Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Ms 65, 1901

Sermon/“To every one in this room ...”

NP

July 28, 1901

Portions of this manuscript are published in VSS 45, 144-145; Ev 498; 4MR 130.

To every one in this room God has committed talents, to every one according to his several ability. Each one is to study to show himself approved by God. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 1

I feel very grateful to God that it is our privilege to have a personal connection with Him, who so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It is your privilege to accept Christ as your personal Saviour. When you do this you, have enlisted in the army of the Lord. You have volunteered as soldiers of the cross. You have left the black banner of the power of darkness to stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. Your constant study will be to show yourselves faithful soldiers. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 2

There is a battle for every one to fight, for the young as well as the old. All should strive to exert a bright, cheerful influence, for that is the atmosphere of heaven. The youth are to prepare to be members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. In this school they are to prepare for graduation into the higher school. The students before me this morning will never cease to be learners if they secure the heavenly treasure. They are to learn each day how to meet the enemy, who with his host of evil angels is warring against Christ and all who stand under His banner. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 3

In the warfare against evil, every one has a part. Before the heavenly universe, God’s children are to develop characters which will resist the powers of darkness. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 4

You can all form characters which God can approve. It may be that in the past you have not striven to do this. You are now given an opportunity to change the traits of character which are not after the similitude of Christ. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 5

The Word of God is the foundation of all true education. Those who take the Word of God as their lesson book will learn the conditions which God has laid down for entrance to the higher school. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 6

Day by day you are to form Christian characters. You can do this by seeking every day to improve in your words. Speech is a talent. The Word of God declares, “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” [Matthew 12:37.] 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 7

Students, God has given you the talent of speech. He desires you to improve this talent. You can improve the tones of the voice. Be determined to make yourself, through the grace of God, as perfect as possible. If you are correct in speech and action, those who associate with you will be blessed by the association. Those who are hasty and impetuous in speech say a great many things they will not wish to meet in the judgment. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 8

Do not let a word fall from your lips that will stir up strife in another heart. God desires your words to be of such a character that they will bring sunshine instead of gloom, harmony instead of animosity. Do not encourage the spirit of strife. It will encourage itself. Your work is to resist it. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 9

As you obtain an education founded on right principles, you are forming characters that God can approve. You have been placed where you can help and bless one another. Those who have gained an experience in religious things are to impart to others what God has given them. Let your lives be hid with Christ in God. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 10

Because the Jewish people did not let the light which God had given them shine to others, they were scattered in different countries. Daniel and three other youth were taken to Babylon, and the king determined to have them educated to be statesmen in his court. They were given the food and wine from the king’s table as their diet. But Daniel and his companions knew that if they ate the food and drank the wine which the king had provided, their brains would be confused. They would be unable to distinguish between right and wrong, between the sacred and the common. They determined to be true to principle, to eat and drink to God’s glory. God honored their loyalty. He gave them wisdom and understanding, and when at the end of the term of years allotted to study, the king examined them, he found them to be “ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.” [Daniel 1:20.] 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 11

The history of Daniel and his fellows is an illustration of what all youth may become in the service of God. Improve the opportunity that is now yours to obtain the very best idea of what constitutes a Christian character. Place yourselves where you can pray to God as Daniel and his fellows prayed to Him. They presented themselves to God as needy and dependent, and God gave them strength. But do you think that Daniel would have been helped as he was if he had yielded to appetite? Had he eaten the king’s food and drunk his wine, he would have been unable to obtain the education necessary to make him a successful Christian statesman. He would not have appreciated the knowledge God had to give. His mind would have been confused. He knew this; for before he came to Babylon, he had received that training which every child before me should receive in the home. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 12

It is the privilege of every one of you—a privilege which many cannot have—to understand what is meant by healthful food—food that will bring health to body and mind. When you bring the question of right eating and right drinking into your religion, you place yourselves where God can help you to distinguish between right and wrong. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 13

Because Daniel and his companions kept the fear of God before them, because they refused to indulge appetite, because they were determined to keep the mental machinery in such a condition that they could receive the education that God had to give, they were greatly blessed. Their even tones and kind words showed that they were under the supervision of a power above all human power. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 14

We may place ourselves in association with those whose minds are filled with cheap nonsense. We may enter into companionship with those whose influence harms our spirituality. But we are not obliged to do this. Let us rather make a friend of God. Thus like Daniel we shall come off triumphant. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 15

The powers of darkness are arrayed against you. Satan desires to see your footsteps wandering from the path of self-denial. He desires to see your characters becoming warped, so that when you leave school, you will not exert an influence in favor of the truth. God wants you to fight bravely against the suggestions and temptations of the enemy. In His strength you can be “more than conquerors.” [Romans 8:37.] 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 16

These smaller children will be influenced by the words and spirit of the older students. God has placed us in this world to help one another. He wants the older students to help the younger ones. Christ said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:14.] He desires these little children to love Him. He desires those who are older to speak to them words that will be a blessing and a help. Students, improve the opportunity given you to speak words that will point those around you to the Saviour. Do not allow your minds to dwell upon trivial things. Do not speak words you would not be willing to utter in the presence of Jesus and the angels. Could the curtain be rolled back, you would see heavenly angels watching you. They must watch; it is their work to be guardians for the youth. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” [Hebrews 1:14.] Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of angels minister to the youth in our world. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 17

God wants you to be children of light. He wants you to live so that the light of heaven can shine into the chambers of the mind, and from there be reflected to others. He wants you to do deeds of kindness and speak words of cheer. Begin missionary work right where you are. Probably you have already begun this work. Those who are connected with Christ cannot do otherwise. They receive to impart. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 18

Christ desires to use every student here as His agent. He says, “Ye are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] You are to co-operate with the One who gave His life for you. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” [Philippians 2:12, 13.] What rich blessing from above this school will have if the teachers and students will consecrate themselves, heart, mind, soul, and strength to God’s service, as His helping hand. His helping hand—this is what you may be. If you will yield yourselves into His keeping, He will lead you safely, enabling you to make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 19

All heaven is interested in the education you are receiving. I do ask you in the name of Jesus of Nazareth to watch your words. God desires your words to be life-giving. Not a word of irritation is to be spoken. However provoked you may feel, keep back every word that would stir up the evil in another heart. Speech is a great talent, and God desires every one of you to reach the standard of Christlikeness. Let every word you speak bless and elevate. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 20

John says, “I write unto you, young men, because ye are strong and have overcome the wicked one.” [1 John 2:13.] If God had not given His children strength and power to overcome, these words would never have been written. When you put your strength on the right side, God and Christ and the heavenly angels are with you. The Lord will give you an experience and enable you to go into mission fields, even in your youth. At eleven years of age, God made me a missionary. He impressed me to plead with my unconverted companions, to pray with them, to try to win them to Christ. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 21

All of us can so work under the supervision of the Holy Spirit that we shall be prepared to take our place in the royal family. Every one can have the peace of Christ. The apostle says, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” [Colossians 3:15.] When Christ was a child like these children here, He was tempted to sin, but He did not yield to temptation. As He grew older He was tempted, but the songs His mother had taught Him to sing came into His mind, and He would lift His voice in praise. And before His companions were aware of it, they would be singing with Him. God wants us to use every facility which heaven has provided for resisting the enemy. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 22

Repress your hasty words, for Satan is near. If he can, he will so work upon minds that there will be division where there should be harmony. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 23

I have a deep interest in the youth. I am a mother of boys. I greatly desire that you shall form characters like the character of God. God needs missionaries. The barren fields in America and Australia and all over the world call to heaven for laborers. If these youth give themselves to God, He will give them knowledge and wisdom; He will prepare them to work for Him. He will co-operate with their efforts if they will consecrate themselves to Him. He will make them vessels unto honor, vessels into which He can pour the precious oil of His Spirit to be communicated to others. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 24

Shall we not try to make all that we can of ourselves? Shall we not try to reach the standard God has set before us? Satan will try to overcome us. It would please him to see us disappointing the One who has purchased us by humiliation and suffering. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 25

You have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and spirit, which are His. Bought with a price. Christ redeemed you from the power of the enemy and placed you on vantage ground, that you might win back through obedience what Adam lost through disobedience. Let the peace of God dwell in your hearts, and be ye thankful—thankful that He has bought you with a price. Be thankful that you are here where you can have God’s blessing. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 26

When others try to provoke you, keep your mouth as with a bridle. Then your enemies will learn that you have a power which they do not possess. They will see the difference between one who is a Christian and one who is not. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 27

God will not approve of anything pertaining to Satan’s attributes. Satan works to destroy, to deform. God works to build up, to restore, to reform; and thus He wants us to work. By the calmness of our conversation we can bear good witness for Him. Correct living and correct speaking have a greater influence for good than all the sermons that can be preached. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 28

God loves the youth, and He has an intense interest in them. He wants you to be saved, He wants you to have eternal life. He wants you to make a success of the life He has given you. If you let your life slip from you in idle dreaming, if you bring to the foundation wood, hay, and stubble, you may through repentance be saved, but where is your treasure? You may be saved as by fire, but all eternity will testify to your loss. 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 29

As you move forward step by step, inch by inch, adding to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, God will be with you and you will never fall. While you are working on the plan of addition, Christ is working on the plan of multiplication. You are working for time and for eternity, striving for an imperishable crown. Strive lawfully, serving God with heart, mind, soul, and strength. Then when Christ comes to gather His jewels to Himself, you will hear the words of welcome: “Well done, good and faithful servant; ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” [Matthew 25:23.] 16LtMs, Ms 65, 1901, par. 30