Here I will give two testimonies, one of
them written March, 1867, addressed to all engaged in the work
at the Review office, the other addressed to the young who labor
in the office. I am sorry to say that all those warned have more
or less disregarded these testimonies and now have to confess
that they pursued a course contrary to that pointed out by the
testimonies. The first is as follows:
While in Rochester, New York, December
25, 1865, I was shown some things concerning those who are engaged
in the work at the office, also in regard to ministers whom God
has called to labor in word and doctrine. Neither of these should
engage in merchandise or traffic. They are called to a more sacred,
elevated work, and it would be impossible for them to
do justice to the work and still carry on
their traffic. Those engaged at the office should have no separate
interest. When they have given to the work that attention and
care which it demands, they have done all they are able to do,
and should not be further taxed. If trafficking which has no
connection with the work of God engages the mind and occupies
time, the work will not be done thoroughly and well. At the best,
those engaged in the work have no physical or mental energy to
spare. All are to a greater or less degree enfeebled. Such a
cause, such a sacred work, as that in which they are employed
should engage the powers of the mind; they should not labor mechanically,
but be sanctified to the work and act as though the cause was
a part of them, as though they had invested something in this
great and solemn work. Unless they thus take hold of this matter
with interest, their efforts will not be acceptable to God.
Satan is very artful, busy, and active.
His special power is brought to bear upon those who are now engaged
in the work of preaching or publishing the present truth. All
in connection with this work need to keep on the whole armor,
for they are the special marks for Satan to attack. I saw that
there is danger of becoming unguarded so that Satan will obtain
an entrance and imperceptibly divert the mind from the great
work. Those who fill responsible positions in the office are
in danger of getting above the work and losing humbleness of
mind and the simplicity which has hitherto characterized the
work.
Satan had a special object in striking
down one at the head of the work who had a thorough experience
in the rise and progress of present truth. He designed to get
him out of the way, that he himself might come in and imperceptibly
affect minds that were not experienced and thoroughly consecrated
to the work. God designed to raise my husband to health after
others had become acquainted with the burdens he had
borne and had felt some of the weariness attending
these burdens. At the same time they will never throw their whole
soul, all the energies of mind and body, into the work and venture
what he has ventured. It would never be their duty to do as he
has done, for they could not stand at their post should they
pass through a twentieth part of what he has endured.
Satan designs to obtain a foothold in that
office, and unless there is a united effort and thorough watchfulness,
he will accomplish his object. Some will get above the simplicity
of the work and will feel that they are sufficient when their
strength is perfect weakness. God will be glorified in this great
work. And unless they cherish deep and constant humility and
a firm trust in God, they will trust in self, indulge self-sufficiency,
and one or more will drink the bitter cup of affliction. As the
work increases, there is greater necessity for thorough trust
in God and dependence upon Him and a thorough interest in, and
devotion to, the work. Selfish interests should be laid aside.
There should be much prayer, much meditation, for this is highly
necessary for the success and prosperity of the work. A spirit
of traffic should not be allowed in anyone who is connected with
the office. If it is permitted, the work will be neglected and
marred. Common things will be placed too much upon a level with
sacred things.
There is great danger that some connected
with the work will labor merely for wages. They manifest no special
interest in the work, their heart is not in it, and they have
no special sense of its sacred, exalted character. There is also
special danger that those at the head of the work will become
lifted up, exalted, and that the work of God will thus be marred,
bearing the impress of the human instead of the divine. Satan
is wide awake and persevering, yet Jesus lives, and all who make
Him their righteousness, their defense, will be especially sustained.
I was shown that Brethren A, B, and C were
in danger of injuring their health by remaining a considerable
part of their time in heated rooms not sufficiently ventilated.
These brethren need more physical exercise. Their employment
is sedentary, and too much of the time they breathe heated, impure
air. Their lack of exercise causes a depressed circulation, and
they are in danger of injuring their health permanently by neglecting
to heed the laws of their being. If they violate these laws they
will at some future period just as surely suffer the penalty
in some form as my husband has suffered it. They will be sustained
no more than was he. No one of them is capable of enduring even
a small part of the physical and mental taxation which he endured.
These brethren take the work with the heaviest
battles fought, the sorest trials passed through, to establish
the cause in its present standing. And yet a great and solemn
work is before us, and it calls for devotedness from them and
also from Brother D, who is in danger of exaltation. God will
prove him and try him, and he must be girded about with truth
and have on the armor of righteousness, or he will fall by the
hand of the enemy. All these brethren need to adhere most strictly
and perseveringly to a healthful, spare diet, for all are in
danger of congested brains, and paralysis may fell one or more
or all of them, if they continue living carelessly or recklessly.
I saw that God had specially selected Brother
B to engage in a great and exalted work. He would have cares
and burdens, and yet all these could be so much more easily borne
with true devotion and consecration to the work. Brother B, you
need a deeper draft from salvation's fountain, a more thorough
draft from the fountain of sanctification. Your will has not
yet been fully submitted to the will of God. You move on because
you think you cannot do otherwise; but to walk in cheerful light
because you can see that Christ Jesus leads the way before you, you have failed to do. Standing in
the responsible place which you occupy, you have in all this
hurt your own soul and influenced others. If you walk contrary
to God, He will walk contrary to you. God wants to use you, but
you must die to self and sacrifice your pride. The Lord designs
to use you in His cause if you will follow His opening providence
and heartily and fully sanctify yourself and cleanse yourself
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God.
The following is the second testimony,
written in May, 1867, and addressed to the young who were laboring
in the office:
Dear Young Friends who are employed in
the office of publication at Battle Creek: A burden is resting
upon me in regard to you. I have been repeatedly shown that all
who are connected with the work of God in publishing the present
truth to be scattered to every part of the field should be Christians,
not only in name, but in deed and in truth. Their object should
not be merely to work for wages, but all engaged in this great
and solemn work should feel that their interest is in the work,
and that it is a part of them. Their motives and influence in
connecting themselves with this great and solemn work must bear
the test of the judgment. None should be allowed to become connected
with the office of publication who manifest selfishness and pride.
I was shown that lightness and folly, joking
and laughing, should not be indulged by the workers in the office.
Those engaged in the solemn work of preparing truth to go to
every part of the field should realize that their deportment
has its influence. If they are careless, jesting, joking, and
laughing while reading and preparing solemn truth for publication,
they show that their hearts are not in the work or sanctified
through the truth. They do not discern sacred things, but
handle truth that is to test character, truth
which is of heavenly origin, as a common tale, as a story, merely
to come before the mind and be readily effaced.
While in Rochester I saw that we had everything
to fear in regard to the office from a health standpoint; that
not one connected with it realized the necessity of thorough
ventilation. Their rooms were overheated, and the atmosphere
was poisoned by impurities resulting from exhalations from the
lungs, and other causes. It is impossible for their minds to
be in a healthy condition so as to be rightly impressed by the
pure and holy truths with which they have so much to do, unless
they place the proper value upon the pure, vitalizing air of
heaven.
I was shown that if those who are so closely
connected with revealed truth give no special evidence in their
lives that they are made better by the truth which is kept so
constantly before them, if their lives do not testify to the
fact that they are loving the truth and its sacred requirements
more and more fervently, they are growing harder, and will be
less and less affected by the truth and work of God, until they
find themselves destitute of the emotions of the Spirit of God,
dead to the heavenly impress of truth. Eternal things will not
be discerned by them, but will be placed upon a low level with
common things. This, I saw, had been the case with some connected
with the office, and all have been remiss in this respect to
a greater or lesser degree.
I saw that the work of present truth should
engage the interest of all. The publication of truth is God's
ordained plan as a means of warning, comforting, reproving, exhorting,
or convicting all to whose notice the silent, voiceless messengers
may be brought. Angels of God have a part to act in preparing
hearts to be sanctified by the truths published, that they may
be prepared for the solemn scenes before them. None in that office
are sufficient of themselves for the important work of discreetly
managing matters connected with the publication of the truth. Angels must be near them to guide, to
counsel, and to restrain, or the wisdom and folly of human agencies
will be apparent.
I saw that angels were frequently in the
office, in the folding room, and in the room where the type is
set. I was made to hear the laughing, the jesting, the idle,
foolish talking. Again, I saw the vanity, the pride and selfishness
exhibited. Angels looked sad and turned away grieved. The words
I had heard, the vanity, pride, and selfishness exhibited, caused
me to groan with anguish of spirit as angels left the room in
disgust. Said an angel: "The heavenly messengers came to
bless, that the truth carried by the voiceless preachers might
have a sanctifying, holy power to attend its mission; but those
engaged in this work were so distant from God, they possessed
so little of the divine, and were so conformed to the spirit
of the world, that the powers of darkness controlled them, and
they could not be made susceptible of divine impressions."
At the same time these youth were deceived and thought they were
rich and increased in goods and had need of nothing, and knew
not that they were poor and miserable, blind and naked. Those
who handle precious truth as they would sand know not how many
times their heartless indifference to eternal things, their vanity,
self-love, and pride, their laughing and senseless chatting,
have driven the messengers of heaven away from the office.
In deportment, words, and acts all in that
office should be reserved, modest, humble, and disinterested,
as was their Pattern, Jesus, the dear Saviour. They should seek
God and obtain righteousness. The office is not the place for
sport, for visiting, for idlers, for laughing or useless words.
All should feel that they are doing a work for their Master.
These truths which they read, which they act their part to prepare
to send out to the people, are invitations of mercy, are reproofs,
threatenings, warnings, or encouragements. These are doing their
work as a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death. If
rejected, the judgment must decide the matter.
The prayer of all in the office should be: "O God, make
these truths, which are of such vital importance, clear to the
comprehension of the humblest minds! May angels accompany these
silent preachers and bless their influence, that souls may be
saved by this humble means!"
The heart should go out in fervent prayer
while the hands are busy, and Satan will not find such ready
access, and the soul, instead of being lifted up unto vanity,
will be constantly refreshed, will be like a watered garden.
Angels will delight to be near such workers, for their presence
will be continually encouraged by them. A power will attend the
truths published. Divine rays of light from the heavenly sanctuary
will attend the precious truths sent forth, so that those who
read will be refreshed and strengthened, and souls that are opposed
to the truth will be convicted and compelled to say: These things
are so; they cannot be gainsaid.
All should feel that the office is a holy
place, as sacred as the house of God. But God has been dishonored
by the frivolity and lightness indulged by some connected with
the work. I saw that strangers from abroad often went away from
the office disappointed. They had associated it with everything
sacred; but when they saw the youth, or others connected with
the office, possessing but little gravity, careless in words
and acts, it caused them to doubt whether, after all, this is
really the work of God to prepare a people for translation to
heaven.
May God bless this to all concerned.