Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 23 (1908)
Ms 128, 1908
Individual Responsibility—Needs of the Cities
NP
1908
Previously unpublished.
We are handling the Lord’s means. All we have is lent us in trust; and when His cause is in need of the means entrusted to us to advance the knowledge of the truth, we are to return to the Lord His own lent talents. Many have claimed these talents as their own, and many have not paid to the Lord a faithful tithe and willing offerings, if possible, beside, to advance His work and to spread the knowledge of the truth. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 1
The children of Israel were instructed that all they had in possessions—calling the same their own—came from God. And they were entrusted with His goods, paying a tithe for its use. Tithes are for the purpose of sustaining missionaries in the work of the gospel ministry, that all people in all parts of the world should hear the gospel. Thus the acknowledgement is made by all who accept the truth that it is the Lord’s money and thus the Lord’s due to support His ministers in the various places where the truth is established. And if a faithful tithe is returned to the Lord’s treasury, they make an acknowledgement that all their blessings come from Him who made the world, and that they are enjoined to use all their entrusted treasures as God’s property to carry forward the work of truth and enlarge the numbers who believe the truth. In large congregations I am trying to encourage them to labor for those who know not the truth. There will be large numbers in Los Angeles and in the various resorts who will be converted to the truth. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 2
Will every soul who claims to believe that the end of all things is at hand show his faith by his works? Will be speak the truth of the Word to others in a persuasive way? And will he consider who is to labor for those souls who know not the truth? Who will take upon them the burden of being faithful and true as humble messengers of truth? We must arouse the churches who claim to believe the truth. Will we lose more time, or will we be diligent and faithful? We must be guarded on every side. I would bear the testimony that the Lord would have me bear to the entire church. If they do not now have the intense interest that the condition of our world warrants us to have, let us humble our hearts before God and pray and believe for clear spiritual eyesight. Oh, if the people can only know and understand and be aroused before it is too late! 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 3
“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and he shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green.” Jeremiah 17:5-8. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 4
The Lord calls for pronounced action. There needs to be a decided reformation in all our enterprises. There is not to be a carrying on of schools, as has been, and no definite means to rely upon, as in Fernando. Such experience must not be gone over again, and then make strong efforts that shall use all available means in the conference to settle one school’s indebtedness. This is not just and reasonable, for there must needs be means to sustain our camp-meetings and carry them on with the very best talent possible. And there must not be in the home field men who must be depended on to run the meetings that shall be held in various places. New fields are to be now entered. The most substantial talent is required to lead out in the cities and various places that have not yet had the effort made in them to accomplish the work that has been presented for the last forty years. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 5
The southern cities are to be worked, and our experienced workmen are under obligation to fulfil the expectations of our cities in various places of the southern field. We need now to set to work in these cities. There must be consideration in regard to the work to be done in America. There is a work to be done in the city of Washington and in the cities of the southern fields which calls for the best talent it is possible to obtain, and men to do the work who will not fail nor be discouraged. Wake up, brethren! Wake up, men who stand in responsible places! 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 6
In our experience of the last more than half a century, we have had testimonies to bear directly on the point of man’s ruling power. What it means to keep order in the church is not that one man is to stand as supreme, to become a ruling despot. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 7
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 8
The apostle explains his design and reminds the Corinthians that he not only believed, but he acted the gospel when he first preached among them. Why was this, that his work should not stand among them as “in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God”? [Verse 5.] He determined not to come with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, that the gospel should come to them in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that their faith should not stand expressing the wisdom of men, but in connection with the power of God. The apostle might have expressed much wisdom upon many varied things that would interest a congregation, but their attention must not be scattered from Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus and Him crucified was his message, for this was the sum and substance of the whole gospel, to present to them as saving leaves from the tree of life. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 9
Lift Him up, the risen Saviour! The cross of Calvary is to be the theme of the plan of salvation. The great simplicity of the message, the sum and substance, is the knowledge of a crucified and risen Saviour. Paul did not attempt to display himself as a fine orator, a debater, a deep philosopher, or as a ruler over the conscience of men. He did not come with a flourish of words, or in a boasting style. He came not to reveal in words a pompous show of science or eloquence of expression. He learned his lesson from the divine Teacher. Positively he came among them, not to repeat or to handle the errors of the world, but to express the affirmative of the truth of God’s law. This is a life-and-death question—obedience to life or disobedience unto death. He was speaking divine wisdom. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 10
Paul presented a divine revelation, and the enemies in the church at Corinth spake of his diminutive body and said, “His speech is contemptible.” [2 Corinthians 10:10.] Was this true? Nay, it was not. The apostle whom God had chosen was the man for the place, but it was the power of God that was upon him. Certainly Paul was not a mean speaker, and his force of eloquence caused the greatest men to be under a convincing power, listening to his speech. The men of Lystra looked upon him as being the heathen god Mercury come down to them in the form of a man. In many places thousands were converted to the gospel message given by him in the affirmative. There was something in the manner of Paul’s preaching that caused thousands of Jews and Gentiles to believe. Paul had many visions. He spake so convincingly that a great multitude believed the message given through the demonstration of the Spirit. The success was not to be attributed to the man, but to the power of God upon him. Angels were making the Word effective. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 11
The apostles spake boldly of the truths of the gospel, which was the great power of God in the conversion of many souls. The Word declares, “They went everywhere preaching the Word.” [Acts 8:4.] None of the Lord’s workmen are to have their minds diverted from the Lord Jesus to the prohibiting of their message. Now we are in a favorable position to bring the truth before large congregations. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 12
Let men take the word of the Lord Jesus after His resurrection. “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. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 13
God forbids any man to assume a large amount of responsibility himself, and lay his authority upon men, and hinder others from doing the work God has given them. There is a world to be warned. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 14
Paul has written, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: (in discernment and experience in the things of His Spirit that God bestows upon the humble, praying, believing saints) yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Corinthians 2:4-8. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 15
There is a work of opposition introduced, of human origin, to counterwork the working of the Spirit of God. In their ignorance they did not apply the prophecies of Christ where they belong; therefore, in their own lack of discernment of the true understanding of the Word,and in the blindness of their minds, they rejected the crucified Christ Jesus. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 16
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Verses 9, 10. Every heart that received Christ was entrusted with the ability to discern Christ in His message. “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” Verses 11, 12. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 17
Will man dare place himself as judge of another man’s experience and conscience, or to define in his human judgment another man’s duties? Let every man receive his light and knowledge from the highest authority. Let him move guardedly, lest he interrupt the Lord’s plans. “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” Verse 13. There is to be a close seeking of God to understand the comparing of spiritual things with spiritual. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 18
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual (in his experience) judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” Verses 14, 15. “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? (let these words be fully understood.) But we have the mind of Christ.” Verse 16. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 19
Read 1 Corinthians chapter 3. All these Scriptures are essential to instruction in righteousness. The Holy Spirit is needed in this our day, that we may not work, any of us, in our own natural, unconverted spirit, to order or dictate or control God’s laborers, for no such work has been laid upon us. Mistakes may be made by some in their labors through their lack of judgment, but to put up the bars because some one has made a mistake, that all are to be under bands and bars and yokes and the ruling of their fellow men, is a false conception of the Word, and a hundredfold more grievous in the sight of God. To place His servants under the discipline and judgment of fallible men to decide their duty would only stir up confusion and misunderstanding and bring great dishonor to the God of heaven. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 20
I am instructed that every one of these yokes that have been placed upon the servants of God are to be broken. Ministers and teachers may place their own necks under the yokes if they choose, but let others never place yokes on them. Let all be left free before God to be taught of God and to look to God and follow the Lord’s instructions to watch unto prayer. This means seeking the Lord with all the heart and with all the mind and all the spirit, praying and watching thereunto. But because some men may have moved unadvisedly on some occasion, or a few men may have made mistakes, prepare not yokes to place upon the necks of all the people of God, that they shall be obliged to ask counsel of men, and permission how they shall move. This would permit them to go where the human shall direct, and men would feel at liberty to assume responsibilities that God forbids them to exercise over the sheep of His pasture. To keep brethren under surveillance of another man’s mind is very displeasing to God. Therefore I am instructed, “Break these yokes. Leave My disciples and My workers to be taught by My Spirit.” To every man God has given his work. Let all men talk with God in prayer. If they are weak, they may wrestle with God. They may humble their own hearts before God, which is very appropriate; but break every yoke and let every man stand in his own God-given liberty, wherewith God has made him free and given him every opportunity possible to improve his gift to win souls to Christ. Let him pray and seek God for his individual self. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 21
I have written quite lengthily on these matters. I have much more to say. I may feel it duty to be even more explicit if these words are not understood and acted out. But the word has come to me, “Say to My servants, Break every yoke.” [See Isaiah 58:6.] I have to say the atmosphere which surrounds human souls has become a deception and delusion in understanding the way of the Lord. I have a decided message to bear. The Lord’s work is a very sacred work indeed. The last three years have seen strange work, and the Lord has given clear words of His righteous works and of the errors of men who have not a true spiritual and religious experience. They have caused Satan to triumph. The Lord has specified the errors that Satan and his angels have kept men employed in bringing into the work, and the Lord positively declares their ministration shall no longer give room for Satan to come in. When these men will humble their hearts before God and repent of the hindrance that they have caused and the blocks they have made for souls to stumble over, then the Lord can and will give them understanding and knowledge, but the dominating power they are not to exercise over His people again. 23LtMs, Ms 128, 1908, par. 22