Your letter is received, and I would be glad to satisfy your mind on every point, but that is not in my power. While I can speak to you in words of warning, you may ask many questions that it is not my duty or in my power to answer. I can tell you and all our teachers of faith and doctrine, Stick to the Word. “Preach the Word; be instant in season and out of season: reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” [2 Timothy 4:2.] But never, never make a place for A. T. Jones. Guard this point jealously. Do not even once take any advantage to employ ridicule or to bring against any person or any position a railing accusation. It is plainly revealed in the Word that this is not God’s plan.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 1

Always teach present truth as it [is] in Jesus. If you have a true sense of the sacredness of the work, you will be much with God in prayer. It is God only who can bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Walk steadily, make strait paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way. Many are so weak in faith and experience that they will look to A. T. Jones, and what you say and do, they will say and do, for they will not look beyond you to Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 2

At every step that we advance, if our advance is one of safety, we must lean wholly upon a power out of and above ourselves. The Lord is infinite. He has all resources at His command, and if we trust in Him implicitly, and not in our own capabilities, we shall walk softly and reverently before Him, and have less and less confidence in human capabilities. Nothing of the natural, the human, must take the place of the Holy Spirit of God. No man, however much he may desire it, can use the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is to use us. Self must be placed at the disposal of the Spirit of God. This must be recognized as the working agent, to mold the man, and to teach him all things.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 3

Always, at all times and in all places, teach the Word. Nothing else can take its place. This is truth against error. The dying charge of Paul to Timothy needs to be often repeated. In the sacred Word there is power that is enduring. Paul in his letter to the Romans says, “Your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf; But yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.” See Romans 16:20, 25-27.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 4

Faith, living faith, should be freely exercised; feeling should not be a criterion for any human being. In preaching the Word, the teacher should feel no anxiety to create feeling; the Word will do that, for the Holy Spirit is ever present to impress the heart, healthfully. There is a class who are not reliable, because they act from feeling instead of looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. These souls need wisdom and guidance from God moment by moment. The Lord will be their helper if they will trust entirely in Him, whatever may be their feelings. They should learn to exercise self-control at all times and in all places. When persons yield to the control of feelings, even their natural affections will often mislead them. Let the children of God put their entire trust in Him, and rely upon His Word as their guide, whatever their feelings may be. The Word must enlighten the mind as to the true character of the emotions, for they are often changeable and very unreliable.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 5

As long as feeling in no way takes the lines of control and interferes with the healthful life of the human agent in religious experience, there is no danger. The emotions are not always misleading; but as soon as they take control of the soul, body, and spirit, they must be sensibly considered and restrained. Feelings are no guide; they are ever to be kept under the control of a firm, intelligent principle, in conformity to the divine will; the balance of the mind needs to be preserved.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 6

In these times of special interest the guardians of the flock of God should teach the people that the spiritual powers are in controversy; it is not human beings that are creating such intensity of feeling as now exists in the religious world. A power from Satan’s spiritual synagogue is infusing the religious elements of the world, arousing men to decided action to press the advantages Satan has gained by leading the religious world in determined warfare against those who make the Word of God their guide and the sole foundation of doctrine. Satan’s masterly efforts are now put forth to gather in every principle and every power that he can employ to controvert the binding claims of the law of Jehovah, especially the Fourth Commandment, that defines who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 7

The man of sin has thought to change times and laws but has he done it? This is the great issue. Rome and all the churches that have drunk of her cup of iniquity, in thinking to change times and laws have exalted themselves above God, and torn down God’s great memorial, the seventh-day Sabbath. The Sabbath was to stand representing God’s power in His creation of the world in six days and resting upon the seventh day. “Wherefore God blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it, because that in it he had rested from all his works which God created and made.” [Genesis 2:3.] The object of the masterly working of the great deceiver has been to supersede God. In his efforts to change times and laws, he has been working to maintain a power in opposition to God and above Him.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 8

Here is the great issue. Here are the two great powers confronting each other, the Prince of God, Jesus Christ, and the prince of darkness, Satan. Here comes the open conflict. There are but two classes in the world, and every human being will range under one of the two banners, the banner of the prince of darkness, or the banner of Jesus Christ.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 9

God will inspire His loyal and true children with His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the representative of God and will be the mighty working agent in our world to bind the loyal and true into bundles for the Lord’s garner. Satan is also with intense activity gathering together in bundles his tares from among the wheat.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 10

The teaching of every true ambassador for Christ is a most solemn, serious matter now. We are engaged in a warfare which will never close until the final decision is made for all eternity. Let every disciple of Jesus be reminded that we fight “not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” [Ephesians 6:12.] O, there are eternal interests involved in this conflict, and there must be no surface work, no cheap experience, to meet this issue. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. ... whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.” [2 Peter 2:9, 11.]9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 11

The Lord would have every human intelligence in His service withhold all severe accusations and railings. We are instructed to walk with wisdom toward them that are without. Leave with God the work of condemning and judging. Christ invites us, “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.” [Matthew 11:28, 29.] Every one who heeds this invitation will yoke up with Christ. We are to manifest at all times and in all places the meekness and lowliness of Christ. Then the Lord will stand by His messengers and will make them His mouthpieces, and he who is a mouthpiece for God will never put into the lips of human beings words which the Majesty of heaven would not utter when contending with the devil.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 12

Our only safety is in receiving divine inspiration from heaven. This alone can qualify finite men to be co-laborers with Christ. “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” [2 Peter 3:11-14.] O that as a people bearing a solemn message to the world, we might heed every word of instruction given us of God for this time!9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 13

My brother, I do not cease to remember you in my prayers. You were never standing in greater peril than at the present time. You are giving the last message of warning to our world, and Satan will weave his nets to entangle your feet if you are not praying and watching and relying every moment upon God to keep you and strengthen you to resist temptation. Your soul is in peril. Should I specify the particular temptations, Satan would shift his operations and prepare some temptation you are not expecting. Therefore watch, with much prayer watch your own spirit, and God will hold you up.9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 14

“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us.” And those apostates the apostle names antichrists are doing the work of Satan. “If they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” [1 John 2:18-21.]9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 15

My brother whom the Lord has honored by giving a message of truth for the world, in God alone can you maintain your integrity. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” [Jude 20-23.] While this hatred for the sin that spots and stains the soul is expressed, we are with one hand to lay hold of the sinner with the firm grasp of faith, while with the other we grasp the hand of Christ. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” [Verses 24, 25.]9LtMs, Lt 38, 1894, par. 16

Lt 37, 1894

Lt 39, 1894