Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 121, 1906

Jones, A. T.

St. Helena, California

April 9, 1905

Portions of this letter are published in 13 Crisis Years. +^Note

Elder A. T. Jones:

Again and again your case has been presented before me. I am now instructed to say to you, You have had a large knowledge of truth, and less, far less spiritual understanding of it. When you were called to the important work at Washington, you had need of far more of the humble grace that becometh a Christian. Since the Berrien Springs meeting, your attitude and the attitude of several others has closed the door to the reception of the Spirit of God. You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Though you had full confidence in yourself, you were out of the path of duty when you with others undertook to do what you did. Had you understood the work that needed to be done, a very different presentation would have been made at that meeting. The Lord has said, “Weighed in the balance, and found wanting.” [Daniel 5:27.] In the place of victory, there was defeat. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 1

Self-exaltation causes you to swell to large proportions. You trust in your own wisdom, and that is often foolishness. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 2

When at Washington I had a conversation with you, but it had no influence upon you. You thought yourself fully capable of managing yourself. After that conversation, scene after scene passed before me in the night season, and I was then instructed that you neither had been nor would be of any help to Dr. Kellogg; for you were blind in regard to his dangers and his real standing. You cannot be a help to him; for you entirely misjudge his case. You consider the light given me of God regarding his position as of less value than your own judgment. You have upon your soul the guilt of confirming him in his wrong course of action. You need the repentance that needeth not to be repented of; for in Dr. Kellogg’s case you have done a work that has encouraged him to resist the light given me of God. You yourself have come to be worked by the same spirit that has worked Dr. Kellogg. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 3

This I warned you of when I placed in your hands the written testimony for Dr. Kellogg, at the time when you were about to leave for the station in Healdsburg. You need to be converted and become as humble as a little child, else you will lose your soul. Had you had clear discernment, you could have helped Dr. Kellogg; but you had not and have not the clear light that cometh from the Light of the world. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 4

I have a message for you. In many respects you are a weak man. I did think, after the camp-meeting at Fresno, that you would be so imbued with the Spirit of God, that you would move prayerfully and understandingly; but you stand condemned before God. You are acting the part of Aaron, and the Spirit of God is grieved. Dr. Kellogg has not been helped by you. His associate physicians have done him great harm, but no good. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 5

In regard to the messages given me concerning people being called to Battle Creek, you have worked directly opposite to the Spirit of God. You were standing where you liked to be, and you have reasoned away the objections to being in Battle Creek. Standing directly opposed to the word of the Lord, as did Aaron, you have made of no effect the testimonies of warning sent to keep young men and women from going to Battle Creek. You have allowed your influence to be used to lead people to do just what the Lord has told them not to do, and the Lord pronounces you an unfaithful steward in your influence in Battle Creek. Whatever excuse you may make, it is thus charged against you. You have worked decidedly counter to the Lord’s plans, and God says, “I will judge him for this, unless he repents.” 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 6

Elder Tenney has departed from the faith and is no help to Dr. Kellogg. He upholds him in a wrong course. You have both, ministers of the gospel, stood directly in the way of the work of the Lord. You have confused the understanding of our people in Battle Creek. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 7

Elder Waggoner has been an injury. In the European field he has sown seeds that will bear evil fruit, leading some to depart from the faith and to give heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of satanic origin. Unless he is converted, he is not fitted to act any part in the ministry of the Word. He is a decided transgressor of the seventh commandment. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 8

All these and more might be mentioned as transgressors. Dr. Kellogg’s spiritual condition is such that the youth cannot safely be encouraged to come to Battle Creek. For the past twenty years the Lord has been giving warnings that altogether too many people were settling in Battle Creek, leaving their small home churches, which should be kept alive by their earnest efforts. Educational centers should have been established outside of the cities, and connected with them should be teachers who are settled in the faith. Testimonies have been borne warning people to leave Battle Creek. The Lord sent His judgments upon the institutions there to show His displeasure at the neglect of these warnings. 21LtMs, Lt 121, 1906, par. 9