Again and again the Lord has pointed out
the work which the church in Battle Creek and those all through
America are to do. They are to reach a much higher standard in
spiritual advancement than they have yet reached. They are to
awake out of sleep and go without
the camp, working for souls that are ready to perish.
The medical missionary workers are doing
the long-neglected work which God gave to the church in Battle
Creek --they are giving the last call to the supper which He
has prepared.
My brethren, why do you keep so many things
bound up in Battle Creek? Why do you not take the tract and missionary
work into other cities, where there is much missionary work to
be done?
The many interests centering in Battle
Creek should be divided and subdivided, and placed in other cities.
You who think you are wise men may say: "It will cost too
much. We can do the work here in Battle Creek at less expense."
Well, does not the Lord know all this? Is not He a God who understands
all the unbelieving reasoning that holds so many interests in
Battle Creek? He has revealed to you that centers should be made
in all the cities. This would call many out of Battle Creek to
work in other places.
In order to be carried forward aright,
the medical missionary work needs talent. It requires strong,
willing hands, and wise, discriminating management. But can this
be while those in responsible places--presidents of conferences
and ministers --bar the way?
The Lord says to the presidents of conferences
and to other influential brethren: "Remove the stumbling
blocks that have been placed before the people."
Our people in Battle Creek have not exercised
their talents in planning and devising how to plant the standard
of truth in regions where the message has not been proclaimed
and where decided efforts should be made; and the Lord has moved
upon Dr. Kellogg and his associates to do the work which belongs
to the church and which was offered to them, but which they did
not choose to accept. Some in Battle Creek, instead of taking up the work given them of God, have,
by following their own selfish way, blinded their spiritual eyesight
and the spiritual eyesight of others; and God has placed His
precious work in the hands of those who will take it up and carry
it forward.
God is in His holy place, and He dwells
also with him who is of a humble and contrite spirit, to revive
the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite
ones. Those who are doing medical missionary work should have
the full sanction and co-operation of the church. If they do
not have this they are hindered. Nevertheless, they will advance.
It is not in God's plan that there shall be two churches in Battle
Creek because of the want of co-operation. How much better it
is to seek for unity of action. If the medical missionary workers
will carry this line of effort into the churches everywhere,
if they will work in the fear of God, they will find many doors
opened before them, and angels will work with them
Please read the invitation to the supper,
and the last call to be made. Study what is being done to meet
the command of Jesus. I cannot understand why such indifference
is manifested, why you should stand afar off and criticize and
draw away. The gospel net is to be cast into the sea, and it
draws both good and bad. But because this is so, shall men and
women ignore the efforts made to save those who will believe
and who will unite in reaching that class of whom Christ spoke
in His rebuke to the Pharisees? Sinners and harlots, He said,
"go into the kingdom of God before you." Will you not
see that even in the church there are those who have no connection
with God? But Christ says: Let the tares and the wheat grow together
until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the
reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in
bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn."
When the Lord moves upon the churches,
bidding them do a certain work,
and they refuse to do that work; and when some, their human efforts
united with the divine, endeavor to reach to the very depths
of human woe and misery, God's blessing will rest richly upon
them. Even though but few accept the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, their work will not be in vain; for one soul is precious,
very precious, in the sight of God. Christ would have died for
one soul in order that that one might live through the eternal
ages.
Let us study the eighteenth chapter of
Matthew. This chapter should enlighten our eyes. "Take heed,"
Christ says: "that ye despise not one of these little ones;
for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold
the face of My Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man
is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have
an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not
leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and
seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find
it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than
of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not
the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these
little ones should perish." Matthew 18:10-14.
Many souls are being rescued, wrenched
from Satan's hand, by faithful workers. Someone must have a burden
of soul to find those who have been lost to Christ. The rescue
of one soul over whom Satan has triumphed causes joy among the
heavenly angels. There are those who have destroyed in themselves
the moral image of God. The gospel net must gather in these poor
outcasts. Angels of God will co-operate with those who are engaged
in this work, who make every effort to save perishing souls,
to give them opportunities which many have never had. There is
no other way of reaching them but in Christ's way. He ever worked
to relieve suffering and teach righteousness. Only thus can sinners
be raised from the depths of degradation.
The workers must labor in love, feeding, cleansing, and clothing those who need their help. In this way these outcasts are prepared to know that someone cares for their souls. The Lord has shown me that many of these poor outcasts from society will, through the ministration of human agencies, co-operate with divine power and seek to restore the moral image of God in others for whom Christ has paid the price of His own blood. They will be called the elect of God, precious, and will stand next to the throne of God.