Kellogg, J. H.
NP
April 5, 1903
Portions of this letter are published in 5Bio 292.
Dr. Kellogg,—
It has been presented to me that we are not to become represented to the world as a people forsaken of God. They will put the worst constructions upon our people now, if there is not the wisest management. We stand before the world, Dr. Kellogg, as you have misrepresented us as a people; and our leading brethren will not be clear until they have given the facts, that the work and cause of God have been greatly misrepresented by those who have placed the grand soul-testing message as nothingness, as without weight. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 1
The Lord inquires, Who has given you this work to do? Our brethren would have felt called upon to do something in this line had I spoken long ago the things I knew. I supposed you would rally yourself and make matters straight, but I have been instructed that we must correct this error and this false light in which you have placed us as a people before the people who know not the truth. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 2
There was one by your side working you. It was the one who was the prince of the power of the air, and you were represented as linked up with him—your arm in his, his mind molding your mind, and putting us, the remnant people of God, in a false light before Seventh-day Adventists and the world, while representing yourself in a false light as the great power of God. This stands against you in the books of heaven. “False, false,” said the heavenly messenger. You were weighed in the balance and found wanting. When any message and warning has been unheeded, your excuses have been framed by one who was by your side. The specious, scheming representations of God in nature carry their charming, soothing influence as a peace and safety pill to give to the people in the spiritualistic views that Satan has instituted in your theories. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 3
These words were spoken with great force, in a loud voice, “What is the chaff to the wheat?” [Jeremiah 23:28.] The churches need now the winnowing process, the cleansing of the soul temple from all these pleasant pictures Satan has been devising, ready to frame in the imagination. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 4
I am now to lift the note of warning and give the trumpet a certain sound. Wake up, brethren; wake up from your peace and safety attitude and seek the Lord while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is now nigh, in every church, with fasting, with confession and true repentance of heart. I am instructed to say that those who, “being often reproved,” hardeneth their hearts, “shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy,” meaning that there will be no chance for repentance, no chance to redeem the past. [Proverbs 29:1.] They are passed beyond the time, and the word is given, “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” Hosea 4:17. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 5
It is written, “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Matthew 21:13. This is applicable to many of the devisings and plannings under the suggestions of the power of him who is called the prince of the power of the air. As God sends warnings, and these warnings have had no influence, then the prince of the power of the air has some wonderful, successful thing to present in beautiful pictures and soft, smooth sayings—words that please the fancy of the human mind. Nought but the clear discernment of the Holy Spirit of God can perceive the genuine track of truth. Solid, eternal truth is our only safety now from specious errors dressed in the angelic robes of science. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 6
*****
April 7, 1903
St. Helena
I have many things to say. The track of error lies close beside the track of truth, and at first sight many feet will be led astray, supposing they are in the very exalted way cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in; but that deceptive track widens more and more until all kinds of makeshifts and delusive, beautiful things, professedly called the truth, enter upon it. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 7
The Lord presented before me one year ago that even in the medical missionary work Satan will weave in his specious devising, seeming to be very plausible and beautiful. The instruction given me was that this very thing has been taking place, and the warning was given: Ye shall be cast out, smitten and taken unawares, all ye that say, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we.” [Jeremiah 7:4.] All those fine angel garments that clothe the errors in splendid representations will I strip from them, and they shall appear in their true characters, for deception and apostasy will certainly be developed unless the people are warned. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 8
*****
April 28, 1903
St. Helena
I could not close my eyes to sleep until half-past one o’clock. Scene after scene passed before me in the night season, the 26th, and my sleep, although it was more than my usual hours, seemed to do me no good. I was talking to our people in Battle Creek and labored most earnestly in relating the positive dangers that would come upon us. I seemed to have no rest. I rode out, hoping the change would help me, but it did me no good. I was not able to sit up, for in the carriage I would fall asleep; but when night came there was no sleep for me until half-past one o’clock. The scenes I had passed through, the labor in prayer and in bearing my testimony, were so oppressively before me that I could not sleep. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 9
I was writing on some things through the day. Last night again I was in conference meeting with my brethren and laboring most earnestly. One said in our midst, You suppose you have gained great victories but you will certainly have severe conflicts, for you have an opposing force that you have taken great pains to establish in the confidence of the churches. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 10
Dr. Kellogg was making propositions to establish food factories in many places, and here again mistakes would be made. This matter, as a commercial business, will be carried in worldly policy lines. Our overworked men will be fastened in this business, drawn away from higher work—from teaching the truth and canvassing for the books that are to go forth to the world—by the offer of higher wages. This is Satan’s plan that will take men who have had a hard time to be bought and sold. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 11
The end of all things is at hand. The Lord is looking upon all these plans and says, Beware lest business matters shall entice men—who should now be working for the Master as evangelists and canvassers and ministers, or qualifying themselves as physicians or to fill responsible positions in our printing plants—and tempt them to neglect the work of presenting the truth for the last days. Ministers are needed to enter new places. Dr. Kellogg, your plans may change somewhat, but in some respects the same hay, wood, and stubble will be piled upon the foundation as have been for years; and the work Christ has ordained to be done will be left, through your temptations, for better commercial, business advantages to secure gain. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 12
Watchman, what of the night? Watch unto prayer. Men who are and have been doing a good work in their positions of trust will have obtained an experience to do a work for God’s name and glory. The Lord has sent messages to them to fit them up with a experience, but if they carry out the policy that will be brought in, the work of the Lord will be far behind what it should be in the year to come. Now let all our leading men, gospel ministers and medical missionaries, consider that the work of reformation does not consist in cooking and eating and drinking. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 13
Dr. Kellogg was addressed. The word spoken to him was that he must consider he had not been making straight paths for his feet, and any wonderful outspread in the line of restaurants and food stores, as he shall outline, must not be. He is not in the light. Snares and pitfalls will take many souls. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 14
Should the work be carried out because Dr. Kellogg places it in a favorable showing, where men have started food stores by the hardest effort to accomplish a standing, let them now understand that this may become altogether too absorbing, as some other enterprises have been. There is too much business and too little solid principle. This is not the great missionary work for this time, and the very work which would prove a benefit if rightly handled may become a real decoy, a curse, unless believers are wide awake and shall be most thoroughly baptized with the Holy Spirit. This is their only safeguard for these last days. 18LtMs, Lt 301, 1903, par. 15