Talk/“I would prefer not to speak today ...”
Battle Creek, Michigan
April 1, 1901
One of four variants of Ms 43, 1901. This copy was prepared by Mrs. White’s secretary.
I would prefer not to speak today though not because I have nothing to say. I have something to say. The state of things that has existed in the Conference and leading responsibilities is not clearly understood by the men who occupy positions in these responsibilities, or by those who are taking responsibilities in other lines of the work. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 1
The work has been increasing; it has been growing. The light that I have had from the Lord has been expressed over and over again, not to as many as there are here today, but to different individuals. The plans which God wishes us to work upon have been laid down. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 2
Never should the mind of one man or the minds of a few men be regarded as sufficient in wisdom and power to control the work and say what plans shall be followed. The burden of the work in this broad field should not rest upon two or three men. We are not reaching the high standard which, with the great and important truths we are handling, God expects us to reach. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 3
Over and over again men have said, “The voice of the Conference is the voice of God; therefore everything must be referred to the Conference. The Conference must permit or restrict in the various lines of the work.” As the matter has been presented to me, there is a narrow compass, and within this narrow compass, all the entrances of which are locked, are those who would like to exercise kingly power. But the work carried on all over the field demands an entirely different course of action. There is need of the laying of a foundation different from the foundation which has been laid in the past. We have heard much about everything moving in the regular lines. When we see that the “regular lines” are purified and refined, that they bear the mold of the God of heaven, then it will be time to endorse these lines. But when we see that message after message given by God has been received and accepted, yet no change made, we know that new blood must be brought into the regular lines. But when we see that the “regular lines” are purified and refined, that they bear the mold of the God of heaven, then it will be time to endorse these lines. But when we see that message after message given by God has been received and accepted, yet no change made, we know that new blood must be brought into the regular lines. The management of the regular lines must be entirely changed, newly organized. There must be a committee, not composed of half a dozen men, but of representatives from all lines of our work, from our publishing houses, from our educational institutions, and from our sanitariums, which have life in them, which are constantly working, constantly broadening. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 4
I have been shown the fields which have opened in America. But there in California or Michigan, the two great centers of the work, is aggressive work being done? Where is the wrestling in new fields? 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 5
God desires His work to be a rising, broadening, enlarging power. But the management of the work is becoming confused in itself. Not that any one wishes to be wrong or to do wrong; but the principles are wrong. These principles are so foreign from God’s principles that God cannot bless those who work upon them. What must be done is to bring in other minds. Those who have been at work in the same channels for years have been discouraged and confused. We cannot entrust to such as these the tremendous responsibilities which are now to be handled. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 6
Instruction has constantly been given as to the sacred, elevating, ennobling principles which should control in our institutions. The interests of the General Conference and all that concerns the handling of the work require minds that are worked by the Holy Spirit. Unless those who have charge of the work give evidence that they are controlled by the Holy Spirit, unless they give evidence that they receive power from God to impart to the responsibilities with which they are connected, a change should be made without any delay. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 7
God forbid, brethren, that this Conference should close as our Conferences have closed in the past, with the same management, the same tone, the same order. The Lord wants those who have a knowledge of the truth to come to their senses. He wants them to arouse. We are almost like dead men. It is time for us to arise and shine because our light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us. If we are not going to do this, we might just as well close our Conference today as any other day. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 8
From the light God has given me, everything connected with this Conference is to be most sacred. Why? Because at this time the work is to be placed upon a proper basis. Wrong principles have been followed. For the last fifteen years the same thing has been acted and re-acted; and now God calls for a change. He wants in His work men of capability, men who realize that there is a ladder for them to climb round by round, and that those who climb this ladder will finally step off it into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us move heavenward. Let every thread of selfishness that has been woven into the work be now cut out. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 9
The work should stand a hundred percent higher than it stands today. The Satanic agencies are working with all their power to weaken and destroy us, and unless there is a waking-up among the people of God, the enemy will gain the victory. God calls upon us to arouse, to take hold of his work, and labor for time and for eternity. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 10
We are treading over and over in the same ground. Our large churches ought to be turning out men who are educated and trained and disciplined, prepared to enter the Lord’s vineyard; but what are they doing? The barren fields, especially in the South, are crying to God for help. These fields have scarcely been touched, notwithstanding the message that God has been giving for a number of years. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 11
It is high time that this came to an end. Let the work be woven after the same pattern that it has been in the past, and it will finally come to nought. God calls for a change. Do not wait till the Conference is over, and then gather up the forces to see what can be done. Let us see what can be done now. Find out what power and intelligence there is that can be brought into the Conference. Let all unite in taking hold of the work intelligently. This is what is needed. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 12
Every institution should have a voice in the working of the cause in which they have an interest. God wants us to come to the place where we shall work, where the whole burden will not be laid on two or three men. Brother Irwin will soon be where he cannot work at all, unless a change is made. He needs support. He has been in the work of wrestling so long that he must have a change, or else he will break down. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 13
We need men who will stand as true to principle as the needle to the pole. God will test the men who are given responsibilities in His work, and unless they show that they have a true idea of what Christlike principles are, He will remove them and put others in their place. God wants us to know what it means to work on the principles of heaven. He wants those in the office to know what it means for every one to stand in his lot and place, obeying the words, “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” [2 Peter 1:5-7.] Brethren, let us hang these words in the chambers of the mind. If we live on the plan here outlined, we shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 14
God is in earnest with us. He has seen the close dealing, and it is contemptible in his sight. It leaves men where, if they do not change, they will never see the kingdom of God. They are as destitute of the nobility, the generosity, the tenderness, the compassion, the love of Christ as the hills of Gilboa were destitute of dew and rain. They cannot be aroused to see their condition. Enough has been said, but it does not lead them to reform. The message from heaven is professedly accepted, but no change is made. This is what frightens me. I see that unless these is more tenderness, more compassion, more of the love of God, the blessing of heaven will be withdrawn. John knew what he was talking about when he said, “Thou hast left thy first love.” “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” [Revelation 2:4, 5.] We need to study what John has written about the love of God. This love has not been cultivated, and when it is not cultivated, the opposite attribute is developed. The love of God has not been manifested in our publishing houses. Those who have practiced sharp dealings, thinking thus to gain something, will lose tenfold, and unless they change, their light will be removed. They fail to realize that it is for the interests of the institution with which they are connected to act nobly every tie, to come up to the help of the Lord. God will never acquit us till His principles are followed in our institutions. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 15
God means what He says. He calls for a change. The same things are being repeated, the same ideas followed, the same committees appointed. In a small section a king reigns, and all others are secondary, when there are other men who are better able to do the work, because they have not been working on narrow plans. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 16
I feel intensely over this matter. I do not want to talk in this way. If you will melt under the tenderness of God, breaking your hearts before Him, and placing yourselves where you will not mislead, you will see that He hates selfishness. When you bring selfishness into the management of His cause, it makes the crime one hundredfold greater. It makes God ashamed of you. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 17
You are to be representatives of Jesus Christ, representatives of His character. You are to show that you are carrying out the living principles of heaven in every line of action. God will not accept your common fire. He wants you to use the sacred fire which He has kindled on the divine altar. It is His desire that this fire shall consume all commonness, all selfishness, all cheapness. These things must be taken away from the men who are helping to prepare a people to stand in the last great conflict, which is just upon us. Self must be hid in Christ. When this is done, Christ will appear. Christ will be seen as the great Worker. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 18
God desires that the committees which have been handling the same things for so long be relieved of their command. They should have a chance for life, to see if they cannot get out of the rut into which they have fallen. I have no hope that they will do this without a thorough change, because the Spirit of God has been working with them, yet the wrong is still there. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 19
The Lord desires His Holy Spirit to come into this meeting. He declares that every vestige of sharpness in dealing must be removed. No sharpness is to be exercised toward His servants who are working for Him, bringing the tithe into the treasury that His cause may be sustained. God’s treasury is to be supplied by the tithe, which is to be regarded as a sacred fund. It is God’s, and it is to be liberally given, that the work may be sustained. Those in responsible places are to act in such a way that the people will have firm confidence in them. These men should not be afraid to open everything in the management of the work to the light of day. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 20
When the cause was younger, my husband used to counsel with men who had sound judgment. The work was much smaller than it is now, but he did not feel able to manage it alone. He chose his counsellors from among those bearing responsibility in all parts of the work. And after counselling together, these men would go back to their work feeling a still greater responsibility to carry the work forward in right lines, to uplift, to purify, to solidify, so that the cause of God might move forward in strength. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 21
We should be filled with joy and gladness to think that God has given us the privilege of being co-laborers with Him. We may have all the power which God pledged Himself to give us when we consecrated ourselves to Him. In heaven the pledge was made that all the facilities and riches of heaven would be imparted to every sincere, faithful worker, who feels his entire dependence upon God. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 22
When you leave God out of the question, and allow your hereditary and cultivated tendencies to come into your work, you are on very slippery ground. You are not making straight paths for your feet, but crooked paths. We cannot afford to do this. Our redemption cost too much. Christ laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, and stepped down from His high command, in order that He, divinity and humanity combined, might make Himself a steppingstone whereby man could reach heaven. This He did that men might stand on vantage round with God. His holiness imbues the life of every one who eats the bread of life and drinks the water of salvation. He who receives and practices the words of Christ has eternal life. This life is in him, because he is in Christ. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 23
How can the Lord bless those who manifest a spirit of “I don’t care,” a spirit which leads them to walk contrary to the light which the Lord has given them? But I do not ask you to take my words. Lay Sister White on one side. Do not quote my words again as long as you live till you can obey the Bible. When you make the Bible your food, your meat and your drink, when you make its principles the elements of your character, you will know better how to receive counsel from God. I exalt the precious Word before you today. Do not repeat what I have said, saying, “Sister White said this,” and, “Sister White said that.” Find out what the Lord God of Israel says, and then do what He commands. Christ said, “I must work the works of him that sent me.” [John 9:4.] 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 24
We are to follow the principles God has laid down in dealing with one another; for we are the purchase of the blood of Christ. Think of it!—the purchase of the blood of Christ! We cost His life. He was crucified for us, and yet those whom He desires to see standing next to heaven, giving unmistakable evidence that they are receiving the light of His glory, are walking in darkness. It is not emotion that we need, but a living faith in the living word of a living Saviour, a Saviour who proclaimed over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, “I am the resurrection and the life.” [John 11:25.] He wants us to live His principles. But there are those in positions of responsibility who do not appreciate these principles. They have been tested and tried. A change must be made. Let them have an opportunity to go out into the field and see what it means to wrestle for the cause as some of God’s servants have wrestled. Let them see what it means to build up the work, what it means to establish something out of nothing. Then they will understand that it is God’s desire that His servants shall be linked together, that every part of His work shall be connected with every other part, all being joined together by the golden links of heaven. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 25
There are to be no kings in our work, no man who will put out his hand and say, “No, you cannot go there. We will not support you if you go there.” “We!” What have they to do with the supporting? Is the means of support theirs? The money comes from the people, and God has instructed me to tell those who are working in destitute fields to go to the people and tell them their necessity. They are to draw from the people means to build up the work in the field where they are. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 26
There is a world to be warned. Are we to have committees which will bind about the work? As we look over the cities of America, where are the monuments for God? Where are the churches to glorify His name. I thank God for the medical missionary work. God will call for every soul who is educated to work in this line in connection with the gospel ministry. He has places for them. Let not one stone be placed in the way of those who are striving to teach our youth how to do this work. The Lord will show that He will work with those who will work. He says, “Ye are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 27
My heart ached when I was in California. There are there young men laboring among the churches, but where is the power to open new fields. Where are those who say, “We are not to stay with those who know the truth, but are to go to new fields”? There is a world to be saved, as far as men and women will yield to the claims of the truth. The seeds of truth must be sown. “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields,” Christ said; “for they are white already to harvest.” [John 4:35.] He wants us to see the condition of the field. And then are you to fold your hands and feel at ease, and travel from place to place visiting the churches? No; no! God help you by giving you the spirit of the message, that you may yearn after souls, and not let go till they are converted. This is the work God desires to see done, and till this spirit takes hold of every man and every Conference, the work cannot go forward in power. The Lord desires His people to adopt the light on health reform, leading out in paths of self-denial and self-sacrifice. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 28
Oh, how it has hurt me to have blocks thrown in my way in regard to this subject. Some have said, “Sister White eats cheese, and therefore we are at liberty to eat cheese.” I have tasted cheese once or twice, but that is a different thing from making it an article of diet. Once when at a camp-meeting I sat down at a table on which there was some cheese. I was quite sick at the time, and some of my brethren told me that they thought if I ate a little cheese, it might do me good. I ate a small piece, and from then it has been said that Sister White eats cheese. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 29
I have not had meat in my house for years. But do not give up the use of meat because Sister White does not eat it. I would not give a farthing for your health reform if that is what it is based upon. I want you to stand in your individual dignity before men and in your individual consecration before God, the whole being dedicated to him. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” [1 Corinthians 3:17.] 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 30
I want you to think of these things. Do not make any human beings your criterion. You have a body which is fearfully and wonderfully made. That body should be most carefully dealt with. The physical system must be kept in perfect order, that the brain power may be keen and strong. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 31
Any unnecessary burden placed on the stomach will becloud the brain. Come to a meeting like this, eat a hearty meal, take no exercise, and your ideas are good for nothing. You are sleepy. You do not really understand the propositions to which you assent. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 32
Do not refer to what Sister White has said. I do not ask you to do this. God has told me that my testimony must be borne to this Conference, and that I must not try to make men believe it. My work is to leave the truth with minds, and those who appreciate the light from heaven will accept the truth. God wants you to make straight paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 33
The Lord desires that with the Conference shall be connected the ability He has given Dr. Kellogg. He wants His people to make the most of the ability He was bestowed on His servants. He does not wish the medical missionary work to be separated from the gospel work, nor the gospel work separated from the medical missionary work. These are to blend. The medical missionary work is to be regarded as the pioneer work. It is the be the means of breaking down prejudice. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 34
God wants every one of you to stand shoulder to shoulder with Dr. Kellogg, who has become desperate and has nearly lost his life because of the positions taken by some. Many have thrown stones before the car to hinder its advance, when they should have realized that God wants the medical missionary work to go forward. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 35
Before I came to this Conference, I was in doubt as to where to stay during the meeting. Dr. Kellogg has courteously invited me to make his house my home. But the question arose, “It will be said that Dr. Kellogg has influenced me.” But I thought, Let people say this if they wish to. They have said it before, when there was no more reason for it than there is now. Still, as I wished to remove every possible excuse for talk, I decided not to go to the doctor’s. On Friday evening, at our season of worship, I was asking the Lord to direct me where to stay. I had been sick, and was still sick. I did not wish to attend the Conference at all, because I knew that the exertion would be a terrible strain on me. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 36
As I was praying, a soft light filled the room, bringing with it a fragrance as of beautiful flowers. Then a voice seemed to say, “Accept the invitation of my servant, John Kellogg, to make his house your home. I have appointed him as My physician, and you can be an encouragement to him.” This is why I am staying at Dr. Kellogg’s house. I wish in every possible way to treat Dr. Kellogg as God’s appointed physician. This I am going to do. And I want my brethren to put all “They say” far away from them. Inquire, What saith the Lord? Go to Him for help Depend not on the opinions of human beings; for they are liable to err. Go to the Lord God of Israel. He will give you understanding and knowledge. You are not to lean on any human being. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 37
At our season of prayer that evening the whole family was broken down. Though they knew nothing of what I had seen, yet they realized that the Spirit of the Lord was among us. The blessing of God flowed through the room like a tidal wave. The Spirit took hold upon us, and Brother and Sister Druillard wept and praised the Lord. We did indeed have an outpouring of the Spirit. Such things are more precious to me than gold or silver. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 38
I want to say to you, For Christ’s sake, unify. We cannot reform ourselves by putting our fingers on the wrongs of some one else. Christ says that we must love one another, that we must deal honestly, justly, truly with one another. He says, “I hate your false weights and measures.” He knows every one of us, and He wants us to come into close connection with Him. He told Cornelius where to find Peter. He knew just where Peter was to be found. The angel of the Lord could have given Cornelius the message, but this is not God’s way. He wished to bring about a connection between Peter and Cornelius. The light He had given Peter was to be given to Cornelius. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 39
My brethren, let the Lord God of Israel in among us. Give Him room. Instead of manifesting hatred, manifest the love of God. God help us to take a right position. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 40
I believe that God is here today. If I did not believe this, I would not want to say what I have said. I believe He can send what I have said home to your hearts. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 41
There is a work to be done, not by standing aloof from one another, but by working on God’s principles. The Lord wants you to stand in His strength. He wants you to open the windows of the soul heavenward and close them earthward. He wants to reveal His salvation. He wants the medical missionary work and the gospel to be inseparably bound together. His work is to be a united whole. God wants the talents that He has given Dr. Kellogg. He wants the talents that are in our institutions to be connected with the management of His power. He does not want two or three men to sit as kings, controlling the work. Committees are to be formed which will have an interest in every part of the work. Then the work will be managed on a higher grade than it has yet been managed. medical missionary work opens the way for the gospel. I wish to say that God has not blessed as He would have blessed had there been an appreciation of the work he is carrying on. I thank God that Dr. Kellogg has not sunk into despair and infidelity, as I was afraid that he would. Dr. Kellogg, it may be that I have written to you too strongly, but I felt that I must get hold of you, and hold you with all the power I had. I appreciate the work that is being carried on in medical missionary lines. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 42
How any one can see this work, and not realize that God is working, is a mystery to me. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 43
It is God’s design that Dr. Kellogg shall stand in his place to give character to the work by reaching the higher classes. God’s people ought to feel honored that He has given them instrumentalities whereby the higher classes may be reached. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 44
I wish to say that I want to take hold of the medical missionary work to the utmost of my ability. We have done the best we could in this line of work in Australia. I thank the Lord that His blessing has accompanied our work. Christ’s ministers must stand in an altogether different position. They must be evangelists, they must be medical missionaries. They must take hold of the work intelligently. But it is of no use for them to think that they can do this while they drop the work which God has said should be connected with the gospel. If they drop out the medical missionary work, they need not think that they can carry forward their work successfully, for they have only half the necessary facilities. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 45
The Lord loves us yet. Let us praise Him for that. Let us take hold of the work in a new way, with heart and mind and strength. Do not any longer pick flaws in your brethren. I see enough vultures watching for dead bodies. Let us have nothing of this nature in our work. Let there be no picking flaws. Attend to yourself, and you will have all you can do. When you purify your souls by obeying the truth, you will have something to impart. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 46
May God help you all and help me. I want help and strength and power. But do not quote Sister White till you stand on vantage ground, where you know what you are doing. Take the Word of God. It is full of meat and drink. Study the Bible, and you will know more of God than you do now. You will have something fresh to impart to others. You will not go over the same ground again and again. You will realize that there is a world to save. I ask you to put on the whole armor, and be sure that your feet are shoed with the preparation of the gospel of peace. 16LtMs, Ms 43b, 1901, par. 47