Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Lt 31, 1891

Workers in the Office at Oakland

North Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia

December 19, 1891

This letter is published in entirety in PH152 26-48.

To the Workers in the Office at Oakland, 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 1

I have a message to you who are engaged in the work at the office, especially for those who are engaged in handling sacred things. “Then Jesus said unto them, yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.” [John 12:35, 36.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 2

Those who turn away from the precious light that God has permitted to shine upon them in messages of warning, of caution, and reproof, would not believe if greater light were shed upon their pathway. They would not be inspired with faith when they have failed to believe in and act upon the light which has already been given them. “Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? ... He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts.” [Verses 38-40.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 3

How does the Lord harden the hearts of men? In the same way in which the heart of Pharaoh was hardened. God sent this king a message of warning and mercy, but he refused to acknowledge the God of heaven and would not render obedience to His commands. He asked, “Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?” [Exodus 5:2.] The Lord gave him evidence of His power by working signs and miracles before him. The great I AM acquainted Pharaoh with His mighty works, showing him that He was the ruler of heaven and earth, but the king chose to defy the God of heaven. He would not consent to break his proud, stubborn heart even before the King of kings that he might receive the light; for he was determined to have his own way, and work out his rebellion. He chose to do his own will, and set aside the command of God, and the very evidence given him that Jehovah was above all the gods of the nations, above all the wise men and magicians, only served to blind his mind and harden his heart. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 4

Had Pharaoh accepted of the evidence of God’s power given in the first plague, he would have been spared all the judgments that followed. But his determined stubbornness called for still greater manifestations of the power of God, and plague followed plague, until at last he was called to look upon the dead face of his own first born, and those of his kindred, while the children of Israel, whom he had regarded as slaves were unharmed by the plagues, untouched by the destroying angel. God made it evident upon whom rested His favor, and who were His people. Although they had erred and had become tainted with idolatry and had almost forgotten Him, still He remembered His people and His covenant with their fathers. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 5

The more Pharaoh resisted and rejected the light, the greater was his stubbornness, for as he sowed unbelief and stubbornness, he reaped again that which he sowed. The Lord has given great light to those in the office of publication at Oakland; and some who for a time walked in the light afterward failed to do so by not continually keeping the heart surrendered to God, and the result was that darkness came upon them. They lost their sense of sin and did those things which the Lord had plainly shown them they ought not to do. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 6

God forces no man’s will. All are left free to choose whom they will serve. They may listen to the suggestions of Satan and come to look [at] matters as he does, reasoning after the same manner, and the result will be that they will follow the same course of stubborn resistance to the light that Satan pursued in the courts of heaven. Those who reject the light which God sends them will “walk in the sparks of their own kindling, and will lie down in sorrow” at last. [Isaiah 50:11.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 7

Satan is beside them to influence them in a course of evil; and as they yield to him, they influence others to take the same course. They do not realize the sacredness of the things of God, but in spirit they conform to the world and fail to live the divine life, which is opposed to the world and its customs. They have a knowledge of the truth, but fail to bring it into the inner sanctuary of the soul, that they may be sanctified through the truth. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 8

I have been aroused by the Spirit of the Lord to sound an alarm that these world-bound souls may be awakened to the peril in which they are placed through their course of backsliding. For Christ’s sake let all those who profess to be Christians depart from all iniquity, all dishonesty. For Christ’s sake, for your own soul’s sake, I urge you to reform. Let there be a solemn consideration of your privileges and responsibilities. Let there not be found among you a selfish, earthly ambition for place and position, or money-getting. This spirit prevails to a large extent in our institutions, and the religion of Christ is brought down to a low, common level. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 9

There is great need that the converting power of God may be felt throughout the office, that all may realize that the words of Christ are to be fulfilled in life and character. Every day Jesus is in that office, taking note of every worker in every department and line of work. The voice of God speaks to all that are there employed, warning and reproving them in His Word, and through the testimonies of His Spirit. But these warnings are first neglected, then despised, then stubbornly assailed. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 10

While probation is graciously granted to you, come out from the world, separate yourselves from its customs, its maxims, and its influence, and put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. At whatever cost or humiliation to yourselves, you must do this if you would inherit eternal life. “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess to serve God; but in words they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” [Titus 1:13-16.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 11

Let every soul carefully consider his condition, and inquire, What is my state before God? Let him examine closely what kind of material he is bringing into his character building. Is it that that can be compared to solid timbers, or that which can only be likened to that that is rotten and worm-eaten? We are charged in the Word of God to “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” [Proverbs 4:23.] The unconverted heart is the habitation of the evil one, and it is filled with unholy thoughts, with evil surmising, with envy, jealousy, falsehood, and uncontrolled passions, with strife and confusion and every evil work. Let each one search diligently and inquire, Is my heart free from all of these? 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 12

Let each one closely examine himself to see whether he is in the faith, to see whether the truth he professes to believe has been kept in the outer court, or brought into the inner sanctuary of the soul, that he may be sanctified thereby. The whole heart must be entered and purified by the searching Spirit of God. Jesus will not abide in the soul where pride exists. And if we desire His presence, the soul temple must be cleansed of all evil occupants. If the door of the heart is open to Jesus, He will come in; His presence will expel every unholy thought, and by faith we may hold sweet communion with God. If Jesus abides in the heart, we shall glorify Him in our lives, for the Christian is to let His light shine forth to the world in good works. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 13

Many of you have lost your first love, and you are not preparing yourselves by gaining an experience, in true devotion and service for your God, to stand in the great day of God. It is essential that you become so rooted and grounded in the faith that you will be able to stand when deception and error, as a thick cloud, will cover the inhabitants of the earth. While good works will not buy your salvation, good works are essential for salvation, for they are an evidence of genuine faith which works by love and purifies the soul. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 14

Unless your heart is stayed upon God and you are a co-worker with Jesus Christ, you will be filled with self-confidence, pride, self-sufficiency, and you will be given to the indulgence of self, the sin of unbelief, which so easily besets the soul, and thus you will become a captive of the enemy. You are to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His own good pleasure. As God works, men must co-operate with God in order that the results designed may be accomplished. But how long have the heavenly intelligences waited in vain for your co-operation, who ought to have been engaged most earnestly in the work of God for this time. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 15

Many of you do not feel the need of a daily and hourly connection with Christ; you do not feel the need of prayer that you may draw from Christ that which is necessary for the maintenance of spiritual life. You have failed to appreciate the privilege of associating together in the capacity of believers. You are not to come together simply as a matter of form and ceremony, but for the interchange of thought, for the relation of your daily experiences, for the expression of thanksgiving, for the utterance of your sincere desire for divine enlightenment that you may know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Communing together in regard to Christ will strengthen the soul for the conflicts and trials that will come upon you. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 16

Never entertain the idea that you can be Christians and still withdraw yourselves within yourselves. Each one is a part of the great web of humanity, and the nature and quality of your experience will be largely determined by the character of the experiences of those with whom you associate. Jesus says, “Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I in the midst.” [Matthew 18:20.] Then do not forsake the “assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is; but exhort one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” [Hebrews 10:25.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 17

You are greatly in need of a practical experience in the Christian life. You need to train the mind for the work of God. The character of your religious experience is made manifest largely by the character of the book that you choose to read in your leisure moments. The Bible is the book of books, and if you love the Scriptures, searching them when you have opportunity, that you may come in possession of the rich treasure of the Word of God and be thoroughly furnished unto all good works, then you may be assured that Jesus is drawing you to Himself. But to read the Scriptures in merely a casual way without seeking to comprehend the lesson of Christ, that you may comply with His requirements, is not enough. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 18

There are rich treasures in the Word of God that can be discovered only by sinking the shaft deep into the mine of truth. The Scriptures are given for our benefit that we may have instruction in righteousness. Precious rays of light have been obscured by the clouds of error, but Christ is ready to sweep away the mists of error and superstition and to reveal to us the brightness of the Father’s glory, so that we shall say as did the disciples, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way?” [Luke 24:32.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 19

The Psalmist prayed, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law,” and the Lord regarded his sincere prayer, for the sacred record records his satisfaction in the truth revealed to him. He says, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste, Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. More than to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey, than the honey comb.” [Psalm 119:18, 103; 19:10.] How rare is this experience. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 20

The carnal mind rejects the truth; but the soul that is converted undergoes a marvelous change. The Book that was unattractive, because it revealed truths that testified against the sinner, to the converted heart becomes the food of the soul, the consolation and joy of a life. The eyes anointed with spiritual discernment behold new beauties in the Word of God, and see that the inspired words of the Scriptures are especially adapted to the needs of the soul. The Sun of Righteousness shines upon the Word, and there is the flashing of divinity through humanity. The Spirit of God speaks to the soul, and the heart of the true believer becomes like a watered garden. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 21

To those who love Christ the Bible is as the garden of God, whose promises are as grateful to the heart as the fragrance of flowers to the senses. Then take your Bibles, and with fresh interest begin to study the sacred records of the Old and New Testaments. Work the field of precious truth until you have a deeper comprehension of the mercy and love of God who gave His only begotten Son to the world, that through Him we might have life. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 22

I have a word from the Lord to you who are handling sacred things and yet who do not appreciate the value of eternal realities and have not spiritual discernment to understand the work that you are doing. The Spirit of God is grieved because works of a worldly character, which are calculated to charm the senses, to fill the mind with that which can only be compared to wood, hay, and stubble, are multiplied in the office of publication. These books are read with eagerness; and they contain no spiritual nourishment whereby the soul can acquire more strength, give no true idea of Christian life, or instruction in regard to the common duties of life. The atmosphere they breathe is one that is detrimental to solemn Christian experience. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 23

Were Christ upon the earth today, He would cleanse the office of many things that are not in accordance with our high profession as He cleansed the temple of its unholy traffic. It is written, “My house shall be called an house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.” [Matthew 21:13.] Let every one begin to cleanse his own soul temple, and thus co-operate with Christ in the work of purifying the office. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 24

Let not books be placed before the workers which, if they do not mislead and corrupt the mind, will still give to the mind a disrelish for the Word of God, which brings to view matters of eternal interest. Let the truth of God be subject for contemplation and meditation. The Bible is God’s letter to man in which is instruction as to how to become rich in heavenly graces, to secure for the believer the life that shall measure with the life of God. Read the Bible, and regard it as the voice of God speaking directly to your soul. Then will you find inspiration and that wisdom which is divine. There is no time for engaging in trifling, amusements, and the gratification of selfish propensities. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 25

It is time that you were occupied with serious thoughts; and you cannot dwell upon the self-denying, self-sacrificing life of the world’s Redeemer, and find pleasure in jesting and joking and whiling away your time by indulging in foolishness. And yet those who have professed to be followers of Christ have been guilty of these very things. Sins of no light character have been committed by those who have been in the truth for years, who have had great light, great privileges and responsibilities. “But turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?” [Ezekiel 33:11.] Make a complete surrender to him who has given himself for you, that you should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 26

For Christ’s sake cease to prostitute your powers to the service of self. Put your undivided interest in the work that has been committed to your hands. Jesus is looking upon you to see what spirit you will manifest in the little things of your earthly life. You are now determining what shall be your destiny hereafter, and heaven is worth everything to you. If you accept the grace of Christ, and the gift of His righteousness, you may show by a consistent life that Jesus is all in all to you. His service is reasonable, for He has redeemed you and every power of your being belongs to Him. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 27

You need not make a failure of your Christian life, for Christ has made abundant provision that your faculties may be rightly directed, that your character may be pure and elevated and noble. In becoming a follower of Christ, you need not think it necessary to give up all aspirations to reach a higher standard. But if your ambition has been selfish and you have sought for supremacy and aimed at the glorification of yourself, all this will be changed, and your desire will be to become a diligent, earnest, faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 28

The elements of character which lead you to seek for distinction in a worldly life, Jesus will define and purify and make steadfast that you may with unselfish purpose seek to become a true co-worker with the Majesty of heaven. A holy ambition will take possession of your heart worthy of the object for which your ambition was given. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 29

You will have respect to the recompense of the reward that has been purchased for you by the self-denial, the self-sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. He will reward every man according to his work, although the reward is given, not because of man’s merits, yet it will be bestowed in proportion to the work that has been done in the name of Christ, for the works testify to the character which has been developed. Your ambition is to be directed toward the advancement of your Redeemer’s glory, of which He gives you a foretaste. He points you to the crown of immortal life, and bids you to run that you may obtain. He bids you to fight the good fight of faith, to lay hold on eternal life, to wrestle that you may receive power for the highest attainments in the spiritual life. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 30

But in order to reach the highest attainments in the divine life, the mind must be occupied with contemplation of the Word of God, that you may know what is the will of God and become a doer of the words of Christ. This is represented by Christ as eating His flesh and drinking His blood. He says, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in Him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” [John 6:56, 57.] And when the disciples did not discern the spiritual character of His words, Jesus said unto them, “It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” [Verse 63.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 31

The eating of Christ is represented by the ingrafting of the branches on the vine. Jesus said, “I am the vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. ... Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me.” “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” [John 15:1-5.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 32

If you had been abiding in Christ your fruit would have been unto purity and holiness. You would not be self-sufficient, heady, and high-minded, but would have been meek and lowly of heart. You would not be filled with envy, jealousy, evil-surmising, strife for supremacy and position, esteeming yourselves more highly than the Lord esteems you. Look at the character of the fruit you have borne these years in the past, and then carefully consider the words of Christ. He says, “By their fruits, ye shall know them.” “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” [Matthew 7:20, 18.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 33

Many of you know that you are not standing in the light of the Sun of Righteousness, and should you be cut down as unfaithful trees, you would lose heaven and the life that measures with the life of God. You are not ready to close up your account here. You need to take heed to yourselves, to watch and pray, to educate your thoughts to think on heavenly things, to educate your lips to speak on heavenly themes, to become familiar with inhaling the heavenly atmosphere, and be able to teach others that which you have learned of Jesus. Let the mind and soul be drawn to the great center of attraction, ever realizing the truth of Christ’s words, “without me ye can do nothing.” [John 15:5.] Then will you have more humble views of yourself than you have ever had before. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 34

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” [Colossians 3:16, 17.] Compare your own words and works with these words of inspiration, and see if you can be pleased with the comparison. If you had let the words of Christ dwell in you richly, if you had searched the Bible for truth as men seek for hidden treasure, you would have had a precious experience, and as you contemplated the living oracles, daily you would have discovered new beauty in the inspired utterances, and your thoughts and words would have been purified, even as precious metal is purified and refined from dross in the fire of the furnace. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 35

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord whom ye seek, shall thoroughly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years.” [Malachi 3:1-4.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 36

With many of the workers the spirit of self-sacrifice has greatly diminished because they have lost their first love. Many are grasping for higher wages; but if they were laborers together with God their wants would be more simple, for they spend money needlessly for things which they would not desire if their hearts were sanctified by the truth. Look at the example given you in the life of Christ. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 37

There are those in the office who have withheld their tithe from the treasury, claiming that they could not see the requirements in the Word of God. But why could they not see it? It was because selfishness was firmly rooted in the heart. They did not deny self and make their offering to God. For years they have practiced robbery toward God. But does not the Lord keep a record of all their doings? Most assuredly, for it is written that every man shall be rewarded according as his works have been, judged according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be good, or whether they are evil. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 38

The Lord will not pass over the embezzlement of His goods. He is testing men to see who will be fit subjects for His kingdom above, for if they disregard His claims here, they will disregard them in the kingdom of heaven. Suppose that all who profess to be followers of Christ should withhold from the Lord His entrusted goods, appropriate His talents to their own use, and for the advancement of their own glory, how would the work of God move forward in the world? How would those in other nations ever receive the message of truth? The Lord does not rain down money from heaven, but He honors men by entrusting to them His treasures, and He tells them what they must do. Read carefully and prayerfully the instruction the Lord has given to you in Malachi 3:8-12. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 39

The question is asked, “Will a man rob God?” And the answer might be given, “Yes, Lord. Some whom Thou hast honored and given a place in Thy work have been engaged in robbing Thee for years. They have indulged themselves, and have centered the good things of life upon themselves, and have refused to act their part in fulfilling the requirements of God.” “Yet ye have robbed me.” But ye say, “Wherein have we robbed thee?” Now, listen, for God is speaking to you out of His Word. “In tithes and offerings.” [Verse 8.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 40

Now, how does God regard the robbery of His treasury? Listen, “Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.” [Verse 9.] Hear the words of the Most High God, you who have been robbing God. “Bring ye all the tithes into the store house, that there may be meat in mine house,” not a meager portion, not one-half, or one-quarter, but all the tithes, “that there may be meat in mine house.” [Verse 10.] The reason is so plain that it commends itself to the reason of every one who has been cherishing the hateful plant of selfishness. “That there may be meat in mine house.” 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 41

The reason that the Lord wants all the tithes in the treasury is that there may not be a scarcity of funds when His providence opens new fields to be occupied by the messengers of the truth that souls as precious in the sight of God as your own may come into the knowledge of the true God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent, and in their turn become missionaries to the souls of others. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 42

The standard of truth must be planted in all countries, but the missionary work is not extended as it should be, because those in our offices of publication, and the members of our churches, do not cultivate the precious plant of love and refuse to follow in the footsteps of Him who was meek and lowly in heart. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” [Luke 9:23.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 43

The follower of Christ has a cross to bear, for the requirement of Christ cuts directly across the inclination of the natural heart and uproots pride, empties and cleanses the soul of selfishness and self-love, and leads men to deny self daily for Christ’s sake. If you will act as Christians, there will be meat in the house of the Lord whereby the sacred, holy work of God may be extended and advanced in the world, for those who are laborers together with God will bind about their wants, and not spend money for trifles, when souls are perishing for the bread of life. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 44

Lift up Jesus to the world. Present His life and character before men. Dwell upon His humiliation and self-denial. Meditate upon the incarnation of the Son of God, who though equal with the Father, for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich. Jesus calls for volunteers for His service, but He states the conditions upon which they will be accepted as His followers. He says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” [Matthew 16:24.] This is required of every one who has united himself with Jesus. The Lord Jesus descended lower and lower till He touched the depths of humiliation, in order that His grace might be multiplied unto us and the streams of salvation might be poured out to those who were perishing, who know not God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 45

The precious Saviour did not limit His gifts; for when He gave Himself He gave all. He died to bring life and immortality to light, to reveal truth that men might be drawn to Him. All this was done to save fallen man, and individually we have the privilege of becoming His agent, to co-operate with the angels in communicating to the world the knowledge of this great salvation. Men will never be able to comprehend the great work that the heavenly intelligences are waiting to do through the agency of men on behalf of humanity. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 46

Jesus wants you now to realize your deficiencies while mercy lingers, that you may turn unto Him with your whole heart, and be supplied out of His abundant fullness, so that you may be perfect, wanting in nothing. “And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts.” Mark it, this is not man that is addressing you, but the Lord of hosts. Will you hear Him? Will you obey Him? “If I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it, and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed, a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.” [Malachi 3:10-12.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 47

The religion of Christ is summed up in the words, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. ... Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” [Mark 12:30, 31.] But through love of the world, through unsanctified ambition, through self-love, and desire for supremacy, many are being conformed to the world. The command from the gospel of Christ is, “Be ye not conformed to this world (and the preventative is given), but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” [Romans 12:2.] You must have a changed mind, a renewed mind. The power of the Holy Spirit must be felt working upon the heart and character, producing a new man in Christ Jesus. You are to prove to God by unselfishly handling His entrusted goods that you can be trusted with His blessings. You are to trade with His talents, to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, not to seek first your own selfish interests, but to lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 48

Every worker should diligently search his own heart. The Lord requires that those who are purchased by the blood of the Son of God should realize that they are God’s property, and no longer look upon themselves as their own, and live to serve themselves. Jesus gave His life to save an apostate race, and will those who accept this heavenly gift be selfish, and withhold from the Lord His own? All selfishness, all love of supremacy originated with Satan. He is the root and those who partake of his spirit are the branches; but in the end both root and branches will be consumed. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 49

No one can live a selfish life and enjoy the love of Jesus. Those who are determined to grasp the world’s treasures will fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction; “for the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” [1 Timothy 6:9, 10.] Can we wonder that the sin of covetousness is so decidedly denounced in the Scriptures? “For this ye know, that no ... covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of God.” [Ephesians 5:5.] Covetousness is idolatry. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 50

Shall we as Christians pay no heed to all the warnings of God? Shall we still be in conformity to the world when it is forbidden in the Word of God? “Be ye not conformed to the world.” “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world.” [Romans 12:2; 1 John 2:15, 16.] 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 51

There is such a mingling of the sacred and the common in the work at the office that much of the sacredness of the work of God has been lost from the minds of the workers. The subject matter that they are handling is of such a character that their attention is arrested, and their mind engaged, and the cheap, objectionable sentences are fastened upon the memory, and before they know it, they are influenced by the spirit of the writer, and the mind and character is fashioned in some objectionable mold. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 52

There are souls connected with the office who are weak in faith, weak in the power of self-control, and through the influence of such publications, a train of thought is started that will be difficult to repress and expel from the mind. Before they embraced the truth, they had formed the habit of reading light and trifling literature, and after uniting with the church they made efforts to overcome this taste for novels and storybooks. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 53

To introduce to this class, books that are not in harmony with the sacred Word of God, is like putting the glass to the lips of the inebriate. With the temptation continually before them, they yield and become interested in that which they discarded and lose their relish for solid reading, for Bible study, which is positively essential for the health of the soul. Through the influence of this kind of reading, moral power is enfeebled, dishonesty and crime do not appear so repulsive, discernment and sanctified perception is lost, and unfaithfulness in little things is increased. When the appetite of the mind is perverted, these poor souls will grasp any kind of reading that has a stimulating influence. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 54

All these things have been placed before me, and every line of business at the office must be so regulated that the purity of the Christian character shall be preserved. Every temporal, earthly interest must be so subjected to the interest of the higher life, that at any sacrifice this Christian integrity shall be untarnished. The question of what shall be published at the office must be viewed in the light of the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. The Lord’s voice must be honored and obeyed. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 55

The truth must not be placed in the background as it is now, for subjects of vast importance to the soul receive only a passing notice, while these objectionable things have the foreground. The workers overlook the great truths that would make them wise unto salvation. They do not see that daily they are to receive manna from the heavenly table, that they are to feed upon the Word of Life, and so gain spiritual strength. They are now to store up for the present and the future supplies that will supply the soul in times of emergency. They are to lay up in store the precious gold and silver, and precious gems of the Word of God, jewels that will never perish. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 56

The Lord will accept only the supreme affection of the soul, and this is His righteous requirement, for He has redeemed you with His blood, you are to seek to do the will of God, not your own way and your will. I ask you now the question that the Lord is asking you, “Who of you are resolved to eat the Bread of Life, that you may become stalwart Christians, maintaining spirituality, and able to ‘show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light’? [1 Peter 2:9.]” 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 57

Who of you in any capacity of the work of the office, will seek wisdom from God, that you may represent the character of Christ in all your walks in life? Remember, your words, your actions, are either a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death. Never forget that you are making a favorable or unfavorable impression upon others in regard to the truth you profess to believe. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 58

The religion of the Bible must be practiced, for the world is watching you and criticizing your actions. The office at Oakland needs weeding out. Either those who have long been there, and who have not realized the sacredness of the work, should be converted, or they should be discharged. It is the duty of every one in the office who professes to be a Christian to give unmistakable evidence to those who come to the office that you are Christians in deed and in truth, and that you are working out the principles of the Bible in all your work. All lightness, all jesting, all trifling is to be regarded as unchristian. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 59

Let every one see that you are governed by divine rule, that you are courteous and kind. If you keep the fear of the Lord ever before your eyes, He will work with your efforts, and crown you with success. Satan is continually at work that he may fill the mind with his suggestions and cause you to follow his counsel. He advises you not to be over scrupulous in regard to honor and integrity, to look out sharply for your own interests and demand the highest wages for your services. This is what has brought embarrassment. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 60

When the work is more attentively done, when there is a spirit of consecration the Lord will hear your prayers and will work in your behalf. But there is much unfaithfulness, and you need to call a halt, and begin the work in earnest. Those who are halfhearted and worldly, who are given to gossiping over the imperfections of others, are giving no attention to their own defects of character, should be converted, or they should separate from the office, for they will demoralize others by their mischievous tongues. 7LtMs, Lt 31, 1891, par. 61