Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Ms 78, 1886

Nearing the Judgment

1886

Portions of this manuscript are published in HP 218.

We are nearing the judgment. Shall we have less and less religion? Shall we be found in conformity to the world? Never could our youth be better described than in these words: “Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” [2 Timothy 3:4.] Serious thoughts are not entertained. Fear and love of God are not cherished. One that is not connected with God can teach evil so much sooner than the God-fearing can teach purity and goodness, for the latter are not palatable to the pleasure lovers who do not love to retain thoughts of God. Oh, if they could only know how God loves them! He wants to make them good and pure, noble and kind and courteous, that they may ever live with the pure, holy angels through eternity. The love Christ has evidenced to them should awaken a response in their own hearts. 4LtMs, Ms 78, 1886, par. 1

Jesus loves the youth. He died to save them. Oh, if we had the love of Jesus in our hearts always, we would be so anxious to do the youth good! We should associate more with them. We should engage in conversation with them upon the Christian’s hope. We should talk of the Christian’s heaven. We are certainly nearing the great day of God, and our brethren and sisters are losing precious opportunities of doing good because we do not try in little things to show our interest in and affection for the youth. 4LtMs, Ms 78, 1886, par. 2

The youth have strong temptations. They need a strong, patient, kindly, earnest, faithful hand to hold them back from evil. They need some one to speak the truths of the Word of God, to keep His claims before them personally. Family religion is greatly wanting. There is infidelity insinuating itself into the hearts of our youth, which is closing to them the gates of Paradise. There is a false philosophy which is undermining the foundation of true religion. Science “falsely so called” [1 Timothy 6:20] has bewildered the senses and left the slimy trail of that old serpent the devil behind him. The Word of God has lost its value, its sacredness. 4LtMs, Ms 78, 1886, par. 3

The college was established to be far above what it ever has been able to attain, because men engaged in the work there have been of divided hearts. There was no need for a college to be built and sustained at great expense merely as an institution of learning. There was no want of colleges in our land if merely learning from books was to be considered. But this was only one object. There were greater and more weighty considerations. There are youth who embrace the truth who need to be taken hold of by the firm hand of faith by men who shall be connected with the college, and who will patiently and prayerfully educate them in the knowledge of the Scriptures. 4LtMs, Ms 78, 1886, par. 4

Many have been sadly disappointed in our college. They expected to find help in their research of the Scriptures that they have not had. The very men who have been moved upon by the Spirit of God to give themselves to the work of the ministry have not been encouraged in their solemn purpose. Everything has been brought down to follow the example of other schools. The Bible has had but a very small consideration in the school. Paul enumerates the advantages of the Jews above the Gentiles. “Chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” [Romans 3:2.] This, chiefly, is the advantage the college among our people has over every other college. “Unto them is committed the oracles of God.” 4LtMs, Ms 78, 1886, par. 5

There is too much chaff among the youthful teachers, too much froth and too little depth, too little religion. They themselves do not understand the deep things of God. The advantage of making the Bible a book of study is that it is ever elevating. The better it is known by research, the more highly it is prized. Those who prate about science and casting God’s Word in the shade, those who would exalt nature as the book of study, cannot understand or read nature without the Bible to interpret and explain it. The Bible is not only the revealer of God to man, but his grand interpreter as the God of nature. The Bible in revealing God has given us the key which unlocks the mysteries of creation. The Bible should have been made one of the principal studies in our schools. 4LtMs, Ms 78, 1886, par. 6