Australasian Union Conference Record
March 18, 1907
Counsel from the Lord
Elder O. A. Olsen and his Fellow-Workers: My Dear Brethren,
We feel an intense interest in the work in Australia. I give thanks to our Heavenly Father for the encouraging news received from that field in the last mail, especially the good report concerning the building up of the office of publication at Warburton. The removal of this work from Melbourne was in accordance with the will of the Lord. Now let the work grow, and let there be the strongest union possible among the workers, heart cemented to heart. In order that this union may exist, let your hearts be joined together in Christ Jesus. A great love for Christ will keep brother in union with his brother. All will be filled with a helpful desire to be laborers together with God. We need less of self and more of Christ. Faith, living faith in Christ, is to be a growing principle, filling us with determination to obey the Word. AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 1
I saw One standing in the midst of you, saying with clear voice and deep fervor: AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 2
“Press together, press together. Love Christ with all the heart, with all the soul, with all your strength, with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. This do, and ye shall live.” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 3
“A new commandment I give unto you,” Christ said to His disciples, “that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” The disciples did not then understand the love that Christ had for them, but after they had witnessed the scenes of His humiliation and death, they understood more fully the depths of His marvelous love. AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 4
What shameful humiliation the Redeemer suffered. Priests and rulers, scoffing at Him and mocking Him as He hung on the cross, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 5
Those who spoke these sneering words did not remember that the Old Testament Scriptures foretold that this would take place. In the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah the prophet says: “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 6
Brethren, the angels of God are in our world, and Satanic agencies are here also. I am permitted to see the inclination of certain ones to follow their own strong traits of character. If they refuse to yoke up with others who have had a long experience in the work, they will become blinded by self-confidence, not discerning between the false and the true. It is not safe that such ones should stand in the position of leaders, to follow their own judgment and plans. AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 7
It is those who accept the warnings and cautions given them, who will walk in safe paths. Let not men yield to the burning desire to become great leaders, or to desire independently to devise and lay plans for themselves and for the work of God. It is easy for the enemy to work through some who, having themselves need of counsel at every step, undertake the guardianship of souls without having learned the lowliness of Christ. These need counsel from the One who says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 8
In every church bear the message that man is not to exalt his own judgment. Meekness and lowliness of heart will lead men to desire counsel at every step. And the Lord will say, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me.” It is our privilege to learn of Jesus. But when men, full of self-confidence, think that it is their place to give counsel, instead of desiring to be counselled by their experienced brethren, they will listen to voices that will lead them in strange paths. “My sheep,” saith Christ, “hear My voice, and follow Me; but a stranger will they not follow.” Would that every minister realized the solemn responsibility resting upon him to carry the work forward without blemish. The instruction given me is, “Speak the words of Christ, ‘Take My yoke upon you, and follow Me.’” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 9
I have a warning for our churches in Australia. If Elder McCullagh had followed the cautions and warnings that God gave him, if he had followed the way of the Lord, and had not gone for advice and counsel to those who were strong in their own way, but not in the way of God, linking up with them, he would today be with us. Many times the Lord abundantly blessed him; many times did the Lord give him evidence as to the right path for his feet to follow; but he thought that he ought to be the head man, and he walked where Christ did not lead. He took a course contrary to the light given him by God, and today the result stands revealed. AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 10
The Lord desires His workers to counsel together, not to move independently. Those who are set as ministers and guides to the people should pray much when they meet together. This will give wonderful help and courage, binding heart to heart and soul to soul, leading every man to unity and peace and strength in his endeavors. AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 11
Christ taught His disciples that they needed to press out into fields where nothing had been done. At one time they urged Him to eat, saying: “Master, eat. But He said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought Him aught to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest. Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto eternal life; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together....I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor; other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 12
There is stern, earnest work to be done. The pioneers in our work put forth untiring effort. Let all now take hold and act as if they were preparing for a great harvest. Let them do all in their power to enlighten blind eyes. Let them go forth to work with the Bible in their hands, and may the Lord give them a true, peaceable spirit. I beseech our church members not to lose precious time in confusing and hindering the work of the Lord. AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 13
Read the fifth chapter of John. The whole chapter is full of instruction that we all need. “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, ... The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself doeth; and He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 14
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” AUCR March 18, 1907, par. 15
Ellen G. White.
Sanitarium, California,
January 17, 1907.