Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)
Lt 11, 1901
Kellogg, M. G.
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California
January 21, 1901
Portions of this letter are published in TDG 29; 2MR 182-183, 187. +Note
Dr. M. G. Kellogg
My dear brother,—
I have an earnest desire to hear from you as to how you are progressing in your work. I am anxious that you shall succeed in superintending the work on the new Sanitarium. May the Lord be manifestly with you. If you succeed, it will be through His blessing. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 1
Do not speak words that will irritate or offend. The Lord desires you to guard every point in your character. You can be a blessing in communicating to others your knowledge of the truth and of health reform, but do not enter into a detailed explanation of the bodily functions as you have often done in the past. Dwell on that which it is necessary to know in order to preserve health, using such simple language that children can understand you. But the intricacies that a physician must know in his profession do not interest those who are profoundly ignorant. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 2
The Lord loves you, and He desires you to do with power the work given you. When speaking to the people, do not seek to present something original and new. Give short talks, right to the point, on practical subjects. Thus you can feed starving souls. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 3
I feel anxious that in our old age we who have known the truth for so long shall become mellow in spirit and in our methods of labor; that we shall understand the simple, yet important and comprehensive truths of the third angel’s message; and that we shall receive these truths in the love of God and impart them to others. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 4
My brother, you need not feel that you are too old to train your voice. You talk in too low a tone. Open your mouth and use your abdominal muscles in sending forth the sound. Just now you are excellently situated for learning to talk clearly and distinctly. When talking to the workmen, take in deep inspirations, and let your tones be full and round. Thus you will gain in health. Your delivery will improve, and your effort to help the people will be crowned with success. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 5
During your lifetime you have been impatient of cautions. When your brethren advised, you thought they were dictating. Lay off this coat of masterly self-confidence, and be willing to be advised. Learn in humility. Take heed to words of caution and do not fail or become discouraged. Every day put on Christ. Hold the beginning of your confidence firm unto the end. The Lord has not forsaken you. He desires you to grow in grace, to increase in ability to help the people. But if you interest them, you must speak right to the point, and you must stop before you think you are half through. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 6
I cannot endure the thought of any of our aged believers decreasing in influence and efficiency. The Lord wants you to co-operate with him in making all you can of yourself. If you will unite willingly with the Lord in this work, your last days will be your brightest and best. Heed the cautions which I have given you. Keep close to the clear lines of truth, and do not let your voice sink so low that the hearers can scarcely catch the sound. You will be much benefited healthwise if you will put forth determined effort to make your voice heard. It is a God-given duty to improve in speech, and this you can do if you will try with determination. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 7
There is need of faith in hearing the Word. We read in Hebrews: “The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” [Hebrews 4:2.] This is the secret of profitable hearing. It makes every difference whether the hearer hears with faith. The children of Israel were given glad tidings of their future home in Canaan, but it did not profit them; for they did not mix faith with their hearing. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 8
I have the word of the Lord to give to those who are preaching the gospel, the glad tidings of our future rest. Urge your hearers to mix faith with their hearing. Only as they do this will the promise be of any avail to them. “For this cause also,” Paul says, “thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” [1 Thessalonians 2:13.] When the Word is not received in faith, there will be no effectual working. Where there is living faith, there will be good works. If therefore there is a lack of good works, we may know the cause. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 9
God uses human instrumentalities to communicate His will to those who need help. By preaching and reading and praying, a constant communication is to be kept up between earth and heaven. To His disciples and to us Christ gave the commission: “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:19, 20.] “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” [Mark 16:16-18.] 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 10
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God; and they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” [Verses 19, 20.] The preaching of the gospel is the Lord’s great method of saving souls. All other methods are to be united with this as the arms are united with the body. The pulpit and the press are to unite in the work of winning souls to Christ. The work must not be centralized in the large cities. The standard of the gospel is to be planted in every town and city and country. The glad tidings that eternal life is offered to all are to be carried to the perishing, in harmony with the divine command. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 11
The Lord calls upon His instrumentalities to place themselves where they will be able to communicate the truth in the most acceptable manner, so that His work shall be a complete success. God’s workers are to come close to the hearts of the people, that their words may be a power in winning souls to Christ. I would that those who preach the Word were vivified by the Holy Spirit, that beyond the veil they could see by faith Him who is invisible. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 12
By earnest appeals God’s ministers are to arouse the people to show increased confidence in the Word. As this Word is received into good and honest hearts, it brings increased Christian intelligence and practical holiness, in the home and in the church. God’s Word needs to be stamped upon hearts. Then we shall see transformation of character. The entire being, heart, mind, soul, and strength will be wrought upon by the Holy Spirit. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 13
Wake up, Dr. Kellogg, wake up. Follow the suggestions I have given you regarding yourself. Do you not see your deficiency in voice power? As a physician do you not realize that you should train your vocal organs? You can do this if you will begin in earnest. Talk as loud as you can. Make yourself strong where you are weak. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 14
Again, do not allow your mind to wander from the main points of the truth for this time, to grasp unimportant theories and problems. If anyone gives you unessential problems to solve, tell him that God has placed in your hands a work to be done. Tell him that you are doing a great work and cannot come down to try to solve the problem of the day line. You have the message for this time—the third angel’s message—to give to the people. This is your work. Hold the beginning of your confidence firm unto the end. The truth are to be repeated, line upon line, precept upon precept. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 15
Open the windows of your soul heavenward and close them earthward. Let the rays of the Sun of Righteousness shine into the chambers of the mind. To cultivate the meekness and lowliness of Christ, to wear His yoke and bear His burdens, this is the lesson before you, and it concerns you and all with whom you are brought in contact. Cultivate the heavenly virtues. Purify your soul from all defilement. Obtain a fitness to be received as a member of the royal family. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 16
Instruction from the Word of God, right amid the cares of building, will keep the minds of the workers sweetened with grace, and will help them to accomplish their work. As the Lord impresses their minds, they will catch the most precious ideas from one another. Angels of God are on the Sanitarium ground. Then let the workers speak words that will be a blessing to those around them. Act your part, my brother, in the love of the truth. Have faith in the Scriptures as the Word of the living God. 16LtMs, Lt 11, 1901, par. 17