Lt 242, 1903
Physicians
and Ministers
“Elmshaven,”
St. Helena, California
October,
1903
Decided
Action to be Taken Now
To our
physicians and ministers,—
During the
night the Spirit of God has been presenting many things to my mind. The
experience that was given us at the General Conference held in Battle Creek
early in 1901 was of God. Had Dr. Kellogg at that time done thorough work, the
terrible experience through which we are now passing would never have been.
God has
permitted the presentation of the combination of good and evil in Living Temple
to be made to reveal the danger threatening us. The working that has been so
ingeniously carried on He has permitted in order that certain developments
might be made and that it might be seen what a man can do with human minds when
he has obtained their confidence as a physician. God has permitted the present
crisis to come to open the eyes of those who desire to know the truth. He would
have His people understand to what lengths the sophistry and devising of the
enemy would lead.
Men have
given to our leading physician allegiance that is due to God alone; and he has
been permitted to show what self-exaltation will lead men to do. Scientific,
spiritualistic sentiments, representing the Creator as an essence pervading all
nature, have been given to our people and have been received even by some who
have had a long experience as teachers of the Word of God. The results of this
insidious devising will break out again and again. There are many for whom
special efforts will have to be put forth to free them from this specious
deception.
I am now
authorized to say that the time has come to take decided action. The
development seen in the cause of God is similar to the development seen when
Balaam caused Israel to sin just before they entered the promised land. How
dangerous it is so to exalt any man that he becomes confused and confuses the
minds of others in regard to the truths that for the last fifty years the Lord
has been giving His people.
Few can see
the meaning of the present apostasy. But the Lord has lifted the curtain and
has shown me its meaning and the result that it will have if allowed to
continue. We must now lift our voices in warning. Will our people acknowledge
God as the supreme Ruler, or will they choose the misleading arguments and
views that, when fully developed, make Him, in the minds of those who accept
them, as nothingness?
These words
were spoken to me in the night season. The sentiments in Living Temple
regarding the personality of God have been received even by men who have had a
long experience in the truth. When such men consent to eat of the fruit of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we are no longer to regard the subject
as a matter to be treated with the greatest delicacy. That those whom we
thought sound in the faith should have failed to discern the specious, deadly
influence of this science of evil should alarm us as nothing else has alarmed
us.
It is
something that cannot be treated as a small matter, that men who have had so
much light and such clear evidence as to the genuineness of the truth we hold
should become unsettled and led to accept spiritualistic theories regarding the
personality of God. These doctrines, followed to their logical conclusion,
sweep away the whole Christian economy. They estimate as nothing the light that
Christ came from heaven to give John to give to His people. They teach that the
scenes just before us are not of sufficient importance to be given special
attention. They make of no effect the truth of heavenly origin and rob the
people of God of their past experience, giving them instead a false science.
During the
past night, I have been shown more distinctly than ever before that these
sentiments have been looked upon by some as the grand truths that are to be
brought in and made prominent at the present time. I was shown a platform
braced by solid timbers—the truths of the Word of God. Some one high in
responsibility in the medical work was directing this man and that man to
loosen the timbers supporting this platform. Then I heard a voice saying,
“Where are the watchmen that ought to be standing on the walls of Zion? Are
they asleep? How can they be silent? This foundation was built by the Master
Worker and will stand storm and tempest. Will they permit this man to present
doctrines that deny the past experience of the people of God? The time has come
to take decided action.”
I was
instructed to call upon our physicians and ministers to take a firm stand for
the truth. We are not to allow atheistic, spiritualistic sentiments to be
brought before our youth. God has led us in the past, giving us truth, eternal
truth. By this truth we are to stand. Some of the leaders in the medical work
have been deceived, and if they continue to hold fanciful, spiritualistic
ideas, they will make many believe that the platform upon which we have been
standing for the past fifty years has been torn away. These men need now to see
with anointed eyes, with clear spiritual vision, that in spite of all man can
do, “the foundation of God standeth sure,” and “the Lord knoweth them that are
His.” [2 Timothy 2:19.]
The message
to the Laodicean church comes to us at this time with special meaning. Read it,
and ask God to show you its import. Thank God that He is still sending us
messages of mercy. Those accepting the theories regarding God that are
introduced in Living Temple are in great danger of being led finally to look
upon the whole Bible as a fiction; for these theories make of no effect the
plain Word of God.
The tempter
is working to gather together at Battle Creek as large a number as possible,
hoping that they will receive false ideas of God and His work, and thus make of
no effect the impression that God would have made on the minds of those engaged
in the medical missionary work and in the gospel ministry. God abhors the great
swelling words of vanity that have been spoken by some connected with the
Sanitarium. The judgments of God have been visited upon Battle Creek, and these
judgments call for humiliation rather than for proud boasting and
self-exaltation.
The heavenly
messenger turned to those professing to be medical missionaries, and said, “How
could you allow yourselves to be led blindfold? How could you so misrepresent
the name you bear? You have your Bibles. Why have you not reasoned from cause
to effect? You have accepted theories that have led you away from the truths
that are to stamp their impress upon the characters of all Seventh-day
Adventists. Your leader has been removing the foundation timbers one by one,
and his reasoning would soon leave us with no certain foundation for our faith.
He has not heeded the testimonies that God through His Spirit has given. The
books of the Bible containing most important instruction are disregarded
because they say so much about a personal God. He has not known whither his
feet were tending. But in his recent writings, his tendencies toward pantheism
have been revealed.”
The enemy of
souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to
take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would
consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith and
engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place,
what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to
the remnant church would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The
fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years
would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of
a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be
introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities and do a
wonderful work. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the
God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new
movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice; but God
being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without
God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and
tempest would sweep away the structure.
Who has
authority to begin such a movement? We have our Bibles. We have our experience,
attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that
admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in
harmony with this truth?
A mind
trained only in worldly science fails to discern the deep things of God, but
the same mind, converted and sanctified, would see the divine power in the
Word. Only the mind that is cleansed by the sanctification of the Spirit can
discern heavenly things.
The
Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, are “profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God
may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” [2 Timothy 3:16,
17.] Let us go to the Word of God for guidance. Let us seek for a “Thus saith
the Lord.” We have had enough of human methods. Brethren, awake to your
God-given responsibilities. Your judgment, unless perverted by a long practice
of false principles, will discern the deep things of God, given by His Holy
Spirit, and your hearts will be made susceptible to the teaching of the Word.
May God
bring His people under the deep movings of His Spirit. The Spirit makes
efficient the ordinary means of grace. God teaches that His kingdom is to be
established in the earth “not by might, nor by power,” but by His Spirit.
[Zechariah 4:6.] The Spirit is the efficiency of His people.
I am
instructed to say that those who would tear down the foundation that God has
laid are not to be accepted as the teachers and leaders of His people. We are
to hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. Words of power
have been sent by God and by Christ to this people, bringing them out from the
world point by point, into the clear light of present truth. With lips touched
with holy fire, God’s servants have proclaimed the message. The divine
utterance has set its seal to the genuineness of the truth proclaimed.
The Lord
calls for a renewal of the straight testimony borne in years past. He calls for
a revival of spiritual life. The spiritual energies of His people have long
been torpid, but there will be a resurrection from apparent death.
In the
future, God will call for the gifts and talents of men not now actively engaged
in His service. Let these respond to His call, putting their trust in the great
Medical Missionary. The power that is the life of the soul has not been seen as
it must be. It has been smothered for want of spiritual ventilation—the
blending of human effort and divine grace.
God is
calling upon His people to work. He comes to them as they idle away the
precious, golden moments, and says, “Go work today in My vineyard.” [Matthew
21:28.]
By prayer
and confession of sin we must clear the King’s highway. As we do this, the
power of the Spirit will come to us. We need the Pentecostal energy. This will
come; for the Lord has promised to send His Spirit as the all-conquering power.
Men may
still learn the things that belong to their peace. Mercy’s voice may still be
heard, calling, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy,
and My burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] It is only when spiritual life is
given that rest is found and lasting good secured. We must be able to say, in
storm and tempest, “My anchor holds.” He who builds upon any other foundation
than that which has been laid builds upon shifting sand. God calls for a
reformation. But he who seeks to bring about a reformation without the aid of
the Holy Spirit’s reviving power will find himself adrift. Those who turn from
human foolishness and frailty, from man’s seductive arts, from Satan’s planning,
to Christ, the shepherd and bishop of our souls, will stand secure upon the
platform of eternal truth.