Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)
Lt 138, 1901
Managers of Review and Herald Office
NP
October 16, 1901 [typed]
Portions of this letter are published in 8T 90-96; 5MR 1-2. +Note
To the Managers of the Review and Herald Office
Dear Brethren,—
God’s design in the establishment of the publishing house at Battle Creek was that from it light should shine forth as a lamp that burneth. This has been kept before the managers. Again and again they have been told of the sacredness of God’s office of publication and of the importance of maintaining its purity. But they have lost true understanding and have united with the force of the enemy by consenting to print papers and books containing the most dangerous errors that can be brought into existence. They have failed to see the evil influence of such erroneous sentiments on typesetters, proofreaders, and all others engaged in the printing of such matter. They have been spiritually asleep. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 1
By some of the outside work brought into this institution, the science of Satan is being presented to the minds of the workers. The printing of this matter is a dishonor to God. It has all done its part in deteriorating the minds of the workers. The managers have agreed to print it at a low figure. The gain would have been loss if the very highest figure had been asked for the work. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 2
I have received a letter from Elder Daniells regarding the addition of another building to the Review and Herald Office. The answer I make to this is, No, no, no! Instead of making any addition to the buildings already erected, cleanse the office of the trash of satanic origin, and you will gain room in every way. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 3
God is not pleased with the congested state of things in Battle Creek. If the workers were divided and plants made in other places, God would be better pleased, and the standard of truth would be planted in regions which have never heard the message. Before you add another building to the office in Battle Creek, make thorough restitution to the Southern field. This has not yet been done as it should be done. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 4
The five thousand dollars which would be used in erecting the addition to the Review and Herald should be invested in the work in other places. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 5
I feel a terror of soul as I see to what a pass our publishing house has come. The presses in the Lord’s institution have been printing the soul-destroying theories of Romanism and other mysteries of iniquity. This is taking all sacredness from the Office. The managers are loading the guns of the enemy and placing them in their hands, to be used against the truth. How does God regard such work? In the books of heaven are written the words, Unfaithful stewardship. Thus God regards the publication of matter which comes from Satan’s manufactory—his hellish, scientific delusions. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 6
The Office must be purged of this objectionable matter. I have a testimony from the Lord for those who have placed such matter in the hands of the workers. God holds you accountable for presenting to young men and young women the fruit of the forbidden tree of knowledge. Can it be possible that you have not a knowledge of the warnings given to the Pacific Press on this subject? Can it be possible that with a knowledge of them you are going over the same ground, only doing much worse? It has often been repeated to you that angels of God are passing through every room in the Office. What impression has this made on your minds? 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 7
You have given matter containing Satan’s sentiments into the hands of the workers, bringing his deceptive, polluting principles before their minds. The Lord looks upon this action on your part as helping Satan to prepare his snare to catch souls. God will not hold guiltless those who have done this thing. He has a controversy with the managers of the publishing house. I have been almost afraid to open the “Review,” fearing to see that God has cleansed the publishing house by fire. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 8
The Lord has instructed me that those who cannot see the wickedness of co-operating with Satan by publishing his falsehoods might better seek some work in which they will not ruin our youth, body and soul. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 9
It is high time that we understood what manner of spirit has been controlling matters at the Review and Herald Office for years. I am horrified to think that the most subtle phase of spiritualism should be placed before the workers, and that in a way calculated to confuse and perplex the mind. Be assured that Satan will follow up the advantage thus given him. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 10
The Review and Herald Office has been defiled as the temple was defiled, only the result has been tenfold more disastrous. Overturning the tables of the moneychangers, Christ drove the sheep and cattle from the precincts of the temple saying, “It is written, My Father’s house shall be called a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.” [Matthew 21:13; John 2:16.] Worse even than the defilement of the temple has been the defilement of the publishing house by the printing of matter which should never have been placed in the hands of the workers in God’s institution. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 11
God’s law has been transgressed, His cause betrayed, and His institution made a den of thieves. The work of printing and circulating stirring appeals for the truth, which should have been placed first, to which the time and the talent of the workers should have been devoted, has received little or no attention. The commercial work, some of it of a most objectionable character, has gradually assumed the supremacy. This work has absorbed the energies which should have been devoted to the publication of literature of the purest quality and the most elevating character. Time has been wasted, talent misapplied, and money misappropriated. The work which ought to have been done has been left undone. Satan’s sentiments have been exalted. His theories have been printed by presses which should have been used to prepare the truth of God for circulation. Men have coveted promotion when their principles were under the ban of God’s displeasure. Loss is infinitely better than dishonorable gain. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 12
O, what will God do with the time-servers? Think you that Jesus will stand in the printing establishment to work through human minds by His ministering angels, to make the truth coming from the press a power to warn the world that the end of all things is at hand, while Satan is allowed to pervert the minds of the workers right in the institution? The light I have is, Refuse to print another line of this pernicious matter. Those who have had to do with its introduction into the publishing house need to repent before God in contrition of soul; for His wrath is kindled against them. Let this class of work be forever excluded from our publishing houses. Give more time to the publication and circulation of books containing present truth. See that your work in this line reaches perfection. Do all in your power to diffuse through the world the light of heaven. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 13
I meant to have spoken about this when I was in Battle Creek. I did speak about the apprentices and the other workers being so rushed and hurried that they had no time to pray. The youth in our publishing houses should be educated as were the youth in the schools of the prophets. They should be prepared to take hold of the work in new places. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 14
If the men who heard the message given at the time of the Conference—the most solemn message that could be given—had not been so unimpressible, if in sincerity they had asked, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” [Acts 9:6] the experience of the past year would have been very different from what it is. But they have not made the track clean behind them. They have not confessed their mistakes, and now they are going over the same ground in many things, following the same wrong course of action, because they have destroyed their spiritual eyesight. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 15
The message of the third angel is to prepare a people to stand in these days of peril. It is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and is to accomplish a work which few realize. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 16
John writes, “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” [Revelation 14:6-8.] How is this done? By forcing men to accept a spurious Sabbath. In the thirty-first chapter of Exodus we are plainly told which day is the Sabbath of the Lord. The keeping of the Sabbath is declared to be a sign of the loyalty of God’s people. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 17
God means just what He says. Man has interposed between God and the people, and the Lord has sent forth the third angel with the message, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” [Revelation 14:9-11.] 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 18
God’s people are to keep His commandments, discarding all worldly policy. Having adopted right principles of action, they are to reverence these principles, for they are heaven-born. Obedience to God is of more value to you than gold or silver. Yoking up with Christ, learning His meekness and lowliness, cuts short many a conflict; for when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 19
I address those who in accepting positions of trust in the publishing house have taken upon themselves the responsibility of seeing that the workers receive the right education. Seek to realize the importance of your work. Those who show by their actions that they make no effort to distinguish between the sacred and the common, may know that unless they repent, God’s judgments will fall upon them. These judgments may be delayed, but they will come. If, because your own minds are not clear and elevated, you give the wrong bias to other minds, God will call you to account. He will ask, “Why did you do the devil’s work when you were supposed to be doing a good work for the Master?” In the great day of final accounts, the unfaithful servant will meet the result of his unfaithfulness. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 20
I send you this because I am afraid for you. Your continually increasing force of workers might better be sent into the work in other places. In the night season I have been talking earnestly to you in your meetings, presenting the truth as it is in Jesus. But by some it was rejected. They had passed beyond conviction. They had sinned against great light and knowledge, stifling conscience until it could no longer penetrate the callous heart. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 21
Some have so long sacrificed principle that they cannot see the difference between the sacred and the common. Those who refuse to give heed to the Lord’s instruction will go steadily downward in the path of ruin. The day of test and trial is just before us. Let every man put on his true colors. Do you choose loyalty, or rebellion? Show your colors to men and angels. We are safe only when we are committed to the right. Then the world knows where we shall be found in the day of trial and trouble. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 22
If the work begun at the General Conference had been carried forward to perfection, I should not be called upon to write these words. There was opportunity to confess or deny wrong, and in many cases the denial came to avoid the consequences of confession. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 23
How much longer will God bear with your perversity? Unless there is a reformation, calamity will overtake the publishing house, and the world will know the reason. I have been shown that there has not been a turning to God with full purpose of heart. The Lord is dishonored in the institutions erected for His honor. The marked disregard of God’s commandments in the publishing house has placed its impress on the workers. God asks, Shall I not judge for these things? I saw heavenly angels turning away with grieved countenances. God has been mocked by your hardness of heart, which is continually increasing. According to their responsibility will be the punishment of those who know the truth and yet disregard God’s commands. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 24
During the General Conference I carried a great burden for the souls of those connected with the Review and Herald. Those who have accepted the responsibility of educating those who have come to Battle Creek, to learn the printer’s trade, have fallen far below the standard God requires them to reach. They act as though they do not know what it means to have an unselfish interest in those in their charge, doing all in their power to educate and discipline them aright. Those who accept the position which gives them charge of apprentices, virtually pledge themselves to show them how to do their work in a thorough manner. They should ever remember that they do the Lord’s service with acceptance only when they are fully committed to the right. Let them realize the importance of patiently and kindly training those in their care, teaching them to do their work well. Refuse to accept slipshod work. Teach them to do all they do with an eye single to the glory of God. There are some in whose lives defects will always appear because during their apprenticeship they were allowed to do slipshod work. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 25
If the one in charge is defective, he should be so educated by those who know how to teach, that he will treat each apprentice with impartial justice. The self-respect of each apprentice is to be carefully preserved. He is to be shown that for his present and eternal good it is necessary for him to do his best. The thought is to be kept before him that God desires him to advance step by step, increasing in capability and efficiency, in knowledge and understanding. He who learns his trade in a lazy, half-hearted way will carry this laxness into the religious life. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 26
The learner will make mistakes. This is to be looked for. But as he gains insight into his work, he should make improvement. Tell him that accuracy is expected from him, and never fail to show him that the principles of righteousness which are brought into the business life are to be brought into the religious life. “If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” [1 Kings 18:21.] The Lord does not want any Baal followers in His army. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 27
Let the youth understand that the principles they adopt in their work will have a molding influence on their afterlife. If their director is a man who loves and fears God, he will give them practical lessons in religion, which will be of great value to them. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 28
Purity and faithfulness are to characterize the work of the learner. Young man, young woman, remember that the habits you are now forming, whether of faithfulness or unfaithfulness, will remain with you as long as you live. The habits of accuracy you form in learning your trade will be of value to you in more ways than one. Keep before your mind the history of Daniel and his companions. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 29
God will accept no unfaithful work from either teacher or learner. In all you do, keep the eye single to the glory of God. If there is one placed over you who himself needs to be taught, lay this plainly before the proper authorities. Tell them that your time is worth something to you, and that you require a teacher who can give thorough instruction. Then when you have such a teacher, co-operate with him earnestly and intelligently. Strive to understand his instruction. Realize that discipline and order are necessary to successful work. Place yourselves under influences which will help you in forming a character for future usefulness. You cannot afford to make false movements. Follow the pure, noble principles which you can take with you into the future life. Make the most of your capabilities. Then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that as you learn your trade, you are improving in spiritual understanding. Place your mark high and then do all in your power to reach it. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 30
Let the learners in our publishing houses realize that they are blood-bought subjects of Christ. Show that you appreciate the sacred trust of life. Adopt right principles, and whatever may be the example of those with whom you are connected, refuse to be cheap and worthless. Let no temptation lead you to do an unrighteous action. Take God’s Word as your guide. This is your safeguard. Guard against carelessness and recklessness. Resolve that you will not mar one jot or tittle of God’s holy law. You may be brought into contact with evil influences, but hold fast to your integrity and confidence in the truth. 16LtMs, Lt 138, 1901, par. 31