Unify
Berrien Springs, Mich.,
May 20, 1904.
Dear Brethren Daniells and Prescott,
Yesterday a very strong impression came upon me that now is our time to save Dr. Kellogg. We must now work with determined effort. We must not prescribe the precise steps which he must take, but we must lay hold of the man himself, and let him see that the spirit of God and the spirit of soul-saving are in us. Satan has worked to bind him up with himself, but shall we stand by and make no effort to pull him away from Satan? Shall we not in the name of the Lord call for Dr. Kellogg to come to this meeting, not that we may make accusations against him, but that we may help him and all of us draw with Christ.SpM 348.2
Not one of us is above temptation. There is a work that Dr. Kellogg is educated to perform as no other man in our ranks can perform; and if he will draw nigh to God, God will draw nigh to him. We are to draw with all our power, not making accusations, not prescribing what he must do, but letting him see that we are not willing that any should perish, but that every man should have that which Christ died to present to him—eternal life.SpM 348.3
Is it not worth the trial? Satan is drawing him, but last night I saw a hand reached out to clasp his hand, and the words were spoken: “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me. As he sees Me do, so must he do.”SpM 348.4
Here is a point! Leave the individuality of the man for God to work with at the present time. Every one needs to remember that Christ pardoned all transgression and all sin, because He came to seek and to save those who were lost!SpM 348.5
To all—for there were many looking on—He said: “Look not on this man, but look on Me. I gave my life to save him unto eternal life. He has dishonored Me. It is my name that must be honored as a sin-pardoning Saviour. I will open blind eyes.”SpM 348.6
“Take heed, every soul, take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come on you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all those that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, ‘Peace and safety’, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”SpM 349.1
Then the Saviour stretched out his hand, saying: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light and of the day. If ye be obedient to the knowledge ye have received from my word, then walk according to my word, ye are the children of the day. Ye are not of the night, nor of darkness, therefore ye are not to sleep as do others, but to watch and be sober. Walk as children of the day. You all need a more earnest hold upon heavenly things. All need the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. You have not already attained, neither are you now perfect. A work of purification should now be done in your souls, then your lives will demonstrate that you are pressing toward the mark of your high calling in Christ Jesus.SpM 349.2
“Every man needs to walk humbly with God. Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. By looking unto your Saviour, beholding with open face as in a glass the glory of the Lord, you will be changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. As I work with you and you abide in Me, you will reveal perfection of character, you will be made perfect in one. John Kellogg, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may see that of yourself you can do nothing. You can not possibly atone for your own sins. Through faith in Christ Jesus purify your soul from all dross, and reveal the righteousness of Christ, which is of God by faith. Christ has marked your desires when your spirit has striven with you.”SpM 349.3
Then John Kellogg exclaimed: “I am sinful, but He hath covered me with his own righteousness, and henceforth I will go in the strength of the Lord God. Henceforth, I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of Thine only.”SpM 349.4
Confessions were made, and the words were spoken by Christ: “Unless you walk in all humility of mind, Satan will obtain the victory.”SpM 349.5
Dr. Kellogg exclaimed: “He hath broken the bands of Satan; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness. I will go in the strength of the Lord God. I will make mention of Thy righteousness.”SpM 349.6
A hand was laid upon the hand of Dr. Kellogg and upon the hand of Willie Kellogg, and the Saviour said: “I have not been unmindful of your struggles, but ye would not come unto Me that ye might have life. Take my yoke upon you, and unite with your brethren, all of whom need to wear my yoke. Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Ye were sometimes in darkness because ye did not wear my yoke. If you will wear my yoke, and learn of me, you will henceforth reveal my meekness and lowliness. You were sometimes darkness, but henceforth you are to be the children of light. If you will keep hold of my strength, you will all be light in the Lord. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, reprove them. All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light.”SpM 349.7
Christ took the hands of both John Kellogg and Willie Kellogg, and said: “Awake to your responsibilities, but take on yourselves fewer burdens than you have in the past. Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you spiritual light. See that you both walk unitedly. I will be your sufficiency. Do you walk in your own strength, but with the sense that I am your helper. See, then, that ye walk circumspectly.”SpM 350.1
Then his hand was laid upon the hands of Elders Daniells and Prescott and W. C. White, and these words were spoken: “Let the words of the Lord dwell in you richly in all wisdom. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds of the enemy, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”SpM 350.2
Then he turned to the gospel medical missionaries, and said: “Ye strike too low. There is a broader work for you to do. Leave the smaller work for those who need the experience, but teach them all to be ever reaching a higher standard. Keep your souls in the love of God. Broaden your work. Teach those who know not the truth. The cities are to be worked. All the work to be done, God will open before those who are striving to save souls perishing in their sins. There are various lines of work: but unite, unite, unite, in perfect harmony. This is your safety and your wisdom and your strength.”SpM 350.3
Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a new heart of flesh, Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, the new man which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness. Thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name. The Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. He shall sit as a refiner and purifier and silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is.SpM 350.4
“Unify. Your unbelief and lack of unity have been a standing reproach to the people of God who have been given so much light. The pride of the human heart has dishonored the greatest work ever given to mortals. Unify, come into the sanctifying circle of truth. Draw together; walk humbly with God’ and be subject one to another according to the light of the Word. Let no man seek to be the greatest. This has been an offense to God. Press together and heed every word that will create oneness. Avoid all fault finding and dissension, perplexing matters will adjust themselves if each one will walk circumspectly.SpM 351.1
“As you seek to reach the highest standard, I will turn my hands upon thee and will purge away thy dross, and take away thy sin. I will melt and try them. Put off concerning the former conversation of the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. You are to be one. Strive no longer to be first. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Read the first twelve verses of the second chapter of First Peter. God gave these words through his servant. Let all help their brethren to be one as Christ is one with the Father.SpM 351.2
I can write no more now. I am bidden to present this to my brethren, for them to carry to others, who are not at this meeting. Work with all diligence in harmony with Christ. We have not a moment to spend in contention. Every soul is to be hidden with Christ in God. There is to be a time of trouble such as there has not been since there was a nation. Those who have any realization of this will not regard it as a virtue to make little differences a hindrance to their own spirituality and to the advancement of the work of God. Let the Lord's entrusted means be put in operation that new fields may be opened. Let lines of work be set in operation to warn the cities and villages as fast as possible; for the time will soon be upon us when the enemy will imbue all wicked men with his devising. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and he will show them his covenant. God calls upon his people to assist with their means, that in the places which he has specified should be worked, there may be wise men to carry the work forward.SpM 351.3
Ellen G. White.
We may find valuable instruction in the words of Christ: “If thou bring thy gifts to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”SpM 352.1
In moving the College from Battle Creek and establishing it in Berrien Springs, Brethren Magan and Sutherland have acted in harmony with the light that God gave. They have worked under great difficulties. Upon the school there was a heavy burden of debt that they had not created. They labored and toiled and sacrificed in their endeavor to carry out right lines of education. And God has been with them. He has approved of their efforts.SpM 352.2
But who has appreciated the work that has been done in this place? Many have taken an attitude of opposition, and have spoken words that have caused sadness, and have made it hard to carry forward the work. Wicked prejudice and false accusations have been met. With some there has been a settled disposition to complain and to find fault with those who have striven with all their might to carry out the Lord's instruction.SpM 352.3
Sister Magan worked with her husband, struggling with him, and praying that he might be sustained. She did not think of herself but of him. And God did sustain them, as they walked in the light. From her small store of money, Sister Magan gave five hundred dollars, to erect the Memorial Hall. She strove untiringly to maintain a perfect home government, teaching and educating her children in the fear of God. Twice she had to nurse her husband through an attack of fever.SpM 352.4
But it seemed to her as if some of our brethren had not a heart of flesh. After the General Conference in Oakland, a report was circulated that Sister White has turned against Brother Magan. There was not a word of truth in this statement. But his poor wife, who had toiled and sacrificed and prayed with him, was informed that Sister White had taken a stand against her husband. O, why did ever anyone say such a thing? Sister White never turned against Brother Magan or against Brother Sutherland. But Sister Magan was so weighted down with sorrow that she lost her reason.SpM 352.5
I ask, Who in the day of judgment will be held responsible for putting out the light of that mind that should be shining today? Who will be accountable in the day of God for the work that caused the distress which brought on this sickness? She suffered for months, and the husband suffered with her. And now the poor woman has gone, leaving two motherless children. All this, because of the work done by unsanctified tongues.SpM 352.6
Her husband has the comfort of the promise, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” Sister Magan was a Christian. She was one of Christ's followers, and He loved her. Her works do follow her.SpM 352.7
You see the work that has been established here. You see that advancement has been made, and that the education has been carried forward in right lines, under very discouraging circumstances. This work of opposition and dissatisfaction has come from the enemy. It has cost the life of a wife and mother. But it has not taken away her crown of eternal life, nor hindered her from receiving the commendation,, “Well done, good and faithful servant.... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”SpM 353.1
I would say to Brethren Magan and Sutherland, God has looked with pleasure upon you as you have struggle through the difficulties you have had to meet here. Now the work has reached a point where you can go to labor elsewhere. You have written to me that you had a burden to work in the Southern field. There is plenty of room for you there. They are in need of more workers. They need school-teachers, they need managers. We have been looking and praying for men to take up the work there, and we are glad that God has opened the way for you to work in that field.SpM 353.2
And to the brethren I can say, Brother Sutherland and Brother Magan do not go out from this place as men who have made a failure, but as men who have made a success. They have taught the students from the Bible, according to the light given through the Testimonies. The students that have been with them need not be ashamed of the education they have received.SpM 353.3
To the students I would say, You are to let your teachers go willingly. They have had a hard battle here, but they have made a success, and as they leave, the Lord will go with them. His arms will be beneath them. If they will follow on to know the Lord, they shall know that His going forth is prepared as the morning. Let the teachers and students who remain take hold of the work in the name of the Lord. Do not be discouraged or depressed.SpM 353.4
The burdens here have rested heavily upon Brother Magan. He has not yet fully recovered from the effect of the first long attack of fever. He should be allowed to rest for at least one year, that he may have opportunity to regain his strength.SpM 353.5
Brethren and sisters, has there not been among us enough of this work of criticising and accusing? Think you that you can carry this spirit with you to the heavenly courts? You might far better have been asking the Lord to bless these men. You might far better have been doing the work of the Lord, than trying to discourage those who were endeavoring to carry out the educational principles that God has presented before them. Now let there be a thorough examination of your past lives. And wherever you see that you have in any way taken advantage of one of your brethren, repent of it, and make it right.SpM 353.6
I speak the truth as God has presented it to me. Sister Magan died as a martyr, right among her own brethren. My brethren, this work of hurting one another does not pay. May God help you to cleanse your hearts from this evil thing. Ask pardon of God, and ask pardon of those whom you have wronged. Soon it will be too late for wrongs to be made right, and while we have a little opportunity granted us, let us, O let us right every wrong.SpM 353.7
Everyone is to be judged in the courts of heaven according to the deeds that are done in the body. And this work of oppressing souls, of making the work doubly hard for those who are willing to make any sacrifice to advance the cause of God, will make a very poor showing in the books of heaven. Shall we not cease this work? We need sanctified tongues, and we need our lips touched by a live coal from the altar. Our voices should give forth melody. When you speak to those who are in discouragement, let them know that they have your sympathy. How much better to speak kind and tender and loving words than words that will bruise and wound the soul. Will you remember that these souls are the purchase of the blood of Christ? He says, “As ye do these things unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye do them unto me. They are Christ's property, and we want to lift them up, that they may be in health, in courage, in faith, in hope.SpM 354.1
Let us seek the Lord. Let us make a covenant with Him by sacrifice. God longs to meet us here. He does not want us to go away as we are now. He wants every soul to melt into tenderness before Him, that He may bestow His rich blessing upon us. Will not you, who have been accusing your brethren, come off Satan's ground? It will not blister your tongue to speak words of tenderness and kindness. It will do you good. It will encourage in you the spirit that should dwell in you. Gather with Christ, but do not, by word or action, discourage those who are putting to the strain every nerve and muscle to carry out the work that God has directed to be done.SpM 354.2
Let us humble ourselves before God, lest He shall punish us for our course of action in these things. We want to walk humbly with God, and let the spirit of kindness reign in our lives. Let affection, and love be cultivated. Let the sweet spirit of Christ come in and abide with us. When you sit together with Christ in heavenly places, let me tell you, you will reveal in your countenances the very light of heaven.SpM 354.3
If Brethren Sutherland and Magan shall leave Berrien Springs—and [I] believe it is their duty to go,—I beg of you, for Christ's sake not to follow them with criticism and faultfinding. And take right hold to help and strengthen whoever comes in here to take their place.SpM 354.4
Several times, even before they took up their work at Berrien Springs, Brethren Magan and Sutherland expressed to me their burden for the work in the South. Their hearts are there. Do not blame them for going. Do not put any impediments in their way. Let them go, and may God go with them, and may His blessing attend them. They will take with them from this place many pleasant memories of seasons of peace and joy. There have been [times] of sorrow, but they do not go because of this. They think that they can better glorify God by going to a more needy field. This is their own choice; I have not persuaded them. They did not know but what Sister White would stand in their way. When they laid the matter before me this morning, I told them that I would not hinder them for one moment. Any one who takes up work in the South has before him a hard battle. The work there should be far in advance of what it is now. We should encourage the men who go there, and hold them up by our faith, by our prayers, and with our means.SpM 354.5
In the South also, our brethren have had to work under a spirit of faultfinding and accusing. I say these things to you now, that you may realize that you are not called by God to say depressing things, or to manifest a spirit of coldness and indifference to those who go to carry burdens in the South. We hope that you will remember these words, and that the terrible history of the past may not be repeated.SpM 355.1
For over twenty years, the work of the Southern field has been held up before you, but you have not done for the work what should have been done. There is a large field there, and the burden of sustaining the laborers there belongs to the people of America.SpM 355.2
If any of the students and workers here desire to go with Brother Sutherland and Brother Magan, let them go and help them to carry the light to those who have never heard the truth, to a class of people that has been suffering with neglect and poverty. I know that Brother Haskell and Brother Butler will be glad to have the help of Brethren Magan and Sutherland, and will unite with them in the work of God. They will have a hard time of it at the best, but if God is with them, they may know that He will sustain them.SpM 355.3
Ellen G. White.
What we need to keep the bodily machinery in running order is the physical and mental taxation combined so that all parts will be taxed proportionately. You go and sit down and study, study, study. I have known it to lay many in the grave.SpM 355.4
Every portion of the living machinery is to act its part. That is why in Berrien Springs they came out here to clear the land, that the youth may have a fair understanding of what true education is, and we want all to help this work.SpM 355.5
To the school that shall be carried on at Berrien Springs, and to the students that shall be here, we want to say, Work diligently for yourselves and those around you. To the teachers, If you take hold of the mighty power of God you will realize his power. O, that we might have that faith that works by love and purifies the soul! Christ's arms are open to you.SpM 355.6
God has been in the work at Berrien Springs, and from the light given me the work has been such as God has approved. But some felt that they could not have it so. They wanted to find something to complain of. These men have struggled with all their might to come right up to the mark that God has given, but there have been accusing and discouragements from men who have come to them, but they are pressing it through, pressing it through. At the conference in Oakland this kept coming in. God sustained these men, and kept giving them light. They were walking in the light.SpM 356.1
You see what has been done here. You see what the students have done. You see what the education has been. The education is carried forward in the right lines, and all that dissatisfaction and irritation was of the devil, every particle of it.SpM 356.2
I will say to Brethren Sutherland and Magan if they are here, There is a field that is open before you. God has looked with pleasure upon the manner in which you have borne the irritation that has been kept up, and that you have had so much difficulty with. Now the work has come to a point where you can go and enter upon a work elsewhere. We have been looking and looking to see who could go into the Southern field, and now God will open the way so that you can go in there and have the sympathy and tenderness of the brethren and sisters.SpM 356.3
Brother Sutherland and Brother Magan do not go out from this work as those who have made a failure, but as men who have made a success. The students that go from this school they have not to be ashamed of at all. They have taken them right to the Bible and the light that God has given in the Testimonies.SpM 356.4
Students, you must be willing to let your teachers go. They have had a hard battle to fight, but they have had success attending their work. As they go, let me tell you the Lord will go with them. They can go where their work will be appreciated, but here the sore has been so great that they have little hope that it will be cured. When they have been managing to the best of their ability, and no words of encouragement have been spoken to them, they feel little hope that they can remain here. They feel now that others can come in and fill their places. They go as those who have made a success, and may God bless them as they go to a field where they will find rest to their souls.SpM 356.5
We hope that every one who is here today will remember not to repeat the history of the past. I know about it, and it has been a terrible history.SpM 356.6
I want to say to the teachers and students that shall labor in this school, Take hold of the work in the name of the Lord, and do not be discouraged with words that shall come in. Do not let anything depress you.SpM 356.7
If these brethren leave here, as I believe it is their duty to do, then I beg of you, for Christ's sake, not to follow them with criticism wherever they go. And whoever comes in here to take their places, lift them up and help them. There is a great work to be done here and in the South. These brethren feel that they can glorify God better by going South, I have not persuaded them. Their heart is there, Now, let them go, and do not blame them for going.SpM 356.8
God has a large field in the South, and it belongs to all America to sustain the workers there. God wants you to consider that the field has been before you for twenty years. He told you what to do and you have not done it. If these brethren can take some of their student workers with them, let them go and carry the light to those who have never heard the truth.SpM 357.1
I know that Brethren Haskell and Butler will unite with these brethren, and will be glad to have their help.SpM 357.2
Now, I am very thankful that a work has been done here in Berrien Springs, and it might be done a hundred places where there is one if there will be those who have the moral courage to take the Word of God and to practice it.SpM 357.3
The Lord was in this school's being established. The Lord helped these brethren as they progressed with their school, and as they were teaching the very principles that were taught in the schools of the prophets. Do you think in the schools of the prophets they went back to all those books that are brought into the school to give an education? Do you think they took the study books that were in the common schools? No, No! What were they taught? To have a knowledge of Jesus Christ. If they have a practical knowledge of Jesus Christ, let me tell you, they understand that they must be partakers of the divine nature in order to escape corruption that is in the world through lust, and come out of the cities. It is the very thing to do today. Get them out of the cities into the rural places, where they may be educated in agriculture and the various lines of business and trade. Do you suppose that when the times are growing worse and worse that you will all be left together here in one company? No, we shall be scattered. If those who are helping educate in this place shall give the right kind of education, these students will be qualified to go out into new places and begin with ABC work to educate others. As they commence, the Holy Spirit of God will stand by their side.SpM 357.4
The less you have of the powers of darkness in your education, the more you have of Christ, and you will have an education that you can carry to every part of the world.SpM 357.5
We want to say to the students here, You are just where the Lord wants you to be. You have been obtaining an education, and the Lord wants you to go on from grace to grace, from point to point, not to settle down here, but to obtain an education to go out, you know not where.SpM 357.6
We want these students to feel while they are here obtaining an education, that the eye of the Lord is upon them. If you will cooperate with the angels of God and be strictly temperate in your diet (and I have no reason to think that you are not), and be careful of the brain power, God will cooperate with you. Do not read novels. Put them right away. What we want is the Bible Truth. It is to be our foundation and our lesson book. We do not want any of the fallacies that come through the popular books that are brought into other schools.SpM 357.7
Now, it is of no use for the teacher to give you lesson after lesson and try to instruct you, unless you cooperate with that instruction. There will be those who have taught in the schools out of the books who will be right on hand to tell you that you are losing, that you should have a knowledge of this, that, and something else. Tell them we have not time. We are getting ready to be translated into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We want to know what we must do to inherit eternal life. That lies at the very foundation of all education, and the more you are instructed in the Word, and understand the Word, the sooner you are prepared to take right hold to use your education. You do not want your mind all rumpled up with the errors of the books used in the schools of today, but you do want an education that is free from all rubbish, that you can use. You want to learn that you may be able to teach others. That which you receive from Christ Jesus you must impart. You want to learn how to educate.SpM 358.1
Students, I want to tell you, I thank God that you have advanced as you have in your studies, that there are those today who, as these brethren shall leave the school, can accompany them and carry on their education right where they shall go. How carry it on? By using the very education they have to the very best account, and be going into the houses as evangelists, Bible workers. When teaching the Scriptures, you will find that there is a knowledge that comes to you which you never thought of. Words will come, ideas will come, sentiments will come. You can begin to work for the ignorant, those who need your help, and you have an Educator right by your side; that is, the precious Jesus. The angels of God will help you in education. You remember how it was with Daniel. You know all about how he gave God the glory. He gave him glory for the work that he had done for him. He and his three companions were taken away from their country, from their parents, from their educators, at a very young age. They were so kind, respectful, and polite in all their manners, that the one who had charge of them fell in love with them.SpM 358.2
I want you to understand that Christ said that you shall be brought before kings and rulers to answer for your faith. If it is so that you are to be brought in before kings and rulers you want a clear brain. You want to understand what is truth and practice it. We must prepare for what is coming upon us. We must have the truth [inwrought] in nerve, in brain, in soul, in body.SpM 358.3
Our perceptive facilities must be educated to learn what is truth and what is error, and we must plant our feet upon the platform of eternal truth. This is what God requires of us and of everyone. Respect and help your teachers, and do not worry them, but help them to help you. If you keep where they can see that their efforts are responded to, then they have courage and can help you, and you can all work together as members of Christ's family here below, and then you will become members of Christ's family above.SpM 358.4
May the blessing of God rest upon you all.SpM 358.5