Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 160, 1907

Sermon/God’s Goodness

June 22, 1907 (?)

Previously unpublished.

(Sabbath, June 22, 5 p.m.)

I thank my heavenly Father for His goodness and His great mercy. While I was in my tent my heart was here. I am thankful that I am a child of God, that I can call God my Father. If this is not enough, can you tell me anything in heaven or in earth that will equal this? I want to see Jesus. I want to be like Him. And if I will be like Him when He comes, I must be like Him now. It is not enough to profess Christ. Every day we must be more and more assimilated to His character. Religion is not a cold, hard, harsh substance. It is to be like Christ, and He is meek and lowly, kind and gentle. 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 1

There are some who think it their duty to allow their affliction to show in their faces. Christ was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with affliction, but bubbling up in the midst of it all, like a fresh spring in the midst of the salt ocean, was a wellspring of joy, refreshing all around. 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 2

Little children were glad to come and put their elbows upon His knees and look up into His sweet face and read there what you could not read there of the depths of love and gentleness that beamed there. Jesus’ love in the heart is gentleness and love springing up. We shall respect sacred trusts, we shall be faithful to friends. That which is entrusted to us in friendship we shall sacredly keep and not separate from friends. We should not say, There is one who has a fault, and I will separate from him. Did Jesus do so? We must not expect to give pebbles and receive diamonds. 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 3

Christ said, “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. Are these the divine credentials? We want to know whether we love one another. We want to know whether there is to be any casting out here. What right have we to find fault? What right have we to climb upon the judgment seat? It is not the man you find fault with, it is Christ. 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 4

We want to see the ax laid right at the root of the tree. Every root of bitterness is to be rooted up. If anyone has hurt you, you say, “I will have no more to do with him.” Well, then, when you come to the Lord and you say, “Forgive us our trespasses,” there you must stop. [Matthew 6:12.] You can’t say any of the Lord’s prayer. We want to see whether there are not to be some confessions. Have there not been hard speeches? Has not Christ been wounded in the person of His saints? 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 5

We have got in where Christ is dwelling. But Christ left glory, He went without the camp, bearing the reproach. He was not narrow; He was wide, and we must be like Him, constantly widening. Can you hold bitterness when Christ is in the heart? Some one comes and says, Brother ______ has done so and so. Think of the purchase of the blood of Christ! Have you gone to him with prayer, with tears in your eyes? Don’t you think we should have more of heaven here if we should talk of Jesus more? Sorrows enough come without any of our trying to increase them, and you need Christ in you, a wellspring springing up unto everlasting life. 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 6

Let us begin right at home, right in the family, the parents with the children, the children with the parents. In the religion of Christ there is love, meekness, gentleness. Though we be in the day of Atonement, when every one must get ready, yet there may be joy and pleasure springing up. A wellspring. Some of you have lost Christ. I ask of you, for Christ’s sake, to find Him. Find Him before you leave this ground. Oh, let me have heaven, let me have Thee, O Christ. Don’t wait for feeling, not at all. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. With Christ there was joy, joy, joy. 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 7

There are many who need to be converted. The angels are here. The evil angels are here. You have sown doubt. The angels of God are here. Every heart is a battle field. Which work shall go on? Shall we turn Satan away? Oh, the assurance that we can have here! To taste and see that God is good! Not to hear and see, but to taste and see. Don’t wait till the close of the meeting. Begin now. Let the Lord put the new song in your mouth. I am thankful for the privilege of speaking these few words to you. God help you to work. 22LtMs, Ms 160, 1907, par. 8