to have a visit. Set such a time when you will be able to meet them, but tell them at that time you are engaged in giving words of instruction to your children which they will remember as long as they live. They are your children. You are responsible. You must pursue a course that is becoming and intelligent to your children, and in this way there will be very much less sin in families. We do not want sin to come in and take our children away from us and put them under satanic banners. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 6
“Show my people their transgression.” [Verse 1.] There is lots of it in families and you cannot afford it. Fathers and mothers are quick to fly into a passion if anything disturbs them. These children are the fruit of your body, and you are bound under most solemn obligations to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In doing this work, they will have a chance to show their temperament; but take them right away from the family, and tell them, “Children, you have pained me exceedingly today. God has given me a work to do for you, and I want you brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” I do not want to see my children lost, for I should expect that I should deserve the same fate. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 7
We want to bring up our children kindly, not by scolding and fretting, but take them right by themselves, and say, Children, we are going to talk with God about this matter now. After leaving them a time to think about it, bring the matter up and show them how the Spirit of God is grieved and how the angels of God cannot do the work that God wants them to do for their salvation unless they come into different temperament. Then talk with them kindly and bow in prayer. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 8
If we have saved the souls of our children it is because we have made diligent work for the Master; and we cannot afford to lose one. We want the salvation of our children. Never speak a cross word to them. It does not convert them at all. To pound them in anger never helps the matter. Just kneel down, and with weeping tell them that God permitted His only begotten Son to come into this world that He might be our example, and by His grace save many. Many will follow on in the paths of the enemy and be lost, but if they will be lost, we cannot help that. But we can begin at the beginning, and God helping us, we can make reformations in our families that will be as enduring as eternity, and we want to say to everybody that this work must not be neglected. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 9
“Shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” [Verse 1.] Who needs this message? Who will improve if they have this message, and in humbleness will carry it out? It is not your dress that recommends you to God. It is not anything of this order, but it following on to know the Lord. Fathers and mothers are bound before God to do their very utmost to win their children to Jesus Christ. What have you done then? They will have courage day by day. You have given them courage and helped them in the way to life. You want that they should see the King in His beauty, and you want that they should hear, “Well done, good and faithful parent, well done, good and faithful children.” You want to hear these things. It is sensible and right. The Lord wants the work to go clean and thorough and intelligently in your home. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 10
Has not God done enough? Has He not given Christ to the world? Has He not permitted His only begotten Son to come into the world that we might hear the words of righteousness and the terms of salvation, that they may hear and understand what they must do as children? I understand about this because I have taken a number of children, some right from the towpath years ago. (One of these was our Brother George Amadon.) I placed them under religious influence. They needed to be intelligent as to what they should do. Unless children are surrounded with right impressions, unless the righteous shall help them along step by step, then you, being in connection with them, have aided in placing them in wrong positions. What we want is to have a church that is a working church. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 11
I have had opportunity to study character as I have taken several young men and young women into my household. I know the Lord has subjects here in this very room, and if we should every one undertake to live after the order of God’s directions, we would follow on to do our best with our children. What we want is the righteousness of Christ and the precious truth. We want it to be represented in our own characters. If we will do this, we will meet with circumstances that will try us, but even though you do meet these circumstances you can say, He has given us a Saviour, and now we will take our children right to Him. Go alone with them, and tell them you are going to pray with them. What we want is to bring into our churches a converted school that will work to help one another as they advance step by step heavenward. They will soon know how much more agreeable it is. God wants every family to come into right relation to Him. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 12
Verses 3-14. Now if you will take this home, and be sure that you are giving the right instruction to your children, “then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am.” 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 13
Verses 9-14. Now I have read enough in regard to that matter. But will you take it? Will you study it in your homes? The matter of eternal life is of consequence, and you want to carry out the will of God as He has given you evidence. How much He estimates the human family! We are fitting up either for the salvation of our children or giving them an example to carry out the plans and ideas contrary to what is written right here in the Word. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 14
Now Christ is coming. We are looking, waiting, and longing for Him. We expect to see the King in His beauty. But what about these children? You must teach them that these worldly ambitions and longings the Lord cannot justify. You may have to punish them, but do not do it in anger. You may punish them when your heart is broken and you show them what a grief it is. Now, here is a world to be saved, and every soul who can exert an influence in the right direction should take right hold of the work intelligently, and God will help him. I know it, for I have proved it. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 15
Every one of us may have a work to do to improve ourselves to the best of our ability, and if we will endeavor to do it, the Lord of heaven has His angels right beside us to help us. I want to tell you we have compassionate Saviour, and a precious Lord who did not withhold that Saviour to save the world. Will you appreciate it? Will you work to the point? It is said that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine that need no repentance. Did not they need it? Yes; but they would not acknowledge it. They would have their own way anyhow. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 16
I want to tell you that the end is near, and when I have been obliged to give up for a time, yet the Lord has sustained me, and I can travel and speak to the congregations. I want to say, Let every one of us search the Scriptures. Let us study the fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth chapters of Isaiah, and we will have a great lesson to learn. I am preparing for the future immortal life, and I have thought every now and then when I have made my efforts to reach the people, How can I reach the people? Well, I would speak, and I would pray that the Lord would give me voice and intelligence that I might reach them, and I have been greatly blessed. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 17
I would like to have reached more, but men and women have their practices and their habits, and it is not easy for them to give them up. But suppose that you should follow on to know the Lord, that His going forth is prepared as the morning. Suppose that you should do your utmost to divest yourself of every sin. What a work you would have before you! What we want is not our own will. We do not want to follow out a course of action that we could not possibly take into the heavenly courts. What are we getting ready for now? Are we getting ready to meet the King in His beauty? Are we getting prepared for what God is preparing for us? May the Lord help every professor that is here today to humble his heart before God. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 18
As I have traveled through the foreign countries, I have thought how the Lord has graciously spared my life, and I want that every one should have a part in this soul-saving business. It is not the best thing to give up to little discouragements. I have had heavy ones, very heavy, and yet I knew that I was leaning upon the Arm that never would fail me. The truth of the Bible is so precious to me. It is as precious as gold. The voice that they said I would lose entirely, I have used as I traveled East, West, North, and South. My voice is given me to give to the people, and I want every one of you to realize what the Lord will do for us if we will surrender ourselves to Christ, to give ourselves to Him. He will work for us. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 19
Tell the children what God has done through Christ, that they might have the gift of eternal life. Now, if you will take hold of this matter intelligently, you will indeed cry aloud, and spare not. I want to speak to the gray-headed, and to every soul in this congregation, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” [Isaiah 55:6.] And if we will press on and through Christ get rid of all our sins, what have we done then? Why, heaven is open. The gates of the city of God are open, and the nations that have kept the truth are welcome, and once within the gates, we go no more out forever. There we shall have freedom from all sins. 25LtMs, Ms 81, 1912, par. 20