Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)

Ms 43, 1910

Talk/A Call to Consecrated Effort

Mountain View, California

January 29, 1910

This manuscript is published in entirety in NPUGleaner 03/16/1910.

(Portion of a talk before the Pacific Union Conference, Mountain View, California, January 29, 1910. Afterward published in the union conference papers in North America.) 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 1

Upon every believer to whom has come the light of the third angel’s message, there rests a solemn responsibility to let the light of truth shine forth clearly. The commission that Christ has given His followers is unmistakably plain. It bids them go into all the world, bearing to every nation, tongue, and people the saving message of present truth. They are now to take hold of this work as it has never been taken hold of before and do their best. There is no time now for controversy. A world is perishing for the bread of eternal life. 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 2

Christ has given His life in order that lost humanity might be redeemed to live with Him in glory. Throughout eternity He will bear in His hands the prints of the cruel nails by which He was transfixed to the cross on Calvary. These will ever bear witness to the sufferings He endured in order that penitent sinners might have life eternal. But those that claim to be followers of the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, will never be permitted to live with their Saviour in the earth made new, if in this life they labor not for souls as they that must give an account. 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 3

There are many, many believers who carry too light a burden in behalf of souls unsaved. There never was a time when the world was in greater need of the light of heavenly truth than it is at the present time. On every hand are cities unwarned. Souls are perishing, and what are the light-bearers doing? There needs to be manifested a burden for souls, such as many have never yet realized. In self-denial and self-sacrifice, with Bible in hand, God’s chosen messengers are to search out the honest in heart and reveal to them the way of life everlasting. Many who have never been specially set apart as gospel laborers should engage in this work. All who have received in their own hearts the light of heaven are to let this light shine to those about them. May God help His people to be aroused to a realization of their duty toward those who have never been enlightened, regarding the truth for this time! 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 4

There are some now, claiming to be followers of Christ, who in the judgment will be confronted by their friends and neighbors to whom they might have pointed out the way of salvation, but whom they allowed to remain unwarned. Then will they hear the terrible words: “Why did you not tell us the things you claimed to believe? Why did you not seek to help us understand the truths of God’s Word? Why did you not do all in your power to warn us, before it was everlastingly too late? You never told us these things that would have helped us to prepare to meet our God in peace. You allowed us to come up to the judgment unwarned, unsaved.” 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 5

There is a world to be saved. This is why I am so anxious that every believer in the Lord Jesus shall live on the plan of addition, adding grace to grace and becoming established in the most holy faith. Those who are diligent to make their own calling and election sure will also be found seeking in every way possible to win many souls to the truth for this time. God is now calling for more earnestness, for greater zeal, on the part of those to whom have been entrusted the most sacred truths ever committed to mortals. He is calling for earnest prayer and for increased diligence of effort in carrying these truths to the inhabitants of the earth. He is calling especially at this time for a strong work to be done in the cities. 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 6

The truth is to go forth as a lamp that burneth in the cities of the East. The stronger conferences of the Middle West and of the Pacific Coast now have the privilege of advancing the cause of God in that portion of the field where the third angel’s message was first proclaimed. Something has been done, it is true; but God requires of His people a far greater work than anything that has been done in years past. 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 7

I have been through many of these cities and have had opportunity to visit them again recently. I have seen New York, and Boston, and Portland, and Buffalo, and other cities of the East that are waiting to be worked. What I have seen of these unwarned places bring sorrow to my heart. Often I have lain upon my bed in an agony of distress over the situation, and then I have attempted to write out the presentations that have been made before me distinctly, that there are not seen in some of our larger churches the reformations that should be taking place. Many of our brethren are not carrying the burden they should in behalf of the unworked cities. They have not been making decided movements to send strong laborers into these cities. 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 8

Some have hesitated because they feared that the work outlined would require more means than was at their command. But I have urged our brethren to step forward by faith and follow the leadings of divine Providence. Christ has bidden His servants go out into all parts of the field. He will sustain every laborer who, in obedience to the command of our Leader, seeks to warn the inhabitants of the cities. Angels will prepare the way before every such worker. God’s messengers need to arouse themselves from their lethargy and lay aside everything that may hinder them from doing the work that God is now calling upon them to do in behalf of the great cities of our land. As they advance in faith, the salvation of God will be revealed, and prosperity will attend their efforts. The name of God will be magnified, and the coming of Christ will be hastened. 25LtMs, Ms 43, 1910, par. 9