Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Ms 45, 1904

“That They All May Be One”

Washington, D. C.

May 14, 1904

Portions of this manuscript are published in UL 148; 1MR 15; 6MR 389; 5Bio 326-327. +^Note

I give myself and all my powers to Jesus Christ, asking Him to help me today to present to the people their personal accountability to God. The sacred truth we profess to believe must have its sanctifying influence upon our hearts and our characters. Every day we are to exercise personal activity in seeking the salvation of souls perishing in their sins. We must seek with all humility of heart to stir up our church members, to show them the necessity of personal active labor, or personal consecration and devotion, and arouse in them an earnest desire to save souls that are perishing in sin. Put away all selfishness, and work for souls. Wake up the mighty men. Increase spiritual efforts for organized work for the diffusion of a knowledge of the truth. Let there be a decided reformation in the workers who have backslidden. There is a world to be warned, and every effort must now be made to exalt the truth. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 1

For several years there has been an inclination to draw apart and build up the medical missionary work, separating it from religious work and placing it above the ministry. Every time this sentiment has prevailed, Satan has managed to wedge in his deceptive theories which have hindered the carrying out of the work that Christ gave us in His commission. “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: But some doubted” whether this was indeed the risen Saviour. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:16-20.] 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 2

These words of Christ are to be obeyed in all parts of our world where the gospel has been studied and self renounced, and where Christ has become the saving power. When the truth is fully received into the life and is revealed in words and deeds, all the sophistries of Satan’s inventions are powerless to lead into strange paths. When men are looked to and their sentiments are regarded as the truth, then the truth will be received through impure channels, gathering unsanctified ideas, and confusion will be the sure result. Scientific problems will be stealing in, such as were suggested to the angels by the first sinner, Satan. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 3

May 15, 1904, Meeting With the Churches in Washington

Yesterday morning I had an appointment to speak to the members of the church that worship in the old church on [8th] street. My son urged that Brother Washburn accompany us in the carriage and leave him to study and rest his mind. We endeavored to get off the main streets, and in so doing we drove through the grounds of the National Soldiers’ Home. The buildings connected with this Home are most extensive. Several of them are of marble, and the hospitals are furnished in the most expensive style. The grounds comprise two or three hundred acres, beautified by a variety of ornamental and other trees and many flowers. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 4

The roads through the grounds were very nice, and it was convenient to go this way to the meetinghouse. There were no carriages passing; all was quiet, and it was refreshing to look upon the beautiful trees and green grass, so this shall be the road I shall henceforth travel in reaching this meetinghouse in Washington. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 5

The place of meeting was the old church which has been used for some time. The house was filled. The brethren probably anticipated that it would be. There were white people and dark people seated together, there being more dark than white. The singing was good. Elder Washburn opened the services with prayer after the second song. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 6

I spoke to the people from John 17. I told them I wished them to have that precious last prayer of Christ’s before He left His disciples to pass through His great agony in the garden of Gethsemane, prior to His crucifixion. There seemed to be a most earnest interest, and many felt deeply and showed that their hearts were touched. Brother Clarence Crisler reported the discourse. I did not think it advisable to tarry to speak to the people present, for I was perspiring so much that I had to protect myself with all the wraps I had with me. I stepped into the carriage to start home, but we were surrounded with white people and colored people so that we could not move on. I met Dr. Maxson from Oakland. He had so changed in appearance that I did not know him. He greeted me heartily by shaking hands and speaking a few words. One after another introduced themselves as being formerly acquainted with me. A mother came with her two sons, very fine-looking men, and introduced them to me. Both expressed great satisfaction in listening to the discourse. The elder son grasped my hand and said, “My heart is melted within me. I never listened to such a discourse as you have given today. I never heard anything like it. It thrilled me through and through.” This man was about thirty years of age, I should judge. Other noble-looking men and women crowded to the carriage, but I did not get their names. The colored came as well as the white; I shook hands with them heartily, and then we had to leave. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 7

We came through the grounds of the Soldiers’ Home when we were returning. We saw that the clouds were gathering, and it was becoming darker and darker. No sooner had we entered the house than the shower came on. We were thankful that we were sheltered. We had a few flashes of lightning and some thunder, but we were safely housed. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 8

There were many outsiders at the meeting, and all seemed to listen with intensity of interest. I tried to impress upon the people that we had no time and no vital powers to devote to criticizing each other. Our great work is to keep our own souls in the love of God, to learn of Christ His meekness and lowliness of heart, if we would find that rest we desire. There will need to be such continual guarding of our individual selves that we will have all we can do to overcome our hereditary and cultivated tendencies so that we shall not in word or spirit grieve the Lord’s purchased possession by talking of others’ mistakes and errors, because in so doing we were grieving the Holy Spirit of God. Not a word should be uttered to cause another heart pain or sadness. We may seek to relieve the soul-burdened one, but we have no permission from the Word of God to gather up reports and tell them to hurt the influence of another. We need to keep our own souls in the love of God, that in social conversation we shall give strength, give words of courage and hope, increase faith, and not discourage and pull down; for this work was Satan’s, and he is constantly engaged in this work of faultfinding if there is any chance to make it appear that others are at fault. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 9

O what a work rests upon each one to keep his own soul untainted and uncorrupted, preparing to engage in Christian missionary work, imparting light shining from the Word to those who are in darkness. The great desire of Christ in coming to our world was to erect His cross of self-denial, and self-sacrifice was strictly developed in His lifework. The chief object of His instrumentality was to dispense to human beings His blessings in saving human souls dead in trespasses and sins. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 10

May 16, 1904, A Change Necessary

I am to urge our churches to make a decidedly different showing than they have been making in the past. Some who have stood as leaders in the medical missionary work have been confused and have not been giving the gospel trumpet a certain sound, and there has been coming in perverted, unchristian principles that have confused the minds of many, both old and young. And until these men shall find their lot and place and shall take themselves in hand and repent and be converted, they should disconnect from the sanitariums. Their work is not acceptable to God, for they reveal their purpose as being to block the wheels and confuse judgment, sowing tares among the wheat. A change must come, else we will be unable to accomplish the great and sacred work the Lord has given us to do. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 11

Many of the medical missionary workers are confused, and they will not improve unless they are converted and the influences which have been imparted to them from the satanic deceiver, who has concluded that he will work every soul that will give himself to be worked, are removed. No such things can be given to the students to perfect them in that knowledge which is unto eternal life. Dr. Kellogg is certainly confused and is an unsafe man. There are songs of degrees that may be sung, as when they ascended the steps of the Jewish temple. Yet there is a great want of the Holy Spirit of God. Unless these medical missionary workers find their lot and stand in their appointed place, and become rooted and grounded in the truth, they are not proper educators of young men and young women. Their great work is within, to cleanse the soul temple from all moral and spiritual defilement. When the sanctuary of the soul is purified, cleansed from all false theories and every oppressive practice, then Christ will take up His abode within. Unless Dr. Kellogg turns from Satan’s devisings, he will never become a free man, because he has leagued himself with the great deceiver. The work will never, never go in sacred, pure, beautiful lines unless Dr. Kellogg’s influence is either cleansed from his own human devising under satanic agencies, or he takes himself away, or God takes him away, that he will no longer spoil the people of God. When he breaks with Satan, we shall all know it. The work done will not be under a bushel or a bed. He had large influences to help him at the first General Conference in Battle Creek. Since that time, when the Lord Jesus has reached out His hand to help him, he has not grasped it, but has chosen his own course of action. He did not reform, and therefore he has not power to break with the enemy. Just as long as he keeps on in the same course of action, the Lord cannot work in the same partnership. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 12

It is time for the people of God to come to their senses and to dig deep and lay the sure foundation upon the Rock of Ages. Dr. Kellogg knows not where he stands. Why? Because he has lost his spiritual eyesight. His associates in the so-called medical missionary work are deceived and being deceived. The commendation of God does not rest upon the rebuilding of the sanitarium in Battle Creek. Warning after warning has been given that the work should not be centralized there, but that plants should be made in many places. Dr. Kellogg has now become so dazed by satanic agencies that he has no power from the snare to go from Battle Creek. He has no moral power to carry on the work at Battle Creek as a missionary enterprise under the sanctification of the Holy Spirit of God. He has so long defied God in doing his own will that he knows not God nor Jesus Christ through a sanctified, pure, righteous character. The Lord says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” [Exodus 20:3.] The idolatry of his own devising is yet to appear. The divine Lawgiver Himself is not respected and is not obeyed, and dummies are placed on the throne. For years moral darkness has been gathering around him and becoming more dense, his intense purpose being to devise ways of concealing his ingenious methods of unsanctified devising until his own sinful devising has been becoming exhausted and the divine displeasure has been increasing, ready to discharge upon him any moment. Those who have linked themselves with him need to break from the fellowship at once. I have no words from the Lord to commend a course of action which will lead him to suppose that they are in full sympathy with him. None of these physicians will hold up a light amid the moral darkness, by which the deluded people could see that they had been imbued by a spirit not of God, but from satanic agencies. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 13

Great privileges have been abused. The work is to go forward—not to stand still, the workers being content to colonize and leave the large cities unworked. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 14

The great Teacher held in His hand the entire map of truth. In simple language He made plain to His disciples the way to heaven and the endless subjects of divine power. The question of the essence of God was a subject on which He maintained a wise reserve, for their entanglements and specifications would bring in science which could not be dwelt upon by unsanctified minds without confusion. In regard to God and in regard to His personality, the Lord Jesus said, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.” [John 14:9.] Christ was the express image of His Father’s person. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 15

The open path, the safe path of walking in the way of His commandments, is a path from which there is no safe departing. And when men follow their own human theories dressed up in soft, fascinating representations, they make a snare in which to catch souls. In the place of devoting your powers to theorizing, Christ has given you a work to do. His commission is, Go <throughout the world> and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Before the disciples shall compass the threshold, there is to be the imprint of the sacred name, baptizing the believers in the name of the threefold powers in the heavenly world. The human mind is impressed in this ceremony, the beginning of the Christian life. It means very much. The work of salvation is not a small matter, but so vast that the highest authorities are taken hold of by the expressed faith of the human agency. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the eternal Godhead is involved in the action required to make assurance to the human agent to unite all heaven to contribute to the exercise of human faculties to reach and embrace the fulness of the threefold powers to unite in the great work appointed, confederating the heavenly powers with the human, that men may become, through heavenly efficiency, partakers of the divine nature and workers together with Christ. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 16

*****

Man’s capabilities can multiply through the connection of human agencies with divine agencies. United with the heavenly powers, the human capabilities increase according to that faith that works by love and purifies, sanctifies, and ennobles the whole man. The heavenly powers have pledged themselves to minister to human agents to make the name of God and of Christ and of the Holy Spirit their living efficiency, working and energizing the sanctified man, to make this name above every other name. All the treasures of heaven are under obligation to do for man infinitely more than human beings can comprehend by multiplying threefold the human with the heavenly agencies. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 17

The three great and glorious heavenly characters are present on the occasion of baptism. All the human capabilities are to be henceforth consecrated powers to do service for God in representing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost upon whom they depend. All heaven is represented by these three in covenant relation with the new life. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.” [Colossians 3:1.] 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 18

Now to the utter extent of our ability we are to keep separate from all worldly entanglements and ambitious projects which confuse the mind and perplex the soul. The church privileges are ever to be regarded in a high, sacred sense. The sinful propensities of humanity have ever since the fall been wrestling to become interwoven with the church. Men profess much, but dishonor God daily by clinging to their old sins. They need to be converted through the sanctifying grace of Christ. 19LtMs, Ms 45, 1904, par. 19