A Final Service With the Church

The next day was busy with packing and preparations to leave for Copenhagen. Thursday evening, July 15, Ellen White spoke once more to the church, this time on Philippians 2:1-5, where Paul records the appropriate plea: “Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (verses 2-5).EGWE 205.5

Just to be sure the point was not missed, she included Psalm 15, as well. The psalm asks who will abide in the tabernacle of the Lord and the answer is: “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, ... nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour” (verse 3).EGWE 206.1

She closed with an appeal to the church members to put away the sins that had shut out the “sweet spirit of Christ from the church” (Manuscript 58, 1886).EGWE 206.2

“When the heart welcomes Jesus and He abides therein, then there will be love, tenderness, compassion, and all bitterness and evil speaking will be forever put away.”—Ibid.EGWE 206.3

When she asked those to stand who wanted to be on the Lord's side many responded. There were good testimonies, and then Elders Matteson and Olsen both offered fervent prayers. “We hope this advancement is but the beginning of a decided advance move on the part of every church member,” she wrote.EGWE 206.4

Elder Matteson reported concerning the work in Christiania:EGWE 206.5

“These meetings were abundantly blessed by the Lord: especially did the testimony of Sister White make a deep impression on the church, and we have good reason to believe that the church will try earnestly in the future to avoid the temptations and dangers which heretofore have weakened and injured them.”—The Review and Herald, August 17, 1886.EGWE 206.6