Manuscript Releases, vol. 9 [Nos. 664-770]

Other Work Neglected

It is not the work God has appointed you. It is not your means you are using so abundantly, as you have been doing for years. The poverty of the missions in Africa has recently been opened before me. Missionaries were sent from America to the natives of Africa, and no provisions made for them to find support. They have suffered, and are still suffering for the necessities of life. Think of it! God's missionaries, ready to suffer the greatest inconveniences in order that the message of mercy might be carried to those sitting in darkness in heathen lands, are not sustained in their work. The means that should have been put into the work in Africa, in sending supplies to the sufferers in Africa has not been sent.... 9MR 85.2

Our camp meetings are God's instrumentalities. The people of all denominations come out to hear, and the truth is proclaimed. God bids us to give the people Bible truth for this time. Revelation means just what it expresses—revelation—truths revealed—and the blessing is pronounced on all who give heed to the things written in this book. (See Revelation 1:1-3.) The truths contained in the Revelation are to be taught, and we are all to learn the lessons of the fearful import of the things to transpire in these last days of this earth's history. You have lost sight of these things. Other things introduced by you have not come in under the instruction of God. You need to be converted. You need to bear in mind that your mind and your judgment is not the great whole. God is the teacher. He has exalted you to be a wise man, to stand at your appointed post of duty. Our work we are trying to carry out just as the Lord has outlined it, years ago, and repeated it over again and again. 9MR 86.1

The camp meetings are to be conducted as the gospel ministry of the word of the living God to the people. They are beguiled by heresies and false doctrines. Men are glorified and humanity exalted as if erring man were God. Preach the truth.... 9MR 86.2

This work requires money and workers. The tent remains two or three weeks, and then the camp is broken up to do work in other places. A tent must still be left, a mission home secured, Bible workers employed to go from home to home to those who become awakened, convicted, and converted. All classes of people should be labored for, the drunkard, and the tobacco devotee, and the tea drinker, and the coffee user, and all are to be educated in matters of temperance, and from the Word instructed in the law of God. This is the work that God's treasury must sustain. In this work sheaves will be gathered, souls converted and baptized and added to the church as in the days of the apostles. No one is to be neglected. 9MR 86.3

Our workers find intelligent mothers of families who know not how to read. They take that as a part of their mission, and instruct them as they would little children, not in ABC's, but give them lessons from the Bible, and several in Maitland have become able to read the Scriptures for themselves. Hard cases, very hard cases, have been convicted and converted, and those who know them say that the change wrought is a living miracle.... 9MR 87.1

The wicked are not to be supported and God's chosen passed by, and the Lord does not give into the hands of Sabbathkeepers the work of supporting the disobedient and transgressors of His law, while the needy, suffering ones of God's people are left without provision because of wrong conceptions of duty. We are not called upon to make it a special business to reward the disobedient and transgressors of God's law who continue in sin, and who are educated to look for help to those who will sustain them. We shall find a rich blessing when we do our duty to the Lord's suffering, needy ones. We should not pass them by and reward the unholy and sinful, as it has been represented to me has been done, and is being done, in Chicago. God's work is a high and important work, one above every other work, and it is to be carried to all parts of the world. 9MR 87.2

Foreign mission fields have been neglected and the work of God hindered from accomplishing the purpose God the Lord designed. His people are not to be left to suffer for the words of truth and to die in want and need because means is placed where God has not ordered. His name is not honored or glorified. But whenever a church is established we are to do the very work that should be done for the needy believers, and the church should look after and relieve the sufferings of believers and unbelievers, irrespective of their faith, and some will embrace the truth as the result.... 9MR 87.3

There are many places where the means should have been appropriated to make aggressive warfare in cities and towns in connection with tent efforts, and raise up churches which should be as memorials of truth and righteousness. Every stroke should tell for God and His holy Sabbath. That is to stand out in all our work distinctly and pronounced, to be a witness that the seventh day is the sign, the seal of God. 9MR 88.1

The Sabbath is to be exalted and made prominent more than is done now. Again the churches, the plants of the Lord, must take up experimental religious work, not only for the church members but for those whom their experience may benefit in personal labor....They are to work for their neighbors whether believers or unbelievers. They may obtain the confidence of the suffering ones, and in offering prayer in their behalf, should pray that they may feel their accountability to God to serve Him who died to redeem them. The patient self-sacrifice of these church members should carry out the instruction of Christ to His disciples. 9MR 88.2

Christ ordained the twelve to preach the gospel of His kingdom. It was in the same line as giving Bible readings. “As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7). Read the chapter. “And into whatsoever city ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you” (verses 11-13). There must be peace in the houses where their call is given. Their labor was not to be lost, producing no good results. They must use judgment and discrimination as to whether the master of the house was of those to whom they should give their labor, and not waste their precious strength and time. They were not to remunerate all they visited, but to be provided for by the houses they visited, and this was to be the test as to where they should give time and instruction. “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues” (verses 14-17). This would be experienced in the fullest sense.... 9MR 88.3

This building up of institutions to feed the people was not God's devised plan. When churches were raised up through the preaching of the gospel, the members were not to have this personal work done by proxy and not come close to the sick and visiting them and showing their love and care for the Lord's property by ministering to them, and not lavish upon them the means from the Lord's treasury. 9MR 89.1

The church should have certain wise men and women chosen to look after the poor, and then report and counsel as to what should be done. They should not be encouraged to think they can have their eating, drinking, and sleeping in a place provided for them all free, as if there were an inexhaustible fund to provide for them. Men of God should be appointed, men of discernment and wisdom and care, to look after the wants of the saints of God, the household of faith, first. The Lord commands that His commandment-keeping people shall have relief first, and then every case is to be examined, and not teach them that a work is to be done for them free, or nearly so. 9MR 89.2

Many will depend as long as they have anything to depend on, and God knows better than short-sighted mortals what is best for the creatures He has created. He would not have transgressors and the worst kind of humanity consuming the revenue He has appointed to sustain those who shall be refused work because they keep the law of God.—Letter 45, 1900, pp. 2, 8-10, 14, 16-18. (To J. H. Kellogg, March 12, 1900.) 9MR 90.1

White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

February 20, 1979.