I will call your attention for a few moments to the importance of studying the Word of God. The Bible should be our constant companion. It is our strength, and the strength of the third angel’s message; and when we become negligent in the study of the Word, we are losing that strength.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.1

We talk about the Holy Spirit; but the Holy Spirit is in the Word. So, when we get the Word, we get the Holy Spirit. When the Word seems to us the most precious, the Holy Spirit is speaking to us. It comes with the Word, it is in the Word, and the Word represents the Spirit. It is the Spirit’s voice.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.2

I will read a few expressions from “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, regarding the Word of God:—GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.3

“In the Scriptures thousands of gems of truth lie hidden from the surface-seeker. The mine of truth is never exhausted. The more you search the Scriptures with humble hearts, the greater will be your interest, and the more you will feel like exclaiming with Paul, ‘O, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!’ Every day you should learn something new from the Scriptures. Search them as for hid treasures, for they contain the words of eternal life. Pray for wisdom and understanding to comprehend these holy writings. If you would do this, you would find new glories in the Word of God; you would feel that you had received new and precious light on subjects connected with the truth, and the Scriptures would be constantly receiving a new value in your estimation.”—Page 266.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.4

Brethren, I believe this. It would be well for every one of us to believe it. We should take as our companion continually the Word of God.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.5

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I will now read another passage, found on page 533 of this same volume: “We must place a higher value than we have upon the Scriptures, for therein is the revealed will of God to men. It is not enough merely to assent to the truthfulness of God’s Word, but we must search the Scriptures, to learn what they contain. Do we receive the Bible as the ‘oracle of God’? It is as really a divine communication as though its words came to us in an audible voice. We do not know its preciousness, because we do not obey its instructions.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.6

According to this, the Word should be to us as precious as would be a personal interview with the God of heaven. Well, my friends, if we knew God was speaking to us from heaven every morning, we would be ready and eager to hear him. We would not let one morning pass without a study of the Word, if we knew it was God’s audible voice to us.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.7

I will read from page 703 another statement: “God intends that, even in this life, truth shall be ever unfolding to his people. There is only one way in which this knowledge can be obtained. We can attain to an understanding of God’s Word only through the illumination of that Spirit by which the Word was given.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.8

Further: “God desires man to exercise his reasoning powers.” Notice what follows: “The study of the Bible will strengthen and elevate the mind as no other study can do.” There is no study that will elevate the mind, that will purify the character, like the Word of God. It is the best mental as well as spiritual exercise for the human mind. We can trace this thought all through the spirit of prophecy,—the exaltation of God’s Word as revealed to us in the Scriptures.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.9

We do not always study the Bible as we should; but, my friends, the highest education that we can ever obtain in this world is to learn to believe the Bible,—not simply to take it as a theory, but to accept it as a message from God direct to us.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.10

Do you remember how Paul tells us to study the Bible?—To compare spiritual things with spiritual. When the Saviour went with the disciples who were on their way to Emmaus, and they were sorrowing over the death of the Saviour, what did he say to them?GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.11

Voices: “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.12

Where did he begin to explain to them about himself?GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.13

Voices: At Moses.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.14

How many prophets did he quote from?—All the prophets. And what else?—He began at Moses, and went through all the prophets and the Psalms. Then all the Bible has that truth; and he compared spiritual things with spiritual.GCB May 29, 1913, page 177.15

He traced the teaching of all the prophets on that topic, and compared them, that they might know of a surety that he was the Messiah.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.1

The early disciples were earnest students of the Word. The strength of their teaching was in the preaching of the Word. And they fulfilled their mission gloriously. In their generation, every creature under heaven heard the gospel. This is made plain in Colossians 1:23: “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.” How many people heard the gospel?—Every creature under heaven, in thirty years. The Bible says so; then it is so. Can we limit one expression God ever used? If God should talk to us from heaven direct, and say those words, would there be any question as to how we should take the words of Scripture? You may say there must have been some tribe or country somewhere that did not hear the Word of God. The Scripture tells us that every creature in all the world heard the Word of God. What does he call the Word of God?—The gospel. We should take every expression in the Bible as if God spoke it audibly; and he says that every creature, every man, woman, and child, heard the gospel.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.2

Now read verses 25-27; “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.3

If you get the Word, you get the gospel; and you get Christ in you. Now, if you knew positively that you could have Christ in you, the hope of glory, and have your judgment enlightened and sanctified by his Holy Spirit, would you not read your Bible every day?GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.4

Here is another thought: The Scriptures contain the creative power of God. Power is in the Word. The Bible contains not only that which leads to Christ and to forgiveness of sins, but it contains the power of making one a new creature in Christ. I could tell instances of infidels being converted by simply reading the Word of God. I never attempt to explain the Bible to such persons; I simply read it with them, and let the Word of God talk to them, and thus give the Holy Spirit a chance to convert them. I will tell of one instance in my experience. Does any one here know of Kalaka, in Basutoland? Yes, here is Brother A. T. Robinson. Kalaka was a man who had been educated by the French Evangelization Missionary Society to translate the Bible. I became acquainted with him in Kimberley. The missionaries there were much prejudiced against me when they learned I was a Seventh-day Adventist. I went around with Kalaka for six weeks in that part of the country, but we never discussed a question of present truth during that time. I simply read the Bible with him every morning. We read portions of the Bible containing our doctrines, such as the nature of man and the coming of Christ. I did not argue, but when I came to a passage in which the doctrine was prominent, I reread it. Then I watched his countenance to see what effect the Word of God had upon him. I could not get a single expression to tell me what he thought.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.5

Six weeks later, when we were coming back, we stopped by a brook. He said, “Here is water; what doth hinder me from being baptized?” I was as happy as you can imagine. I then had the first intimation that the Word of God had taken effect with him, and I answered him right back in the language of Philip, and he replied in the language of the eunuch. If there had been sufficient water to baptize him, I would have done so, and not said another word.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.6

Some time afterward this brother came over to Cape Colony and was baptized, and his son is now teaching in the mission. Power is in the Word, and you convey that power to the heart in proportion as you believe it. If you take it as a mere theory, and present it thus, the person to whom you present it will accept it as a mere theory; but if you believe it as the Word of God, God will do the converting.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.7

Let us read another text which shows the power of the Word: “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful.” Hebrews 4:12.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.8

Then the life of God is in the Word. There is tremendous power in sin; but God has more power than has the devil. There is all the power of the devil in sin, but it is paralyzed by the blood of Christ. Sin will live, and the devil will watch it, and when circumstances are favorable to his evil purposes, you will have to meet that sin face to face.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.9

There is nothing but the Word of God and the power of the Spirit that can paralyze the influence of sin. All Adam did was to take the forbidden fruit; it was not much, you know, just a little bit of a thing. But I want to tell you it has ruined this world. But the Word of God has power in it to paralyze sin. I am thankful that God has power to paralyze the devil.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.10

Let us again read from the fourth of Hebrews: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.11

Then the Word is quick and powerful,—living and powerful,—and is intelligent. There is intelligence in the Word. I have often thought of that expression which Paul uses, “dividing asunder of soul and spirit.” I have often thought of what Paul must have alluded to. He was a Pharisee of the highest order; and when he brought his offering for sin, fat was in it, and that fat represented sin. And so he separated all the fat from it. The Word divides asunder now, just as in the day of types and shadows the fat was separated from the flesh-meat.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.12

Next verse: “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.13

Do you notice how the pronoun changes? What is he speaking of first?—The Word. What does he say now?—Creature in his sight. The word “his” synchronizes with God. It is the same as God; the pronoun has changed from the Word to God. The creative power of God is in the Word. So there is sufficient power in it to paralyze sin.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.14

My brethren and sisters, if you knew the power there is in the Word, you who are tried and tempted every day, could get some promise in the Bible, and throw it back in the devil’s face every time he tempted you, and it would paralyze him. I know this because I have tried it. When I am tempted day after day, and night after night, I get some text of Scripture, and when the devil begins to tempt me, I quote it. This is what we are told to do by the spirit of prophecy. The Saviour did this. He told the devil, “It is written.” His defense was the Word of God.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.15

Now we read on, and notice if the pronoun is changed again: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.” What is your medium?—The Word, Christ and God.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.16

Read another verse. Take the first chapter of John, first verse. I want you to see that your shield in this shaking time is God’s Word. That Word is a shield and a buckler; and the weakest saint on earth, the most feeble person in this world that can quote a text of Scripture, and throw it back in the devil’s face, is more than a match for him. The reason so many people go through the world grumbling is that they do not hide behind the Word. If they would do this, the Lord would take care of them.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.17

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Then the Word becomes my safety, and my only safety. Now read the fourteenth verse: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” Christ was the Word clothed in humanity. You have God in the Word; you have Christ in the Word. Now another text (John 6:63): “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” God is in the Word; Christ is in the Word; and the Holy Spirit is in the Word.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.18

In “Early Writings” we read: “There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is ‘present truth’ that the flock needs now. I have seen the danger of the messengers running off from the important points of present truth, to dwell upon subjects that are not calculated to unite the flock and sanctify the soul. Satan will here take every possible advantage to injure the cause.GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.19

“But such subjects as the sanctuary, in connection with the 2300 days, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are perfectly calculated to explain the past advent movement and show what our present position is, establish the faith of the doubting, and give certainty to the glorious future. These, I have frequently seen, were the principal subjects on which the messengers should dwell..GCB May 29, 1913, page 178.20

I have no comment to make on this, other than that I think it is well for us to believe it. The principal subjects are those that point out our particular position at the present time in the history of this world. With this quotation let us link another passage, found in the latter portion of this book, on page 117, under the title, “The Third Angel’s Message:” “The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making his final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers, and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 179.1

Then where will the minds of the Lord’s people in the last days be pointed?—To the sanctuary. We read further: “Many who embraced the third message had not had an experience in the two former messages. Satan understood this, and his evil eye was upon them to overthrow them; but the third angel was pointing them to the most holy place, and those who had had an experience in the past messages were pointing them the way to the heavenly sanctuary. Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them, will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.”GCB May 29, 1913, page 179.2

One more text (Revelation 11:19): “The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” There was seen the temple, and, within, the ten commandments. Take the ten commandments out of the third angel’s message, and you take the heart out.GCB May 29, 1913, page 179.3

The three messages are not new truth; for they are in reality the everlasting gospel. Then, what makes us separate from the world?—It is a resetting of the truths of the everlasting gospel in a framework of truth. The Methodists, the Roman Catholics, and the Baptists have truth; every denomination has some truth, but the trouble is that often truth is set in a framework of error. But God places every truth in its proper setting. The truths of the Bible are everlasting. The truths connected with the last gospel message now being proclaimed seem new only because they have been taken from a framework of error, and placed in a new setting.GCB May 29, 1913, page 179.4

I want to say, brethren, in closing, that the Bible should be appreciated more and more by us, and we should hear in it the voice of God speaking to our souls; and you may know that that Word can deliver people, no matter what their condition or circumstances may be. That Word can heal the sick; that Word can do anything that God can do, because the power of God is in it.GCB May 29, 1913, page 179.5

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Conference Proceedings. TWENTY-SECOND MEETING