Brethren in Battle Creek
St. Helena, California
April 17, 1907
This letter is published in entirety in PC 77-80. +NoteOne or more typed copies of this document contain additional Ellen White handwritten interlineations which may be viewed at the main office of the Ellen G. White Estate.
To the brethren in Battle Creek:
I speak to the believers in Battle Creek: Cling to the Lord with mind and heart. Give heed to the warnings that the Lord has sent, and you will not be overcome by Satan’s delusions. You will have trials to meet; but if you will look to the Lord, He will be your strong tower, to which you may run and be safe. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 1
My heart aches when I consider the stubborn resistance on the part of some to the truth we have held for half a century. Night after night I cannot sleep. My soul is bowed down with heavy burdens when I consider that some of my old friends and some of my own relatives are refusing to walk in the light that God is sending by His Holy Spirit. O that the Searcher of hearts would arouse these souls to realize their true condition. I call to mind the trial that Christ was called to endure when He was rejected by the members of His own family. “Neither did His own brethren believe in Him”—this must have been one of the cruelest of His many trials. [John 7:5.] 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 2
May the Lord open the blind eyes, that the men who have withstood the counsels and warnings of God, and have acted as though it were a virtue to resist the instruction of the Holy Spirit, may discern their true condition. I have written to Frank Belden, and to Russell Hart, but my appeals have not moved them. They continue to reveal what manner of spirit has taken possession of them. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 3
In my dreams I seem to be pleading with the believers in Battle Creek. I am so burdened for these souls who seem determined to fight against the message sent, that I awake in the night pleading with God to open the blind eyes. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 4
I thank the Lord that there are many who can discern now, if not before, the spirit that has taken possession of those who resist the warnings of the Spirit of God. I am bidden to say to the believers in Battle Creek, Press together. Let no words be spoken to irritate or provoke. Stand firmly in the faith in which God has led us for the last fifty years. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 5
Time is passing into eternity. Many who ought to have keen perceptions are blinded by false theories and false influences. They are unready to meet the last great conflict, and they do not realize their unprepared condition. My prayer for them is: “O Thou Searcher of hearts, let Thy Word, which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, pierce to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. Bring these souls who are in so great peril because of their lack of discernment to realize that they must cope with satanic powers.” 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 6
Many are closing their hearts against the Holy Spirit of God. Many who once understood the workings of the Spirit of God, Christ does not own today. O that God would stir the hearts of those who have once walked in the light, but who now walk in darkness; who have once known what it meant to have the grace of God in their hearts, but who are now destitute of that grace. They have had the light of the Spirit of God, but in their blindness, they have quenched that light, and they are now under the condemnation of God. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 7
Who have a realization of the conditions of the unbelieving world? Who are preparing their hearts to receive the impressions of the Spirit of God? Those who receive the light, and walk in the light, will have increased light. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 8
In these last days God called for united efforts from His people. Never was there a time when there was greater need of the deep movings of the Spirit of God than now when we are called to contend with men imbued with the spirit of Satan. Those who have departed from the faith will make manifest that they were led away by seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and that these have taken possession of the soul. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 9
What an account must be rendered to God by those who are planting themselves on Satan’s side. I am praying that God will anoint their eyes with eyesalve, that they may see their peril and escape from their dangerous position as quickly as possible. When these poor souls realize that they have lost time, lost experience which should have made them wise unto salvation, they will understand that they have been working on the enemy’s side. Then they will ask themselves, What have I been teaching to others? What has been my testimony for truth and righteousness? How does my record stand in the books of heaven? 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 10
“Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to My words? saith the Lord. ... I have sent also unto you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I shall give you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor harkened unto Me. ... Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, and they have not answered. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 11
“And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before Me for ever.” [Jeremiah 35:12, 13, 15, 17-19.] 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 12
As a people we need to study this portion of sacred history; for these experiences are being brought into the lives of the people of God in these last days. A people who have had great light, and every evidence of truth, are turning away from the light and following their own impulses. The instruction God has given in the record of His people in early days is not regarded. The mistakes and sins of His early people are being repeated in His people today; the warnings and admonitions given in that day are not being heeded in this. Notwithstanding all the warnings that have been given, they see not their danger, but join the ranks of the enemy and fight on his side. They choose to entertain their own ideas and to follow the suggestions of their own minds. The Lord is greatly dishonored by their course, and He is removing His Spirit from them. “Shall I not judge them for these things,” saith the Lord, “unless they repent?” [See Jeremiah 5:9.] 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 13
In the thirty-sixth chapter of Jeremiah is recorded an act on the part of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, that our people would do well to study. “And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord, which He had spoken unto him, upon the roll of a book. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 14
“And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the Lord: therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people in the Lord’s house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities. It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this people. And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house. ... 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 15
“When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the Lord, then he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there. ... Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people. Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi ... unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them. And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 16
“Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, that they were afraid, both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king all these words. And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth? Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book. Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 17
“And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king. So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 18
“Now the king sat in the winter house in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. And it came to pass when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was upon the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments; neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.” [Verses 1-8, 11-25.] 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 19
Some in the experience of the past few years have virtually repeated the act of King Jehoiakim in burning the messages of the Spirit of God. But today as of old the messages of warning have been repeated. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 20
“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch spake at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned. And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast burned this roll saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast? Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost. And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they harkened not.” [Verses 27-31.] 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 21
The Lord has been trifled with by His people. The time that should have been devoted to repentance and reform has been spent in criticism and in following man-formed opinions and ideas. A terrible influence for evil is exerted when men turn from the right way to follow selfish devisings. Satan is playing the game of life for the souls of men, and he is gaining victory after victory. We can learn from a study of King Jehoiakim’s example what men will do when they pass the boundary line. We see it in the persecution and suffering that Christ endured at the hands of wicked men. We see it in the treatment that the Lord’s faithful servants in every age have received. 22LtMs, Lt 152, 1907, par. 22