EGW Writings2 Peter 1

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Ms 178, 1903

18LtMs, Ms 178, 1903, par. 3

Psalms 15 and 16. Here we have defined the characters of that class who shall possess the character of Christ and represent that character in the world. In 2 Peter (chapter 1) we have plainly defined who shall be of that class who shall have the eternal-life insurance policy. Verse 10. Here is practical, spiritual work to be done by diligently obeying God’s commandments. The promises of God, taken hold of through faith in the One who stands back of the promise—Jesus Christ—will have an all-powerful influence in making men who have faith like God.

18LtMs, Ms 178, 1903, par. 5

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things,” living and working upon the plan of addition, “ye shall never fall” from Christ; “for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” “Yea I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.” [2 Peter 1] Verses 10, 11, 13.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 236, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 236, 1903, par. 3

The first chapter of Second Peter contains precious instruction to those who are trying to live the Christian’s life. It is of deep interest to all who have given themselves to God:

18LtMs, Lt 236, 1903, par. 4

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you,” the apostle writes, “through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verses 2-4.] “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” [1 John 5:4.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 144, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 144, 1903, par. 14

Let us study the promises and assurances found in the first chapter of second Peter. The apostle writes: “Simon Peter, a servant, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verse 1.]

18LtMs, Lt 144, 1903, par. 16

What is the endowment of every soul who is willing to be saved in God’s appointed way? “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” [2 Peter 1:2, 3.]

18LtMs, Lt 144, 1903, par. 18

What part is man to act?—“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” And we are not to stop here. “Besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity; for if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” [Verses 4-9.]

18LtMs, Lt 144, 1903, par. 21

Temptation must be met and resisted. Day by day the spiritual battle goes on. Day by day we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. It is God that works in us, to will and to do of His good pleasure. Every soul is to strive with “all diligence” to add constantly to his spiritual attainments, strengthening every grace, increasing in efficiency that he may grow in usefulness and holiness, as a fruit-bearing tree in the Lord’s garden. [Verse 5.] He is to be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. True religion leads to the cultivation of the gifts that make a man more precious in God’s sight than the gold of Ophir.

18LtMs, Lt 144, 1903, par. 22

“All diligence” means much. It means a daily diligence. There is danger that we shall be blind in regard to the working of satanic agencies, and that we shall be ensnared by Satan’s alluring temptations. Therefore the word comes to us, “Giving all diligence,” add to your character the graces that will make you strong to resist evil. [Verse 5.] “He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.” He does not realize his spiritual poverty. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verses 9-11.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 303, 1904

19LtMs, Lt 303, 1904, par. 14

The Lord will work for the glory of His name and the advancement of His cause. Then let every soul grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Read the first chapter of Second Peter. Live on the plan of addition.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Ms 106, 1904

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 1

We need to understand the meaning of the instruction given in the first chapter of Second Peter. “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ,” writes his second epistle “to them that have obtained like precious faith” with himself. In order that we may realize the importance of God’s claims upon us, we need constantly to cherish the faith that the early Christians cherished. This faith is obtained not through any righteousness of our own, but “through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verse 1.]

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 2

To those who have obtained the faith that filled the hearts of Christians in Peter’s time are written the words: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” [Verse 2.] In the light of this instruction, how important it is that we give strict attention to the formation of character! He who by faith daily lays hold firmly upon the Invisible One will reveal the character of Jesus. With lowliness of heart he will accept Christ’s invitation to the weary and the heavy laden. Instead of unloading his burdens upon his neighbor, with whose heart-sorrows and burdens he is unacquainted, he will seek rest by taking upon himself the yoke of Christ. Let us abide in Jesus. Then He alone—formed within, the hope of glory—will appear in our every word and deed.

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 3

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” [Verse 3.]

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 7

Peter writes of “the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” [2 Peter 1:2.] To know Jesus is to know that He is my personal Saviour; to know that He pities me—that upon His sympathizing heart He bears the wounds of my transgressions.

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 11

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [2 Peter 1:4.]

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 12

Little do we realize the prevalence of evil among those who claim to be Christians. We, as believers, are exhorted to cultivate the Christian graces. Immediately after holding before us the hope of escaping from the corruption that is in the world through lust, the apostle further declares: “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love).” [Verses 5-7.]

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 14

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” [Verses 8, 9.]

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 17

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” [2 Peter 1:10.]

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 19

“Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:10, 11.]

19LtMs, Ms 106, 1904, par. 22

“Wherefore,” says Peter, “I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.” [Verses 12, 13.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 337, 1904

19LtMs, Lt 337, 1904, par. 10

Our Lord and Saviour would have the mind thoroughly cultivated. Forbid no aspirations or enterprises that pure religion sanctions. Let not those who take the name of Christian forget that they are to honor this name. Let them obey the instruction given in the first chapter of Second Peter. Those who do this will be richly blessed.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 93, 1904

19LtMs, Lt 93, 1904, par. 7

I had an appointment to speak in the St. Helena church last Sabbath. When Sabbath came, the morning was foggy, and the sky became cloudy. We feared that it might rain, but I kept my appointment, and we had a very good meeting. I spoke with freedom from the first chapter of Second Peter, and those present were much interested. There were many young men and women and children in the congregation. I was glad that I went.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Ms 141, 1904

19LtMs, Ms 141, 1904, par. 18

We rode from Takoma to Washington. I had appointment to speak Sabbath morning at eleven o’clock. My subject was 2 Peter 1. I had freedom in speaking. This house is to be dedicated to God anew, since the property came into the possession of Seventh-day Adventists. Every dollar that was due has been paid. It is a model house for neatness. It is an honor to the Lord and represents our faith properly to all who look upon it. I thank the Lord with heart and soul and voice for this church where it now stands. It has a right presentation. Nothing is done for display, but the appearance is pleasant and all should recognize the wisdom in its purchase. It is for me a very easy house to speak in.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 53, 1904

19LtMs, Lt 53, 1904, par. 16

We are to put on the excellence of Christ, bringing into our work the purity and nobility of His character, ever striving with all perseverance to prepare for the kingdom of heaven. There could be no such thing as one not prepared for heaven entering heaven. There is no such thing as a human being sanctified and fitted for the heavenly kingdom not having an election to that kingdom. God elects those who have been working on the plan of addition. The explanation is given in the first chapter of Second Peter. For every human being, Christ has paid the election price. No one need be lost. All have been redeemed. To those who receive Christ as a personal Saviour will be given power to become the sons and daughters of God. An eternal life insurance policy has been provided for all.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 276, 1904

19LtMs, Lt 276, 1904, par. 13

The first chapter of Second Peter shows us how to live upon the plan of addition.

19LtMs, Lt 276, 1904, par. 14

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” [Verses 2-12.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 68, 1905

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 1

I know of nothing better to present to teachers and students than the instruction found in the first chapter of Second Peter.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 2

“Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verses 1-4.]

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 4

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.” [2 Peter 1:5.] Your faith is worthless without the virtue. Faith of the right kind brings virtue that is more valuable than gold, or silver, or precious stones.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 5

“And to virtue knowledge.” [Verse 5.] We have some knowledge of God, but not a hundredth part of what it is our privilege to have, because we do not walk in the light that day by day God is giving us.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 6

You are to work on the plan of addition, and as you do this, the promise will be fulfilled, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” [Verse 2.] As you live on the plan of addition, constantly adding to your fund of knowledge, and seeking to carry out the instruction you receive, you will gain strength to overcome temptation and will be enabled to stand on vantage ground. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh unto you. He will lift up for you a standard against the enemy.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 7

“And to knowledge temperance.” [Verse 6.] Each one must settle for himself the question of temperance. You are to put nothing into your lips that will overtax the digestive organs. This is necessary if you would have a clear mind. Those who eat improper food are hindering themselves from making the advance steps that Christ expects them to make. And let not those who are older in years tempt the youth to eat anything but plain, simple food. When a great variety of rich food is eaten, a disturbance is created in the stomach, the thoughts are disturbed, and the intellect dulled. It is to be our study to make our eating and drinking such that we will be able to offer to God the highest service.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 8

“And to temperance patience.” [Verse 6.] Temperance always leads to patience. Students, if you will take yourselves in hand, if you will practice temperance in all things, you will find wonderful help in Christ. You will watch well your words. Speech is a precious talent. You can speak fretfully, or you can speak pleasantly. Remember that it will not hurt your influence to speak pleasantly, but it will sweeten your influence. If provoking words are spoken to you, do not utter a word. The best rebuke you can give the one who has uttered the provoking word is to keep silent until you can speak in a calm, pleasant voice. Try to gain control over yourself. This will help you to stand on vantage ground. Constantly keep God and His promises before your mind. Brace your self to habits of self-control.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 9

“And to godliness brotherly kindness.” [Verse 7.] O how much we need to cultivate brotherly kindness.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 10

“And to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things in blind, and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” [Verses 7-9.] He cannot see the influence of his harsh, angry words and his unchristlike course of action.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 13

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, given diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” [Verse 10.] Our eternal life insurance policy is found right in these words, and we want you to study them carefully. “Ye shall never fall.” Ought we not then to work right to the point?

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 14

“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verse 11.] Will you not pledge yourselves to God to serve Him and Him alone? I do not ask you to pledge yourselves to one another. Pledge yourselves to God. Let Him be the one who will hear your promise that you will press steadily forward in the way to heaven. Holy angels will watch over you, and the golden oil, which the two olive branches empty through the two golden pipes, for the perfection of God’s people, will be imparted to you.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 17

“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in the tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decrease to have these things in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount.” [2 Peter 1:12-18.] Today the voice of heaven will come to souls who are striving for the victory over sin.

20LtMs, Ms 68, 1905, par. 18

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” [Verse 19.] God would have us take hold of the rich promises of His Word. Come to His feet, and plead with Him for power.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Lt 179c, 1905

20LtMs, Lt 179c, 1905, par. 13

All this is a great burden on my soul. The truth must go deeper and still deeper than it has yet gone, refining, purifying, and sanctifying the whole man. The truth is to be proclaimed with power. To all connected with the work in and near Nashville, I would say, Be careful how you move. God’s angels are ascending and descending the ladder, bearing communications from God to His people. Read and practice the first chapter of Second Peter. There is now to be earnest heart searching on the part of all the workers in the Southern field.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Lt 37, 1905

20LtMs, Lt 37, 1905, par. 3

Read the first chapter of Second Peter. This chapter is of great value to every church member. Every word should be stamped upon mind and heart. Read this chapter to the church. See if we cannot have a revival, not by accusing one another, but by praying for the Holy Spirit and by thinking of the suffering that Christ endured in order to secure pardon for sinners, however sinful they may be. He humiliated Himself in order that human beings might become partakers of the divine nature, having overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 176, 1905

20LtMs, Ms 176, 1905, par. 2

I was informed on Sabbath [August 19] there were about two thousand crowded under the very large tent in Los Angeles. I spoke to the people at four p.m. I felt deeply the necessity of the sustaining grace of God. Second Peter, first chapter, was my subject. The people listened with great attention.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 86, 1905

20LtMs, Ms 86, 1905, par. 17

By Him who suffered on the cross of Calvary the invitation is given, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] We are to live on the plan of addition, as presented in the first chapter of Second Peter. A study of this chapter will bring help and strength and blessing. As we follow on to know the Lord, we shall know that His goings forth are prepared as the morning. We shall be strengthened to meet the foe and to resist his insinuations. There is no eloquence more powerful than the eloquence of the meek, lowly life of the true Christian.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Lt 208, 1905

20LtMs, Lt 208, 1905, par. 26

The Lord calls upon you and your husband to communicate the truth. Your future well-being depends upon the course you follow. Sow the seeds of truth beside all waters. Advance in a knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You both need to be converted. Please read the first chapter of Second Peter. Remember that in order to gain the victory over evil, you must live on the plan of addition. Take a square, decided stand for the right. Watch unto prayer. Read every verse. I am instructed to call the attention of you both to this chapter. Brother and Sister Hare, neither of you has a correct religious experience, and the Lord has given me a message for you both. You need a genuine Christian experience. When the converting power of God comes upon you, you will both have much greater assurance and far more happiness. You need this experience in your home life. You need it in your work of training your children. Hold up the requirements of the Bible before your conscience, and seek the Lord for strength with which to obey them. Do not rest till you have obtained the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Unify in your service to God.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Lt 321, 1905

20LtMs, Lt 321, 1905, par. 13

We need to educate our minds to understand what Christ is to us, what contradiction of sinners He has endured for our redemption. Why did He come to this world? He might have kept His place in glory and left man to perish in his sins. But for our sakes He left the royal courts, laid aside His kingly crown, and clothed His divinity with humanity, that in human form He might meet and conquer the wily foe. By partaking of His divine nature men may escape the corruptions of sin. Christ in His life worked out the sum in addition that is found in the first chapter of Second Peter:

20LtMs, Lt 321, 1905, par. 14

“And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” [Verses 5-9.]

20LtMs, Lt 321, 1905, par. 19

Peter continues: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:10, 11.]

20LtMs, Lt 321, 1905, par. 21

“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” [Verse 12.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 116, 1905

20LtMs, Ms 116, 1905, par. 13

We hear men talk of principle, and God looks with contempt upon the principles of some who talk thus. A man must love God with all the heart, feeling under the most solemn obligations to give God his entire service. Men and women have the advantage of an open door into the heavenly courts if they will comply with the conditions laid down for securing the advantages spoken of in the first chapter of Second Peter. Read from the first verse to the close of the chapter, and learn how much is to be obtained if you secure your life insurance policy.

20LtMs, Ms 116, 1905, par. 14

“Simon Peter a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verse 1.] Without obedience to the righteous law, without following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, working out through His grace a character worthy to stand before the heavenly universe, we cannot have part in the reward offered.

20LtMs, Ms 116, 1905, par. 16

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verses 2-4.]

20LtMs, Ms 116, 1905, par. 22

“And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.” [2 Peter 1:5.] This comprehends much. It means, Do not talk or work lies, do not weave them into anything with which you have to do. Speak the truth at all times. “And to virtue knowledge.” [Verse 5.] Be not ignorant of Satan’s devices. You need to interpret his sophistries and his wonderful representations of God as being in the leaf, and in the tree, and in everything that grows. These soft words and fair speeches are designed to mislead. God through Christ created our world and all that is therein, but this did not destroy the identity of Christ. Knowledge from God is supreme, not foolish, but sound and explainable, according to the light given of God.

20LtMs, Ms 116, 1905, par. 23

“And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” [Verses 6, 7.] It is not that charity which covers a multitude of sins, unrepented of and unforgiven for lack of true repentance and confession. Those who flatter and deceive poor souls in their sins will themselves become sinners. Sinner added to sinner by a wrong course of action makes a company of unbelievers, who do great dishonor to God.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 3, 1906

21LtMs, Ms 3, 1906, par. 10

Last night I was standing before a congregation, calling their attention to the way to obtain the life insurance policy, by living upon the plan of addition. Read the first chapter of Second Peter. I now call upon all who desire to obtain the eternal life insurance policy no longer to listen to the words of ministers or doctors who have never studied the Word with the determined purpose of carrying out the principles of the teaching of Christ, but who have come to suppose that they can be a law unto themselves. If they continue to carry on the same process of character building that they have carried on in the past, they will at last find themselves outside the gates of the city of God with that company who supposed that they could take the city and hold it as their property, though they had no right to it. They are disqualified by disobedience for becoming loyal citizens of the kingdom of God.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 216, 1906

21LtMs, Lt 216, 1906, par. 11

The first chapter of Second Peter shows us how to live upon the plan of addition.

21LtMs, Lt 216, 1906, par. 12

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” [Verses 2-12.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 202, 1906

21LtMs, Lt 202, 1906, par. 2

“I thank the Lord that He has today given me strength to bear my testimony in the large tent, about a mile from the sanitarium. The seats were all occupied. There was good singing, accompanied by instrumental music. The music was excellent, the words were distinctly pronounced, and a good impression was made upon the listeners. I spoke for an hour from the first chapter of Second Peter. The Lord strengthened me, for which I praise His holy name.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 224a, 1906

21LtMs, Lt 224a, 1906, par. 8

I have much to speak of now in 1 and 2 Peter. These two epistles represent the two parties. Read and understand Revelation 3. Especially see the force of the first three verses in (Revelation 3), then trace down the whole chapter, a most tremendous testimony. Revelation 16:13-21; 18; 21; 22. These are things which will call our minds in these last days. Thus hath it been given from God in solemn warning. The lesson is before us, reminding us of the things which will be. These things Christ Himself made known to John while he was on the Isle of Patmos. They are the last events of this earth’s history, and if Satan can keep minds confused now, he gains a great victory.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 142, 1906

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 12

The very best thing that you can do in the world is to seek the “life insurance policy.” There is a life insurance policy that is given to us in Second Peter, and we want to know in regard to that policy. He begins to tell us of the wonderful work that may be given to the children of God. And he tells us in regard to the grace that is to be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Take the magazines out of your houses; do not keep them to search into.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 15

2 Peter 1:3 quoted. “life and godliness.” Now He has given us that which pertains unto life and godliness. Are you Christians? Do you believe the Word? And if you do, why don’t you take hold of it and practice it; that which pertains to life and Godlikeness? Study what Godlikeness is. Find it out.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 16

Verse 3 quoted. That is the garment of Christ’s righteousness. That is what we want.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 17

Verse 4 quoted. Just think of it. The divine nature. “Having overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 19

Verses 5-8 quoted. What then? You are all ministers. You may never be ordained, but you have a ministry, every one of you.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 21

Verses 7, 8 quoted. “knowledge.” [Verses 5, 6.] You learn of Him in prayer. You learn of Him in searching the Scriptures, by practicing His life of self-denial and self-sacrifice.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 22

Verse 9 quoted. “lacketh these things.” This is the matter with us. This is the matter with our churches. “is blind.” “And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” We run right back in the very same track through envy, jealousy, and evil surmisings and evil speaking, and put our mind in somebody else, the mind that we should walk accordingly as we take the idea that they ought to walk. Let him attend to his own business, and let everyone seek the Lord, that they can find Him.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 25

Verse 10 quoted. “Wherefore the rather, brethren,” rather than to forget that he was purged from his old sins, and that he must keep purged. If you walk in the counsel of God, let me tell you, You will not forget that you were purged from your old sins.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 26

Verse 10 quoted. Now here is the life insurance policy for every one of us to accept, for every one of us to be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. And we shall have our insurance policy for the inheritance—the inheritance in the kingdom of glory, the city of God, that we shall have our portion there; and we shall be welcomed by Jesus Christ; and we shall receive a crown of life that never will be taken away from us. We will have the most glorious singing, we will have harps of gold. O what a happy time! We begin to see that while we were reading all these novel papers and all these magazines and all these stories and bringing them into the house for the children to have, they did not know anything about eternal life.

21LtMs, Ms 142, 1906, par. 31

[2 Peter 1] Verses 11-13 quoted. Now he is looking to the time when in a little while he must suffer for Christ’s sake. He is a prisoner of the Lord. And these testimonies are given for us. He knew what privation and what suffering were, and he wants us to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 144, 1906

21LtMs, Ms 144, 1906, par. 14

And in doing this we have our life insurance policy. That you will find in the first chapter of Second Peter. Now he tells you what you will have. “You must add to your faith virtue, charity.” And then what? “If ye do these things ye shall never fall.” [Verses 5, 7, 10.] What is that but a life insurance policy? You read it when you get home. What is that but a policy which will insure us to a life that measures with the life of God. And can you not make any sacrifice here in this world that you may be accounted worthy to have a life insurance policy, of everlasting life?

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 59, 1906

21LtMs, Ms 59, 1906, par. 1

The Lord gave me strength to speak nearly an hour in San Diego. The church was full on Sabbath, and I had great freedom in speaking from the first chapter of Second Peter. I am thankful to the Lord that He sustained me. The people listened with interest, and I felt the Holy Spirit resting upon me. I was blessed with the assurance that I was sustained. We had to drive nearly seven miles each way to and from the meeting.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 138, 1906

St. Helena, California

March 24, 1906

Previously unpublished.

Sabbath, March 24, 1906

Sermon, Mrs. E. G. White, St. Helena Sanitarium Chapel

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 1

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:1.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 2

Well, unless we are in a position to recommend that, it will be of no benefit to us.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 3

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” [Verses 2, 3.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 4

There is a work for us to do, to be sure that we obtain that knowledge. Unless we can have that knowledge, in and through Jesus Christ, we cannot in this world prepare for the heaven that He is preparing for us. We know not how long we may be permitted to be in this world. We do not know; and while we are here, we want to lay hold of the eternal strength, that we may be an example to all that are around us. We cannot afford to make any mistake in this time of trial, in this time of test. We are being tested here. Christ has died for us, and we shall be successful if we lay right hold upon Christ to do for ourselves.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 5

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers (Now take this in—oh, it means everything!) of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verses 3, 4.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 6

“His divine nature.” [Verse 4.] A question was asked if Christ brought His divine nature. Of course He did. He was humanity and divinity combined. Here He was tempted in all points like as we are, that He might know how to succor those that are tempted; and then every soul that will follow His example and His teachings shall be a partaker of that divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. If you want heaven, why, you must every one strive for it.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 7

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add (work on the plan of addition) to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Verses 5-8.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 8

Now here the heart is to be sensitive to the influences of the Spirit of God.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 9

“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” [Verse 9.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 10

He has backslidden; he has become cold; he has become indifferent; he has become careless; he has gone right after the practices and fashions of the world, imitating them; and you cannot afford it. Not one of us can afford it. You want all of heaven to bring into your life through practical living the life of Christ; and that is the only way you can have it.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 11

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” [Verse 10.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 12

Here is our spiritual life insurance policy, and here it is the securing of what? A life that measures with the life of God. It is an eternal life that we are to grasp. Oh, in these things we want to become acquainted with Jesus Christ by a practical knowledge of Him, by being partakers of His divine nature, that we may be in a position that we can claim His promises, and in doing this we shall be an example to all that are around us.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 13

“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verse 11.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 14

Well, now, look at all these promises. Will we work on the plan of addition, or subtraction? If you have capabilities of mind, powers of mind, ingenuity of mind, you can understand this Scripture, so that it may be your life insurance policy, for eternal life. The riches—why, what are they? The eternal weight of glory, an entrance to be ministered unto you. Here you are to be eternally secure—a thousand years in the city of our God, and then things will have transpired on this earth so that the enemy of God shall be taken down, and here the earth will be purified, so that that city will not be corrupted, nor any inhabitants in that city shall know what corruption is.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 15

Now, if we are to have these gracious promises, shall we begin work on the plan of addition? We can see that the wickedness is increasing everywhere all around us, in every city, in every town. You never heard such happenings as we are having now in the daily papers and in all our observation. Well, then what? What about that? We want right here, now, to begin in this world. I wish that our people, who profess to believe in keeping the commandments of God and escaping all the influences that are around them through lust, would get a burden, as they did have it in their conversion to the message that the apostles brought, when they brought their magical books, everything of the kind, and they burned them up.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 16

Now the enemy is making this prevalent today. The papers, the magazines, you can have them cheap; you bring them into the house, and you lay them on the table, and you take hold of them and read them when you haven’t any time. You want the Word of the living God, to eat it and drink it. We, every one of us, want it, and we cannot afford to have all these specious devisings brought right into our house, and pay money for it, we can govern that ourselves and become acquainted with all the trash, the miserable pictures you find. Why, the Bible does not represent any such pictures. We do not want the sight of our eyes, and our senses—we do not want them perverted with any such sights, neither do we want our appetite to be desirous for any such things. It is the Word of the living God that we desire to know.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 17

Christ is the bread of life, and He declares in John that those that feed upon Him—the sixth chapter of John tells us about it—that if you feed upon Him, ye shall have eternal life, you will be observers of the Word. It is eternal life eternal to us.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 18

And now we want our minds to be spiritualized. We cannot afford to have a single penny put into these miserable things that come to us. We have papers, we have magazines, we have books; and we want to reserve every penny that we can to help provide books that others shall have them. The Word is the bread of life; and if ye eat and drink of the bread of life, why, then, your experience will be composed of what you eat and what you drink, as your bodies are composed of what you eat and what you drink.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 19

Now here, as it is presented to me so many times, is the cause of the great want of spirituality among those that claim to believe the message of truth. What is the matter with them? Why, they have given their appetite to trash, the appetite of the mind, and they cannot afford it. Now what we want is something substantial, that will protect us against what is coming in.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 20

Well, what is it? Why, Satan is coming down, in great power, and he comes to deceive and leads astray the very elect; and you cannot afford it; you cannot afford to be led away. You want that help that comes from Christ, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. You are to be a partaker of the divine nature. There is nothing else that can save us. Christ comes in His divine nature, and here is every soul will be enlightened according to what you study, according to what you give the mind to feed upon.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 21

We see that we have troubles and difficulties, that there are those that are led away, how? What through? The devising of Satan. He is watching every mind, every chance, that he may crowd in his scientific problems and get the mind to studying and searching on these things; so that they do not have an appetite to lay hold upon the food that Christ gives us—His Word.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 22

His Word, He says, is spirit, and His Word is life. Well, it is essential for us, and we want right here in this world to be in a position where we are partakers of the divine nature, where we are living upon the plan of addition, and all the time accumulating knowledge, that our feet shall stand on the platform, the Rock of Ages, upon eternal truth, the foundation which nothing can wreck. That is what we need.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 23

The light is given to me in regard to the poor understanding of those that have been in the truth, that these sophistries, and this mysticism, and doing away with the personality of God, and with the personality of Christ, will get the hall-room of the heart all ready for these miracles that Satan will come to work right in our midst. Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. That is what we read, and therefore we want to be in a position so that we will understand how He has given them. Then what does He tell us, what assurance does He give? My messenger shall go before you. Oh, that is worth a world! My messenger shall go before you.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 24

There they are preparing the hearts to receive the message; and we find now in foreign countries, why, the truth is opening doors in a wonderful manner. When I have seen them, I have felt that I would make any sacrifice on my part, so that I could get the truth into these places. I have let them have my books without taking any returns from them, but let them translate them, put them into all languages, and then let the truth go forth as a lamp that burneth. We cannot afford, if we have had the instruction that we have had, to take time to gather large schools together and hold them for years.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 25

Go right into places where they know not the truth, and begin to work intelligently, and the Lord God of Israel will send His messenger before you. That is the way I have had to work; and unless those promises had been given to me in my very young years when I started to travel, timid and fearful, why, I could not have gone—no voice, had not had a voice. I had lost it, and they said I could not live but about three months, and yet the Lord said, “Go, go, and My messenger shall go before you.” I never knew that there was such a power, till then. My messenger shall go before you.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 26

The accident that occurred to me so many years ago, which seemed to be unto death, the Lord made unto life; and when I stood before the people in the churches, I could not utter any words aloud. I would stand and try and try for about five minutes to utter a sound, and then: My messenger shall go before you. Oh, how I hung to it! Shall I have to give it up, and these people have come, expecting to hear me? And then everything would break away. I could talk two hours and a half, just as well as I could fifteen minutes. Now, I thought, I have surely gotten the victory, but after that I could not talk again. I was tempted several months. Traveling all the time, I had to go through that process until I had proved my Lord; and then that test was taken away, and I could speak clearly. And now I could speak clearly to thousands of people. And I have had an experience.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 27

People come up and say, “I have got something new here, and want to bring it before you,” then they come with something that will undermine the position that we have occupied on the truth that is rock bottom; something they want us to receive. I have told them, “I could pile up books that high that God has bidden me to write.”

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 28

Then there was this accident that I had, that brought me to where I was reduced to a skeleton, and I could not attend school. I could not remain in school at all. After I got so that I could go, I thought it was a little strange, but it happened that the very girl that threw the stone was my monitor in school, over my section of seats, to teach me how to write. My hand was quivering; I could not write. She would try to steady it, and then she would turn, and the tears would roll down her cheeks. She knew what she had done to me; and then they had to advise me not to try to attend school; so I did not attend it after I was nine years old. After that, I could not advance.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 29

So at one time the Spirit of God came upon me, and brought me out of a discouraging trial, and said, “Write, Write the things that I shall give you.” These words the Holy Spirit of God spoke. “Why,” said I, “I cannot write; I cannot hold my hand steady.” “Write the things that are given you of God.” That is all. No assurance was given me. I sat right down and took my pen in my trembling hand, and I wrote better than I write today, because I have to produce so much writing, and in such a hurry. But there my hand was steady, and that has never failed me.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 30

When I was in Australia, eleven months with the malaria, and with inflammation, I could not step nor walk, and it was there I was sick eleven months. Well, I never had a happier time in my life. They made a frame that they could put before me, and that arm was never affected. The whole body was affected; every nerve had to lie on rubber; but that arm was always so I could write; and in eleven months I wrote twenty-five hundred pages, that went out to the world everywhere.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 31

Well, now, that is how my writings have been given; in sickness or in health, that hand is never affected. Here I could not move that hand to my head. I could do nothing to dress myself, but that hand could write. These are evidences I have had all the way along.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 32

So, how do you think I shall be affected, when they come up and tell me, “Why, we have got something here, and we want to bring it before you, because we don’t think that you have got the truth.” Well, I know I have got the truth. I know where the power has come from. I know how the communications have come. I know how my life has been spared again and again when it was thought that I must go down into the grave.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 33

Perhaps there are some here who were in Healdsburg when we had a camp meeting there, and they thought I was dying, and they took me out upon a sofa, and they laid me on the platform there, and then I said to Willie, “Will you raise me up?” Well, he raised me up, put his arm around me, and I stood there upon my feet, pale, emaciated, not a particle of color in my face, lips, ears, or any part of my features; and it seemed as though the whole of Healdsburg was out to that camp meeting. They watched it, and they saw the blood coming, coming, saw the streak as it came up to my lips, to my ears, to my forehead. Well, I was healed there; my life was preserved.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 34

I want to tell you—circumstance after circumstance has happened in this way, that has demonstrated from whom my power came; and I take no credit to myself, but I have books piled up that I have written, and have been writing continually, that are prepared for the people.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 35

Now when any one comes in with their sophistry, and with their presumptuous errors, I know where I am. I know a messenger has gone before me, and has exercised a power to keep breath in my body.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 36

Before that large crowd they had an evidence of the healing power of God. Such things have been given to me all through my life. Now do you think I could go back, in order to agree with some that are running into special errors, and I could accept their errors in order to be in unity? No; they will have to come to that which God has given as truth. I am willing all my writings should go to every part of the work, and I have done all I could to make it go. When the Lord has given me light, I appreciate it highly; and I want to say to you all, I want you to put away the nonsensical magazines; I want you to take the books where the messenger has gone before me and given me light and strength and the healing power of God to carry on the work. I know that that is truth. No one can bring in anything that would change my mind on these points. I have nothing to give up in order to be in harmony with those that shall come up with their errors, and specious devisings—nothing at all. This has been acted over—the healing power of God upon my body—again and again.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 37

(Here was related the incident of being healed on the cars. Eight camp meetings attended thereafter.)

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 38

Now I want to say, We want to be in a position to believe if God has sent anything through testimonies. You want to search by Bible, and compare it with the Bible, and see what it says; and if you will do this, you will understand it.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 39

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” [1 John 3:1-3.]

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 40

Here is the very work that is resting upon us to perform. Do not, I beg of you, listen to the unbelief that will be crowded into your mind, and sophistries. Some are to depart from the faith. Where are they? Who are they? Who is departing from the faith laid down, the very foundation that we were on a whole century ago? We are on the very same foundation; we have the same evidence, and we worked on it day and night, to know in regard to the sanctuary question, and in regard to the personality of God, and of Christ, and of all these subjects.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 41

There were only a few of us, but we would get together, and we would begin in the early evening, and work through the truth, and then they would get to the point: “We cannot handle that; we must give it up; we cannot handle it.”

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 42

The power of God came upon me then, and light was reflected through the frail instrument, and it was brought out clearly. Again and again, and over and over, as it was opposed, there substantiated; every species of doctrine that we had been holding.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 43

Now, you see, it is not possible for us to let go of this and take hold of some of these new suppositions and fallacies. We cannot do it. And I mean to present before the people, how God has wrought.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 44

You have listened to Elder Loughborough. He was with us from almost the first of our work, and he knows and he understands these things, and others understand them.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 45

I want to tell you: Take Patriarchs and Prophets, and Desire of Ages, and the Great Controversy; there it was that I wrote out these things. Nobody manipulated my writings; why, sometimes I did not know that I wrote. I was taken right up in the night, and there I would write page after page, and in the morning I would find those pages.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 46

(Speaks at length regarding the manner in which testimonies are given and written out in the night season; nobody manipulates the writings.)

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 47

Now I want every one of you to burn up your old magazines and your novels, for every soul that is here, you want to understand what is truth. You want to live on the plan of addition, and God has promised to work on the plan of multiplication. You will have your your life insurance policy in the kingdom of our God, by the knowledge you may reap if you will.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 48

You may fill your mind with trash but that does not do it any good. You will have enough of it, because everything is pouring in; but what we want is the precious Word. Christ has said, “If ye eat My flesh and if ye drink My blood, ye shall have eternal life.” He says, again, “The flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life.” [John 6:54, 63.] That is the Spirit and life.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 49

We do not half appreciate it. We want to use every capability that God has given us, of mind and soul and body; and we want the doors open for the truth to go; we want no infidelity; we want no skepticism; and we want none of the sitting up long at night, to influence other minds. We want none of that. We want the truth as it is in Jesus; and we want to feed upon Christ; for He is the bread of life. We want to know what saith the Scriptures. And I am dealing in Scriptures all the time, what Christ has said, what the apostles have said, and what steps some are taking to what? Oh, to deny the faith, and we cannot afford it; we cannot afford to go into that line at all.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 50

Now, I will not keep you, but I want you, every one, to take your Bibles, and ask Christ to here send His messenger to prepare your soul that you may understand what saith the Scriptures, because it means everything to us. Of course it does; and here is a world to be saved. You have no right to be wavering, wavering, wavering here, and not knowing where to stand. Why? Because we have the Bible, and last night, in visions of the night, it was presented to me to present to you that you need here a thorough conversion. You need here a mind disabused.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 51

It will mean everything—yes, one soul is worth more than the world; and then it makes every difference with you what kind of a story you are listening to; and we want the eternal mind of Jehovah; we want that mind that shall give us the truth. And as I have read to you in Peter, so I would ask you to read the seventeenth chapter of John, and see that last prayer of Christ, with His disciples, and see if you are framing yourselves to love Christ and the truth, so that you can be one with Christ and one with the Father. That means everything to us individually.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 52

You study the seventeenth chapter of John, and you see where it places you and me. May God let His Spirit come upon us. But why? I am receiving letters all the time, how doors open in foreign countries, and those that have thought to go but were afraid they would not allow an entrance to the Word. Brother Conradi writes me that there is nothing to hinder. The Spirit of God goes before them, and gives them the freedom that they would not have asked for six years ago, because they could not get it. But now what do we want? We want that our means should be used intelligently.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 53

I am doing everything I can, all the foreign books, giving up the royalty on them, and only to keep them in circulation, that they may have them everywhere. I want to tell you that God told me Christ’s Object Lessons would help in our schools; if you realized how I appreciated that word from the Lord, I think all of you would put to the stretch every muscle and every energy and every speck of influence you have to prepare the way for the schools which must be established in many places.

21LtMs, Ms 138, 1906, par. 54

Also, now, the Ministry of Healing, why, I get nothing for that. That does not come to me. My brethren have united with me in getting that out, and that I have made a free gift. Do what you can to free our institutions from debt. Will you do it, in the name of the Lord? I have done all I can do in regard to it, and I know that God has helped me in writing those books. I am thankful that the matter was out and Sister Davis gathered it together and put it together. I am thankful that she was with me to do this. She now sleeps in Jesus. Her work is done. I will not hold you any longer.

Manuscript Release No 1033

Washington, D. C., Sabbath, December 27, 1890

MR1033 53.3

Spoke in the hall to the church in Washington. The hall was well filled and I had much freedom in speaking from 2 Peter 1, showing the necessity of practical godliness.—Manuscript 53, 1890, 12, 14 (Diary 16, pp. 428, 430-431).

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 164, 1906

21LtMs, Lt 164, 1906, par. 3

Sister King, I would be so pleased to see you and the whole family. I expect I shall see you again at Melrose. The Lord has been very near to me; and all through these weeks of sickness since I left Loma linda, I have been able to write some. When I was at Mountain View, I wished to bear a very important message to them there, but it seemed impossible because of the condition of my throat and heart. Then I said, I will try. I will speak a short time. But when I stood before the people, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and every difficulty was removed. The meetinghouse was crowded, and I spoke for nearly an hour, not coughing once. I spoke with perfect freedom, from the first chapter of Second Peter. The Spirit of the Lord was upon me in large measure.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 49, 1906

Loma Linda, California

April 14, 1906

Portions of this manuscript are published in RH 06/14/1906.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 1

(Sermon, Mrs. E. G. White, Loma Linda Sanitarium Parlor, Loma Linda, Calif., Sabbath, April 14, 1906, 11 A.M.)

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 2

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:1.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 3

Here are brought to view the Father and the Son, in their distinct personalities, with all the power that we need if we will only ask for it.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 4

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through (not the ignorance, but) the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” [Verses 2, 3.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 5

These words are addressed to those that claim to be Christ’s; and so, whatever may be our profession, whatever may be our mission, whatever may be our calling, this instruction is appropriate to every one of us. And in thus grasping the opportunities, the privileges, that are ours, we are preparing for the future, higher school. In this preparatory work we need to have our hearts open and susceptible to heavenly influences, in order that we may develop the character that God has made it possible for us to develop through the gift of His beloved Son. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 6

In view of God’s promises, it is our privilege always to be hopeful. We are to mark the example that is given us in the character of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. None need fail of attaining, in his sphere, perfection of Christian character. Abundant provision has been made for us. Christ laid aside His kingly crown and royal robe, clothed His divinity with humanity, and left the courts of heaven to come to this earth to save mankind. He did not lay aside His divinity, but clothed divinity with humanity, that, as a divine-human Saviour, He might stand by the side of humanity. In heaven He was attended by myriads of angels that delighted to do His will; but when He came to this earth, He was accompanied by no choirs of angels; He came as a helpless babe, born of humble parentage. In poverty and obscurity He obtained an education and training for His lifework.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 7

Those who are poor and needy, and whose lives are filled with hardships and distress, may be sustained and comforted by the thought that their Saviour can sympathize with their sorrows. In all points He was tempted like as we are, and yet without sin. In His humanity, perfected by a life of holiness, He revealed that through co-operation with divinity, humanity may in this world attain unto perfection of character.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 8

Within the reach of every person in our world God has placed “all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” [2 Peter 1:3-7.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 9

This is the instruction we should heed. In this scripture is set forth the perfection that we are all to reach. We are to live on the plan of addition; and if we do this, there will be granted us the grace spoken of in the second verse: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you”—multiplied “through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” [Verse 2.] And so if we live on the plan of addition, Christ will work in our behalf on the plan of multiplication.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 10

“For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Verse 8.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 11

Here is the possibility, here is the assurance; and it is our privilege to lay right hold upon every advantage of encouragement that is provided for us, that we may place ourselves in right relation to Christ, and thus perfect Christian character.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 12

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” [Verses 8, 9.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 13

How? Here was the great purging sacrifice that Christ made on the cross of Calvary. His life alone could pay the penalty of the transgression and redeem every human being who would consent to receive Christ. But there is placed upon them the burden of laying right hold upon the promises. Will they take advantage of the opportunity that is theirs?

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 14

“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” [Verses 9, 10.] It depends on you to take advantage of every promise that is given you, that you may perfect a Christian character, in order that the gates of the city of God may be thrown open to you, and that you may enter into those gates.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 15

“Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” [Verse 10.] There is a work resting upon every one of us. We must co-operate with Christ Jesus. We must lay right hold of every advantage He has given us and show that we receive it; for “to as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believed on His name.” [John 1:12.] “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:11.] Precious, precious assurance!

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 16

On every hand we see men anxious to insure their lives by taking out a life insurance policy. Here is your life insurance policy—an eternal life insurance policy offered to all who carry out the conditions outlined in this chapter. Jesus Christ is standing by your side, to co-operate with you in complying with the conditions of receiving eternal life. As laborers together with God, all may follow Christ’s example of faith and obedience. Unto every one who lays hold of the hope, the encouragement, the light, the grace, the peace set before him in the gospel will be ministered an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 17

“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” [Verse 12.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 18

Every one of us may have living faith in the power of Christ to keep our feet from walking in false paths. The provisions of grace in our behalf are so ample that we are constrained, with the apostle John, to exclaim:

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 19

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” [1 John 3:1, 2.] What a promise!

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 20

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” [Verse 3.]

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 21

When we come into trial, let us think of these things. O how often I have thought of them! And when in the night season I have seen those who claim to represent the truth, trying in every way to undermine my influence, I have been in distress and agony—to think that many accept as truth the words of sophistry spoken. Because of the high position of some ministers and physicians who speak these words of unbelief and worldly wisdom, many are turned away from the truth by these influences.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 22

Night after night, scenes are passing before me. Often I do not sleep later than two o’clock, and sometimes no later than eleven or twelve o’clock. It is presented to me that notwithstanding all the discouragements that come, there is with us, and accompanying our labors, a character, a power of influence, which no living man can thwart. This influence will tell. God desires us to give the warning with no uncertain sound.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 23

There are two spirits in our world—a spirit of belief and a spirit of unbelief. In the latter days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We expect that those who will not harmonize with Christ will develop into a warring element; but we should not think that this will do us harm. We must remember that they that are for us are more than they that can be against us. This is my hope and strength and power with the people. I believe in God. I know in whom I believe. I believe the testimonies that God has given us. From childhood I have had many, many experiences that have strengthened my faith in the work that God has given me to do.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 24

Early in my public labors, I was bidden by the Lord, “Write, write the things that are revealed to you.” At the time this message came to me, I could not hold my hand steady. My physical condition made it impossible for me to write. But again came the word, “Write the things that are revealed to you.” I obeyed; and as the result, I wrote page after page, page after page with comparative ease. Who told me what to write? Who steadied that right hand and made it possible for me to use a pen?—Why, it was the Lord. When we come into right relation with the Lord, and give ourselves wholly to Him, we shall see the miracle-working power of God in our words and in our deeds.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 25

In the early days of the message, when our numbers were few, we studied diligently to understand the meaning of many Scriptures. At times it seemed as if no explanation could be given. My mind seemed to be locked to an understanding of the Word; but when our brethren who had assembled to study together came to a point where they could go no further, and had recourse to earnest prayer, the Spirit of God would rest upon me, and I would be taken off in vision and instructed in regard to the relation of Scripture to Scripture. These experiences were repeated over and over and over again. Thus the truths of the third angel’s message were revealed, point by point. Think you that my faith in this message will ever waver? Think you that I can remain silent, when I see an effort being made to sweep away the foundation pillars of our faith? I am as thoroughly established in those truths as it is possible for a person to be. I can never forget the experience I have passed through. God has confirmed my belief by many evidences of His power.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 26

The light that I have received I have written out, and much of it is now shining through my printed books—Great Controversy, Patriarchs and Prophets, Desire of Ages, and many other works. When I visited Battle Creek in the summer of 1904, we had to meet opposition from those who ought to have sustained me; and one day, before speaking in the tabernacle, I asked that a copy of each of my books be brought into the tabernacle and placed on the rostrum. And then, while speaking, I appealed to the great congregation, among whom there were some who used to listen to my husband and myself years in the past at Battle Creek. “You desire to hear what Sister White believes,” I said. “She believes that Jesus Christ is a personal Saviour, just as she has ever believed. She does not try to do away with His personality, and put Him into a leaf or a flower or anything else that He has created.” These natural things are the works of His creation. Our heavenly Father is the God of the universe, and Christ is the divine Son, the One equal with the Father. And now here are the books I have written, in which is contained the light given me. I have been unable to attend school since an early age, and the teachings in these books originate from a source higher than that of man. For thirty-six years my husband and myself labored side by side. Time and again we had to meet all phases of error and apostasy, and at such times special light would shine forth with beauty and clearness from the Word of God; and thus light has come. I can no more question the work that God has given me to do than I can question the fact that I am living today.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 27

These books that have been published are now immortalized in print. And there is throughout the whole a harmony with my present teaching. Some of the writings on these pages were given under circumstances so remarkable as to evidence the wonder-working power of God in behalf of His truth. Sometimes while I was in vision, my friends would approach me and exclaim, “Why, she does not breathe!” Placing a mirror before my lips, they found that no moisture gathered on the glass. And it was while there was no sign of any breathing that I kept talking of the things that were being presented before me.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 28

These things were thus given to substantiate the faith of all, that in these last days we might have confidence in the Spirit of prophecy. I thank God that He has preserved my life thus far, and that He has preserved my voice, which in my early youth physicians and friends declared would be silent in three months. The God of heaven saw that I needed to pass through an experience in order to be prepared for the work He had for me to do. For the past half century my faith in the ultimate triumph of the third angel’s message, and everything connected with it, has been substantiated by the wonderful experiences through which I have passed. This is why I am willing to do anything and everything to publish books and to donate books. I know that the light contained in these books is the light of heaven.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 29

One of my books I gave outright to the educational work. All the profits go toward the payment of debts on our schools. Already about two hundred thousand dollars of debts have been paid in this way. And I have just given another of my books, Ministry of Healing, for the benefit of our sanitarium work. The sale of this book will help pay the debts on our Southern California sanitariums, including Loma Linda, as well as the debts on many other sanitariums in all parts of the world. I thank the Lord with heart and voice for His great goodness to me in permitting me to labor for Him.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 30

I ask you to study the things that are written in these books. To John, the aged apostle, came the message, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.” [Revelation 1:19.] The Lord has bidden me write that which has been revealed to me. I have written thousands of pages that are now in printed form.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 31

The Lord has given us the Loma Linda Sanitarium, because He desires to help the sick and to surround them with every advantage possible for recovery of health. He desires to bring hope to the hopeless and courage to the desponding. He desires to lift the afflicted and the suffering out of their weakness and give them a strength that is beyond expression. All He asks in return is that they believe. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” [John 1:12.] It is our privilege to believe in a mighty power that is out of and beyond ourselves. When we, as little children, take Christ at His word, when we grasp His promises by faith, we shall have a power that is greater than human power—a power that will unite us with the strength of heaven.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 32

Let us give our hearts to God; for we have only a little time remaining. We are living in the last days. On every hand are signs of the end. Life is becoming more and still more uncertain. We hear of numerous wrecks and other disasters; we hear of many who are killed in an instant, without a moment’s warning. Let us determine not to wait until a more convenient season before preparing to meet the Lord in peace when He comes. Let us give ourselves wholly to Him, and then work for the salvation of other souls, from house to house, and wherever we may be. I am expending all the means that I have in the work of advancing the third angel’s message. We should be planning to win souls to Christ, and now is our time to do this work. The harvest is ready, but the reapers are few. From all parts of the world we are receiving letters telling us that the light is shining in clear rays in distant lands, and that the honest in heart are accepting the evidences of the truth for this time.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 33

Amid the error that is overspreading the whole earth, let us strive to stand firm on the platform of eternal truth. Let us put on the whole armor of God; for we are told that in this time Satan himself will work miracles before the people; and as we see these things, we must be prepared to withstand their deceptive influence. Whatever is presented by the enemy as truth ought not to influence us; for we should be under the instruction of the great Author of all truth.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 34

I feel an intense interest in the future work and prosperity of the Loma Linda Sanitarium. God has not given us these buildings for naught. He has not given them for us simply to take pride and comfort in. We know that this beautiful property has been given us as an indication of a great work that is to be done in Southern California for the Lord. We are to help every soul in need of help. We desire to see souls converted, that finally they may enter in through the gates into the city of our God. We desire to see these souls receive the crown of life and a golden harp and a palm branch of victory. We desire that they shall have life, eternal life, in the kingdom of glory.

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 35

This is why I am willing, so long as my life is spared, to bear the testimony that God may give me. Pray, pray, I beseech of you who are here in this sanitarium. And you who have no hope, do not wait; do not, I beg of you, wait a moment. Get hold of it, oh, get hold of it; for you can have hope. It is offered all who believe in Christ Jesus, and you can have it. If you will work on the plan of addition, God will work on the plan of multiplication, and you will have peace and joy and assurance—a foundation that can never fail. Then you will be prepared to meet the King in His beauty and will hear Him say:

21LtMs, Ms 49, 1906, par. 36

“Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” [Matthew 25:23.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 143, 1906

21LtMs, Ms 143, 1906, par. 21

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them to us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” [1 Corinthians 2:9, 10.] Then let us, for Christ’s sake, take right hold, and be determined that we will be partakers of the divine nature; and if we will do this, we shall realize the expectation in Second Peter, the first chapter. Here we have verses 1 and 2 quoted. We want to know Him by an experimental knowledge.

21LtMs, Ms 143, 1906, par. 22

Verses 3, 4 quoted. Now you are not to stop at any place—there is no hitching post. Now He has given us a sum in addition: Verses 5-8 quoted. O that we could hold to that! That we had the experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ; that His life was our pattern. He lived as we should live. He came as our example, from His childhood up; and at 12 years of age, He began to give them to understand that He knew His work and what was before Him.

21LtMs, Ms 143, 1906, par. 28

Now, it is stated here just as distinctly, that if we work on the plan of addition, Christ will work. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” [2 Peter 1:2.] Now, the more we try for knowledge, the more that knowledge will be multiplied, and you will see that there will be a learning and an education and a solidity of character and of wisdom that God imparts unto the man, so that he shall be a useful man in every line. But man destroys himself, by taking liquor and other things that lessen his vitality.

21LtMs, Ms 143, 1906, par. 31

Verse 5 quoted. “charity.” [Verse 7.] What kind of households would you have, if you cultivated these graces?

21LtMs, Ms 143, 1906, par. 32

Verse 8 quoted. That knowledge is imparted to you, if you will live on the plan of addition.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Ms 124, 1906

21LtMs, Ms 124, 1906, par. 4

The Lord gave me a message for the church. Although very much afflicted—I had the influenza—as soon as I stood upon my feet, I felt a strength come upon me, and I did not cough or sneeze once. I had been coughing and sneezing and raising phlegm; but I could speak in a distinct, clear voice for nearly one hour. I felt that clearness of mind as usual. The truth was so precious to me. First chapter of 2 Peter.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 188, 1906

21LtMs, Lt 188, 1906, par. 4

Read the whole chapter. Study it, fathers and mothers, with all your powers of intelligence; and let your words and your actions express its meaning. Then read the second chapter of First Peter, verses one to twelve. Then turn to the Second Epistle of Peter, and read the first chapter.

21LtMs, Lt 188, 1906, par. 11

My dear brethren and sisters in Australia, wherever your lot may be cast—whether east or west, north or south—if you are the truly wise, you are the denominated people of the class specified as “partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verse 4.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 181, 1907

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 3

Now, we are to be in that position so that we are kind, so that we are Christlike; we are not to feel that we must have a particular straight line that every one has got to come up to. We are of different minds, and we have come into the institution to act out our individuality under the controlling influence of the Spirit of God. We are to bear in mind that the work which we accomplish here in this institution is to be a work that will blend and where hearts will be benefitted, no matter how old we are. The Word of God is our lesson book. The Word of God we are to carry out, and John gives it to us; Peter gives it to us, and we have it in a marked manner that is represented in Second Peter 1.

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 8

Verses 2-4. Who has given it? It is the source of all power: it is the great Chief Physician.

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 10

“Whereby are given ... diligence.” 2 Peter 1:4, 5. Now how is it? In every institution in our world that claims to be under the direction and the commandments of God is to obey the Lord, is to live this that I am to read to you.

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 11

“Whereby are given ... divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:4. What a possibility! What a wonderful right that is!

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 13

“And beside this ... knowledge ... the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ ... charity. 2 Peter 1:5-8. But he that lacketh ... blind.” Verse 9. Now we always prove it. When there is any difficulty, there is a blindness all around of this one and that one, and little things start up that grow and increase in magnitude until it seems there is a great difference. Well, now it does not need to be. “Ye are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] Now suppose you knew God was right by your side, would you not keep a strict observance over your actions? Would you not seek to please the divine nature? We ought to. Now He says:

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 14

“For if these things be in you ... of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:8

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 17

“But he that lacketh these things ... never fall.” 2 Peter 1:9, 10. You see what an assurance it is. The Word gives us this. Now we have a life insurance policy that I present to every congregation where I can have an opportunity, an everlasting life insurance policy. Now remember that it means something to us.

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 18

“For so an entrance ... Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:11. Now there is our life insurance policy. Will you take stock in it?

22LtMs, Ms 181, 1907, par. 24

“Wherefore I will not be negligent ... present truth.” 2 Peter 1:12.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 143, 1907

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 2

In the first chapter of Second Peter is given instruction of special value to those who desire to attain the highest success in the Christian life.

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 3

The apostle Peter, in writing to those “that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ,” declares: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” [Verses 1-3.]

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 4

This scripture will bear much study. “Through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,” grace and peace are to be multiplied unto us. [Verse 2.] We grow in grace in proportion as we advance in a knowledge of heavenly things.

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 5

My dear young Christian friends, it is your privilege to gain a knowledge of God and of His Word. Daily you may grow in grace and in a knowledge of the truth. And as you add grace to grace, God promises to multiply His mercies unto you. But there is an earnest work for you to do, as laborers together with God, if you would perfect a Christian character. Influences for evil are so prevalent in the world that we cannot hope to attain perfection in our own strength. Only as we co-operate with God shall we be able to advance. Abundant provision has been made for us to lay hold on divine strength. The apostle declares: “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verses 3, 4.]

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 8

“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Verses 5-8.]

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 11

My dear youth, you cannot afford to imperil your souls by heeding the voice of the tempter when he presents before you an alluring story to read. Is it not your desire that “an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”? [Verse 11.] Then flee from the tempter. Give Satan no opportunity to harass you continually with temptations to read novels and story magazines.

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 19

“If these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” [2 Peter 1:8, 9.] May it never be said of us that we were so blind in this life that we could never see beyond the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin for a season!

22LtMs, Ms 143, 1907, par. 20

With the apostle Peter, I would say, “I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” [Verse 12.] And with the apostle, dear youth, I would lift my voice in earnest exhortation to you to “give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verses 10, 11.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Lt 418, 1907

22LtMs, Lt 418, 1907, par. 5

Brother Simpson, you have brainpower, but you do not fully realize the blessing of sanctification in your life. True godliness requires that we take God into our thoughts. Peter exhorts us as Christians that we live on the plan of addition. If we will add to our faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity, we shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off; and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:9-11.]

22LtMs, Lt 418, 1907, par. 6

Here is your everlasting life insurance policy. I trust that all who are connected with the Long Beach Sanitarium will consider it their privilege to avail themselves of it. I have a great desire that those who take up work in that new institution will make this their time to take hold of the work presented in the first chapter of Second Peter. If you will work on the plan of addition, God will work for you on the plan of multiplication. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you,” the apostle writes, “through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [Verses 2-4.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 192, 1907

Loma Linda, California

November 2, 1907

Previously unpublished.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 1

2 Peter 1:1, 2. Here we see the sanctification of the Holy Spirit is through the knowledge of God. Therefore His Word is our counselor, our teacher.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 2

Verses 3-10. What an assurance that is!

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 3

Verse 11. Now we want to understand what our work is. Our work is that we have obtained a like precious faith, but we are not to stop there, but go on step by step to perfection.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 4

Verse 1. Now here is the great grace. It is placed within our reach, and it is for every one of us. It is that we can come and be embraced in this privilege and this promise.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 5

Verse 2. “Through the knowledge of God.” We must have a knowledge of God. We must read the Word. We must appropriate the Word to our own characters. We must talk like Christ. By beholding we become changed into His image. By beholding Christ Jesus. “Through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 6

Verse 3. “unto life and godliness.” There is the whole spoken of, all things. Nothing is withheld from those that walk in obedience to the promise. But they shall have spiritual strength. Go on from strength to strength, increasing in strength continually.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 7

Verses 3, 4. What a privilege is this! What a work is before us! Having escaped. Well, how do we escape? Why, Christ in the heavenly courts laid aside His royal crown. He laid aside His royal robe. He clothed His divinity with humanity, that humanity by taking hold of Christ in obedience might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Now this is our great privilege, and every one of us wants to be in that position that we will never think that anything is a sacrifice that we can make in behalf of others, to bring them under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 8

We can be selfish. We can put all that we obtain upon our own bodies, or between our own lips, or in property. What will that avail us? We have got to leave it. In sickness the first thing is, Shall I recover? If not, many say, I am not ready. I am not ready to die. But you see that unreadiness will not prolong their life at all. What we want is while we have life and strength that we shall give our souls, our bodies, our very life to Jesus.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 9

The question was asked the lawyer by Christ in regard to what he should do to obtain eternal life. Well, the lawyer tells Him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.” Christ said, “Thou hast answered right, this do, and thou shalt live.” And then the work was laid open before him of what he should do, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” [Luke 10:25-28.] Now, that is a very big requirement. How many of us love our neighbor as we love ourselves? How many of us are in that position where we regard our neighbor as blood-bought by the sacrifice of the life of Jesus Christ, that we shall take the burden, if we have light in regard to the Word, of opening that Word to those that are in darkness?

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 10

When Christ commenced His mission upon the earth after He had withstood the temptations in the wilderness, it was then that angels from heaven came to minister unto Him, and gave Him food. He had not eaten for a long time. He had fasted. And now the angel saw Him faint under the strain. He resisted the enemy who was tempting Him to make bread out of the stones that were before Him. “If thou be the Son of God.” It might be possible that He was not. Then Christ said, “Man shall not live by bread alone ... of God.” [Matthew 4:3, 4.]

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What is it? Read in the Bible. Do we study it? Do we try to find how we shall live to the glory of God? Now there is a work for every one us to do to purify ourselves, our own hearts, to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. That is a large requirement. But if we are one with Christ, and consider that He has bought these souls by the infinite price of His suffering. He might have brought a myriad of angels with Him to prepare the way, and make it easy, but no. He chose a life of poverty, and then bore that life of poverty. He was subject to His parents, and He worked with His parents side by side in the carpenter’s trade. And He understood what poverty was. He knew what it was to be hungry. Why did He submit to all this? Because He was to stand as humanity stands, tempted in all points like as we are tempted, that He might know how to succor those that are tempted. So He walked from place to place, and they would be so glad to see Him, they wanted more. No, said He. He had given them the message. Here there were those in different places all around, and He mentioned that He must go to these places to give them the message.

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I have thought, as I have seen the members of the churches sitting and listening week after week to the gospel that is being preached to them, how many of them realize what that gospel cost to bring it to this people? Why? It cost the life of the Son of the infinite God, One that was equal with the Father. But He purchased this inheritance. “For God so loved the world ... everlasting life.” [John 3:16.]

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When we speak of everlasting life, can we grasp it? Can we take it in that Christ gave His life that we might have a life that measures with the life of God? Every human being that casts his helpless soul upon Jesus Christ and believes in His merits, that takes hold and appreciates Him, will have that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. That is what they will have.

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Now we read [2 Peter 1] verse 3. Do we realize it? Do we understand? Is there in them an intensity to lay hold upon these precious things that are presented, that they shall know what to do for humanity in their sinfulness, to convict them of sin, to pray with them? That is why this sanitarium is here. The Lord opened before me that He had places that would come into our possession—watch for them—sanitariums in various places should be run in a manner to give character to the work that we are doing.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 15

There should be schools also in connection with the sanitarium, and these both should be an educating power to prepare workers in the sanitarium, that the sick might come and that they might be healed without drugs. Not poisoned, but healed without administering drugs. That is what the Lord wants that we should use, the simple remedies that we can use, especially in water, in exercise; and then that the sanitarium, small or large, should be situated out of the cities. Out of the cities, out of the cities, has been the light that has been given me for years. Out of the cities, in God’s world. I have not seen anything, in any sanitarium, that was equal, in the outward adornings and privileges and benefits that we might have, to this sanitarium. And therefore, I leave home now and then to come and visit them to speak to the people.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 16

I have an intense interest that there should be a waking up in every church. Not merely those that believe just as we do, but facilities have been set in operation here and in other places that they should be educated, that they should be trained, that they should know the Bible benefits, that they should understand what they are to do in order that they might become efficient helpers in the work. That is why we want sanitarium and school together. And we want the assistance of all possible who shall help us in carrying out this purpose that we have in our minds and hearts to establish the sanitariums. And God will help us.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 17

I went to Europe, and there I traveled three times all over the countries, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, and stood before them, not talking as I do to you, but through an interpreter. And yet I felt just as clear and fresh to bring these matters before them, and when I would tell them what they could do, they would come up when they had their general meeting. Now, said I to my interpreter, tell me every word they say. So he sat by my side, and he told me. We cannot do it, said they, as you do in America. It is an impossibility. They won’t read our publications. Said I, You can. We have been over the ground, and we understand it. Brother Matteson, what are you willing to do? What are you willing to do for this people? Well, what shall I do? Take a class of twenty-five or thirty young men. Educate and train them for the work, and when you get beyond your resources we will send you means. But you must carry this through to where they will be educated and trained.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 18

Now, we have greater advantages here than they have there. It was almost a new subject to them, but they worked to the point, and now there is no complaint. Once they came into a stress: We are going to lose our buildings. Why, I called to our brethren in America, Lay right hold, don’t let the work of God be dishonored. Raise every farthing until you lift every debt that is there. And they did do it. There were thousands of dollars that they sent there to hold the buildings that they had. But they were going to lose it. I thank God that I had a part in that. Now they stand on vantage ground. They have had the royalties from my books for many years, and I allow them to use them to advance the work, and to send the work in countries where they never have heard the message.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 19

We, every one of us, are amenable to God. Why? Because Christ gave His life for us. The Prince of life gave His own precious life that we might become partakers of His divine nature, and escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust. There is a work for every living soul to do if you want a life and works that you can carry on here in this life, so that you can see the precious souls that are coming to the knowledge of the truth through your labors.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 20

The next was Australia, and there I took up the load again. There we made the first path through 1500 acres that we had purchased to established a school and a sanitarium. Don’t you think I prize a sanitarium that is prepared as this one was? There by the hardest effort we would plan and try and devise in order that we might establish meetinghouses, that we might establish schoolhouses, that we might establish sanitariums, and we never left there until we had started that work and there others could take it from our hands, and carry it forward. Now I thank God that I had the privilege of acting a part. I would borrow money from the bank; I would do anything that we should not cease in the work. We must carry it, and we did carry it. They have one of the most wonderful schools. They are sending out all over the country their missionaries that are being educated in these schools, and I am so thankful that we did what we could.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 21

I said, Let us go and stay two years in America, and then we will come back to you. Well, we have been here now seven years, and there is no prospect of our going there. Here are fields everywhere.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 22

Now I advise every one that has a hope of immortality and of glory, I advise every one of you that you shall make sacrifices. If Christ the Prince of life could make sacrifices, what about you? Can you not be workers, laborers together, together with God? Cannot you deny yourselves of those things that you can, every penny, that you can advance in the work, have the spirit of self-sacrifice? The blessing of God will be with every one who will take hold of this matter intelligently, from the Bible standpoint.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 23

Verse 4. Diligence. Now you see there is a work before us. Every one that connects himself by living faith with Jesus Christ, you are not left to be idlers, you have a work to do.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 24

Verse 5. Virtue, and virtue is character. Knowledge—we want knowledge. That is why we want a school. That is why we want a sanitarium. We are trying to fulfill the design of God, not be become wealthy. We just want to use the means that will bring the knowledge, to try to understand the lessons.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 25

Temperance. Supposing that all the cigars that were used, the money paid out for cigars, money paid out for liquor-drinking, letting your influence go to make drunkards, supposing that we should use these benefits that we use to gratify the appetite that spoils the brain nerve power, that ruins the constitution. Suppose we ate temperately. Suppose that we rid ourselves of every habit and every practice that would use up the Lord’s money. It is the Lord’s means, and we are to use His revenue, His power, His property, His means to the conversion of the souls that are around us.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 26

Knowledge we must have, that is why we want not only a sanitarium, but we want a school, both shall work together and blend together, those in the school getting a medical education as well as to study how to give treatment, and altogether blending as physicians, as doctors will give their help and aid to bring out these students in an advanced state of knowledge.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 27

“And to temperance patience.” [Verse 6.] Do you see how he does not put patience first? It is temperance first. You can’t make an intemperate man patient, that is an impossibility. It is patience. Now if you want to be patient, and not snapping with your words, you had better be temperate in eating, in drinking, in dressing, and save all that you can, and the very knowledge that you are doing this work will give you such a satisfaction, such a peace, you will not spoil your credit by snapping out your words as many do. No. We must be temperate. A drunkard cannot be patient, but if we can reform the drunkard, then we can do a grand work with his soul. We can bring him to understand what it means to be a Christian, what it means to have a pure and living purpose in God.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 28

“To temperance, patience; and to patience godliness.” [Verse 6.] Yes, when you feel you are quick-tempered, somehow you will launch out your words before you realize it, in your house, often to your husband or your children. You cannot afford it. No. Silence is eloquence. When you feel stirred in your mind, you just keep your lips shut until you can speak kindly and can be forbearing. It won’t help the case any to talk in a manner that will irritate everybody around you. Let us put on the garment of patience, forbearance, kindness.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 29

“To patience, godliness.” [Verse 6.] There you see you are to be a Christian, and you are to exercise your Christian patience just according as you reverence God. Because you are the purchase of His blood, you cannot afford to spoil the nice gift of speech in reproaching, finding fault, and complaining. You have words that you must speak to educate.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 30

“And to godliness ... charity.” [Verse 7.] That is love. “And if these things.” verse 8. Now you can see the advantage.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 31

Verse 9. “Afar off.” Cannot see the result of their course of action. “And hath forgotten.” verse 10. Now opens a work that you are to do. It means something to be a Christian. It means that the nerves and the lips, and all parts of our being, are to be sanctified to God and to His glory.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 32

“Make your calling and election sure. For if ... fall.” verse 2. Now there is your assurance.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 33

Verses 11, 12. Now this point, “that an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” now what does that mean? What can that mean? This is, my dear friends, our life insurance policy. This is that life insurance policy that we shall comply with the conditions and we secure for ourselves that life that measures with the life of God. Now shall we neglect to take up the work? We have none too much time. We are to advance step by step.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 34

We want every one that can take an interest to try to help to circulate the truth, and try to win souls to Christ. Our churches are not to sit down and fold their hands and listen day after day to the sermons that are preached, and do nothing. You cannot afford it. We want a life insurance policy, just as it is given to us. Now what is it? Verses 2, 3.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 35

Now here is the most wonderful chapter. And I want you, when you go home, to take your Bibles and to read it. Try to take it in; pray over it, for here are the terms of eternal life. There is the very knowledge that you can take in by your experience, and by doing this, if you live in that manner you shall never fall. This is the assurance to us. If we have a right hold from above, if we have a living faith that grasps the infinite power from our Saviour, we shall be overcomers. That is our everlasting life insurance policy.

22LtMs, Ms 192, 1907, par. 36

And there are the treasures that you shall let loose of in order to be a blessing to help the institutions that are here, for we have had to work to bring this into existence. There is indebtedness here, and we want the help of every one. Instead of wasting the means that God has given you, lay it up, lay it up beside the throne of God. “Lay not up for yourselves ... heaven.” [Matthew 6:19, 20.] Well, how are we to do it? By obedience. God help us to take hold of this work. We could talk a long time, but we do not want to. We want to throw out some ideas, we want you to study them, and to work them, to deny yourself, and to lay up beside the throne of God everything possible to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth, and then it will be returned to us in everlasting treasure in the kingdom of God.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Lt 360, 1907

22LtMs, Lt 360, 1907, par. 21

Today, Sabbath, I spoke in the forenoon to a company of patients, helpers, and physicians from the first chapter of Second Peter. Those who have attended this convention consider that it has been an excellent meeting.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 183, 1907

Escondido, California

May 12, 1907

Previously unpublished.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 1

2 Peter 1:1. “Precious faith.” You can see how they obtain it—through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 2

Verses 2, 3. This, you can see, is the great motive for the gift that with the “divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life.” Verses 3, 4.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 3

By thus applying them to ourselves, taking a course in character building, by which we can claim them.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 4

“Add.” Here is a sum in addition. Verses 5, 6. Now you see that he puts diligence and virtue and knowledge and adds to knowledge temperance. Read from cause to effect. If intemperance is practiced, then that beclouds the precious faculties of the brain, so that it is impossible for you to discern between the sacred and the common. It is an impossibility, because you have beclouded the faculties, you have weakened them with the use of tobacco, with the use of liquor, or anything that shall in any way confuse the brain organs.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 5

Now, temperance is to bring us in right relation so that we shall reason from cause to effect. What do we need of the tobacco? What do we need of tea and coffee and all these things that becloud the brain faculty? We do not need them. They are only weakening the brain nerves, and placing man where he cannot appreciate the necessity of working by this sum of addition. He cannot appreciate that he has got to work that sum of addition if he expects that God will work in his behalf to give him the Holy Spirit of God. And if you think that you can arise to any perfection of character without the Holy Spirit of God, you will be mistaken, and you will be left behind.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 6

We are to stand before God as sensible human beings. We have no right to bring into our life and into our character intemperance of any order, because we shall find that we shall have enough to work against without making ourselves weakened so that we cannot reason from cause to effect. Here is temperance brought in. And if we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, we must be strictly temperate, temperate in all things, in all of our eating, our drinking, our dressing, in every phase of the work that is under our own control. Men are to do what is best on their own account, and depending wholly upon the Holy Spirit.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 7

“Baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” [Matthew 28:19.] What are these three great Powers of heaven? We are baptized in their name. What does that mean? These heavenly Powers are obligated if we will place ourselves in right relation to God, according to the best of our accountability; if we will watch against the temptations of the enemy; if we will resist the devil, that he shall flee from us, if we guard our appetite—man is to do that which he can do for himself. And when he goes down into the water to be baptized and raised up out of the water he is to live a new life, and place himself so these three great Powers can cooperate with Him and He can cooperate with them.

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These Powers are to cooperate with the human agency. Unless we have their cooperation we shall just as surely go stumbling along in our own self-sufficiency, and in our own sense of moral independence of what moral independence is. It is a device of the devil to use all these injurious substances, and then suppose that God will counteract that. No, indeed. He has given us intelligence, and He expects every human agent to use that intelligence in reasoning from cause to effect.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 9

[2 Peter 1] Verse 3. We are not to sin, not to practice self-indulgence, not pride of dress, not make God ashamed of us so that He cannot co-operate with us. What example have we? We have the example of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that came to give His life to the world. He laid aside His royal crown, He laid aside His royal robe, He clothed His divinity with humanity. Why? That He might come to humanity and from very childhood be a perfect example, that is why He came to the world.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 10

Now we are called to virtue and to glory. We may have the character of Christ in us. That is what He has come to give us.

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Verse 4. “Divine nature.” It was promised to us at our baptism. We were buried with Christ by baptism, and raised to live in newness of life—not the same old life, and to go right on patching up an experience that is defective every day. No, we want the holiness of the three great Powers that are pledged to keep us if we will comply with the conditions. But they cannot keep us unless we do.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 12

The holy beings want you to pray. They want you to be instant in prayer. They want you to work to the point, to perfect a Christian character day by day.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 13

Study the Word of God, and here it says, verse 5. “All diligence”—not a quarter nor a half nor two-thirds, but all diligence. If you are careless in this matter of what kind of a character you manifest, you may depend that God and Jesus Christ will not come to you while you have the precious Word and you feel independent and go on your own judgment and do just as you please. No, you cannot, you cannot overcome.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 14

Verse 5. No right to touch tobacco or liquor. They are poisons. Deadly drugs are mixed with the liquors now, and those that take them are mad; and then they have to go through the courts of justice, and there they have their cases tried, and they have to go all through that business. But the liquor stores are opened; they can go and get what they want; they will get it some way.

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Verse 6. “Patience.” Can you talk to a drunken man or to a tobacco devotee about godliness that forbids such things as that, and will you have a converting power over them? No.

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Verse 6. Now all this is laid upon us in the plan of addition.

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Verse 7. You have got to have a converted tongue. You have got to have a converted voice, a converted voice to appeal, not anger nor malice to come from your lips. You cannot afford it. It is selling your soul, and you cannot afford it. We are preparing for the last great judgment.

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Verse 7. Would that we have a hundredfold more that we have in exercise today. We want that power, that heavenly power that will be with us if we will comply with the conditions. We must have it if we are Christians. A Christian is to be Christlike. What did God do? He gave as a gift to our world His only begotten Son, and to what a life of self-denial! One said, I will follow thee wherever thou goest. Said He, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests. When we think of these things, how that Christ took His position in the world among the poorest. Why? Because these poorest would say He did not know the temptations of poverty, so He came to the very humblest of poverty. His parentage, His mother, was poor, and the family of Joseph was poor.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 19

Verse 7. It will not blister your lips to speak kind, tender words, and it does not cast any more burden on you to speak kind words. Fathers, God has made you priests in your family to guide that family. You are not to so engage yourself with the cares of this life that your children will stand neglected. You must give them time; you must give them attention; you must train them from their very babyhood how to overcome passion. It is not to be allowed. But it can be done in a very gentle way if you will keep yourselves from manifesting passion.

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Verse 7. “Love.” Now the Lord Jesus has given us an evidence of the love of the Father for us all in that He gave His Son. He laid off His royal robes and came into our world to stand from youth unto manhood, and His character was formed. There was no fault in His character. He was a man after God’s own heart. The fathers should be kind to their children, that they will practice kindness, be forbearing, patient; and the love that should dwell in the heart of the father for the child, will have a great influence to form his character after the divine model. Keep Christ before them.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 21

Verses 7, 8. Well, that is just what we want. We want knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We want the knowledge of our Lord. We want the cleansing, the beautiful cleansing of God’s Holy Spirit, from everything that will tend to weaken the brain nerve power or the physical power.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 22

Verses 8, 9. “Cannot see afar off.” He cannot reason from cause to effect. “And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” Forgotten he had pledged himself to die to the world, to be dead to the world and alive unto Jesus Christ.

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“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” [Verse 10.] Now you see, it does not all rest with the power that is promised. You must harmonize with that power; you must take right hold of it by a living faith, that the application of self-denial and self-sacrifice may come to you, and you will realize everyday in the self-sacrificing process, a power that is taking you out of yourself and placing you in living connection with what? Verse 9. You have done something that has spoiled your record. You have forgotten that you were purged from your old sins. You run right in the same channel that you did before.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 24

Verse 10. “You shall never fall.” If you go right ahead, adding strength to strength and carry a Christian character, seeking the Lord for strength at every point, and let those lips be sanctified.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 25

The mother is the queen of the household, and she should stand there, not a slave; just as soon as the children can be educated to lift some of the little burdens, they are to begin. When they are very young, they can help mother. Mother needs help. Do not let mother take up the whole responsibility of several members of the family, and after a time her life goes out, and they have to have a new mother perhaps, that they cannot agree with so well.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 26

Now, we want to be in a position where the husband can reverence the wife. She is the queen of the household. Encourage her; never discourage her; never make a slave of her. Educate the children to take up their little burdens and carry them day by day until they know that that is a part of their household duty, and in doing that give them praise. If they make a mistake, and if they commit an error, do not magnify it before them. Tell them, we have to learn just in that way. We made mistakes when we were your age; do not feel abused because you have missed a few times, no. What we want is patience, godliness, and loving kindness that is brought through the life of temperance in all things.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 27

Verses 10, 11. Just think of that. What is that, what shall we call it? It is your life insurance policy that is given you for patience and faithfulness. Here is your eternal life insurance policy. If you will work on the plan of addition, as the Lord designs that you shall, then help will be furnished you, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have pledged themselves at your baptism, and when you rise up out of the water, you pledged yourself to go under their jurisdiction, and that you would watch and pray, and would be grateful every day for the power that was given you to keep you in the right path, so that you should not fall.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 28

Fathers, mothers, wake up. Never scold; never fret; it never will help your children a particle. Just talk to them kindly and tenderly, and they will respond to it if you begin early enough. And here is the life insurance policy for yourselves. Just think of it, a life, eternal life, everlasting life insurance policy if you will comply with the conditions. But if you do not comply with the conditions, you will be all failure in your religious experience. You will have a hard time of it.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 29

Verse 11. Isn’t that your life insurance policy? Improve it, for Christ’s sake improve it.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 30

Verse 12. The theory of the truth. Verses 13, 14. By persecution his life was taken.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 31

Now I want to go back to the second verse. Verse 2. It is multiplied grace according to the knowledge that you have of God’s ways and God’s work. “According,” Verse 3. Now you see how we work on the plan of addition, adding grace to grace, gift to gift, virtue to virtue, seeking knowledge all the time. Here is grace multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. I want you to consider these things, because Satan has taken the position that he will beset every soul that is possible, and he cannot do a more effective work than in saloons, that in keeping them open for temptation.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 32

O, I have been laboring in San Francisco. I have been laboring in Oakland, since these awful fires, and the record is horrible. I expect another rod will pass through that will extinguish life. They had an opportunity to repent, and have established their saloons. There is a drugged liquor that makes men mad, and they know nothing of what they are about, and the work goes on to poison society. I never will close my lips while these things are in existence. I will speak in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and I long to see the salvation of God. I long to see the church what she should be. The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are promised to us. Jesus came here to take human nature upon Himself, and here He was to live a spotless life.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 33

As He took His disciples out with Him, teaching and giving instructions as they walked, He would say, Tarry here a little. There they would be seated on the ground, and while He was away from them, there came the sound of agonizing prayer and tears offered up to the Father of heaven for the people that God had sent Christ to give His life for, to backset the enemy of righteousness. And He pled with God, and He was kept through all these temptations, He was content to live a life of poverty and humility, that He might build up a people, and He demands of us to give Him more than we give Him.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 34

Now, there are a few words that I want more to read, and then I will stop. In Hebrews. I have been surprised to see that so many did not believe in the personality of God. Hebrews 1:1-3. Here are two personalities.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 35

Verses 4-7. God wants you to connect with these heavenly Powers. Then you can pray and believe and receive and be a partaker of that divine nature, having temptations, but yet not yielding to them. You stand in the position that you are a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Now, there is a great, world of influence that we can have, and there is world to save. God help us is my prayer. I want you to remember that God and Christ are both personalities, and I want you to remember that we can have a life insurance policy if we will comply with the conditions. If we will add to our “faith virtue, and to virtue ... charity.” [2 Peter 1:5-7.] Now I leave this with you. God help you to work to the line.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 36

A few words more. What does all this help us to do? It helps us to save our pennies, to save our dimes, and our silver bits, when we are purchasing. Be sure and not lay out in the very largest amount of money to get what would be and indulgence on our part. There is a world to save, and I speak to our people in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I speak to them in the name of the Lord. If you have money invested in lands, I ask you in the name of the Lord to dispose of a part of these lands. Why? God wants the money. We are carrying on missionary work east and west and north and south.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 37

I stayed in Australia ten years lacking two months, in order to lay the foundation of the work. My husband died in the work. He could not help us there. I said, as I held his hand in mine as he was dying—he could not speak—“Do you wish that your wife should become a pioneer? If you do, press my hand.” He pressed my hand three times. In an hour he was dead. But my two sons and myself have worked in the missionary fields, and I want to tell you we have tried to help in every way possible, that we could get some of the colored people to learn to read. And we have arranged that there should be little contribution boxes made after the pattern, and put into every house where our people are, and also those who are not our people if they desire them.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 38

Now we ask you to teach your children self-denial, not to spend every penny on something to eat or to gratify the appetite or the appearance, but just put your offerings into these little boxes. Here, we do not know how to get meetinghouses for the colored people. Since I have come back from Australia, I have worked with all my strength, with the influence that I have had. And let me tell you it has been a success. It has been a blessing in every family that has carried it out. Why shouldn’t we teach self-denial to our children? Why shouldn’t we teach them to help the cause? We are establishing sanitariums, that we may work for the recovery of the sick all through the places where we go, to teach the invalids. And I like to stand before them and speak to them courage and hope and confidence, and God blesses it to the people.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 39

Now the work that we are trying to do, we want all our brethren, wherever they are, to help us in this work. We want that they should have a part. Why? Because the blessing of the Lord comes in. Because it is just as Christ did. Christ was a living missionary, and He went from place to place. Now we are to exercise our power all that we can to bring people to the knowledge of the truth that are nigh and afar off.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 40

I shall be eighty years old next November 26, and yet my work had not ceased. The Lord gives me strength to bear the living testimony. And now I will not hold you any longer. Brother Ballenger may have some words to speak to you. They used to hang on the words of instruction from our Saviour. Men and women would follow Him great distances, hungry and fainting for want of food. Then He would create food for them. His miraculous power would provide them food.

22LtMs, Ms 183, 1907, par. 41

I want to say it is time that we woke up. It is time that we should work intelligently to bring souls to a knowledge of what temperance means, and then we want that we should have the Holy Spirit of God upon us. We cannot do anything without it. We must have it in our churches, and we shall see the reformation that will come from one part of the world to the other. We are seeing it. I know about it. If I ever have an opportunity, I can tell you something about it after this.

Manuscript Releases, vol. 5 [Nos. 260-346]

Cooperation of God and Man in Salvation

5MR 340.4

The True Fruit of Conversion—2 Peter 1 gives the genuine work of sanctification. Read and understand this chapter. There is need that the grace of God be seen and realized in our influence in the religious life and character. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and Jesus our Lord.” Then comes the true fruit of genuine conversion in living on the plan of addition. These precious, elevating principles are to be brought into our daily experience. The promises of God accepted in genuine faith have a fragrant influence upon the life and the character, making the human agent to reflect the image of the Divine.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Lt 374, 1907

22LtMs, Lt 374, 1907, par. 25

Several times in the night season as your dangers have been presented to me, I have found myself repeating to you words from the Second Epistle of Peter:

22LtMs, Lt 374, 1907, par. 28

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:1-11.]

22LtMs, Lt 374, 1907, par. 29

Here, instead of the Free Mason life insurance policy, is given to those who add grace to grace the promise of eternal life. Here is our eternal life insurance policy. “Make your calling and election sure.” “If ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” [Verse 10.]

22LtMs, Lt 374, 1907, par. 32

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” [2 Peter 1:11-13, 16-21; 2:1-3.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 154, 1907

22LtMs, Ms 154, 1907, par. 19

Sabbath morning I said to our people in my house, Although I do not feel as strong as I desire to bear my message, I am the Lord’s messenger, and I shall bear my message today. Trusting in the Lord, I went forward. The chapel was full, and the sick were in their invalid chairs, wheeled into the aisle. As soon as I commenced speaking, I felt strengthened. I had mistrusted my voice, but I had not the least difficulty. I spoke one hour, and I felt the grace of God upon me. The first chapter of Second Peter was forcibly presented to the full house. I knew that the Spirit of the Lord was resting upon me, and I had no loss of words or voice.

22LtMs, Ms 154, 1907, par. 20

Before the closing hymn I felt that I must ask the congregation if they would make most earnest efforts to heed the instruction in the first chapter of Second Peter. The doing of the work set forth in that chapter would give them the grace of Christ to work out the sum of addition presented. If they would work out the sum in that chapter on the plan there definitely presented, Christ would work for them on the plan of multiplication of grace in fulfilling the requirements there set forth. Who will work out God’s prescribed plan? Would they pledge themselves to read and practice that chapter, which plainly set before them practical godliness, which if they carried out from day to day in practice, adding grace to grace, would make them victors at last? Would those present pledge themselves to seek day by day to secure the eternal life insurance policy which Christ gave His life that every soul present could secure through His grace which He urged them to receive? I asked all who would do this to rise upon their feet, and the whole congregation seemed to respond and stood upon their feet.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 189, 1907

Merced, California

May 28, 1907

Previously unpublished.

Sabbath, May 28, 1907

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 1

2 Peter 1:1-11. Now that is a wonder assurance for every one of us.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 2

Verse 12. Therefore the repetition is to be made over and over and over again, because we forget these things. We do not remember the dangers of our becoming careless and indifferent. Now here, the first part of this is that “grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” [Verse 2.]

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 3

Verse 3. To “godliness.” Now here is a sum given us in addition. We are to be constantly adding. There is not a soul of us that is in a safe position unless we are living upon the plan of addition. If we are living upon the plan of addition, God works upon the plan of multiplication, so while we are adding grace to grace, and seeking right here in this evil world to form characters for the future immortal life, we are preparing ourselves to unite with the heavenly angels, preparing ourselves in disposition, preparing ourselves in kindness, preparing ourselves in every way for a fitness for the royal family in the kingdom of God.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 4

And here is an assurance in the eleventh verse. Verse 11. Now what does this mean? It means that you have an eternal life insurance policy if you will comply with the conditions. You have a life insurance policy, an eternal life insurance policy. If you live on the plan of addition, God will work on the plan of multiplication. You will be brought daily into a closer fellowship with the saints in light, and they will minister unto every soul that is seeking earnestly for the light which cometh alone from God. We cannot any of us afford to lose this opportunity.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 5

We want in every way possible to bring ourselves in right relation to God, and we want that every member of the family shall be in a position where that the mother is considered the queen of the household, where the father is prince of the household. The mother is to take her position, not as a slave in the family. Although she may not be able to provide special hired help, yet she is to work in her family in that way. If she is a Christian mother, she will devote time to her children to teach them what their duty is, what is their line, for they are responsible, the parents, for what character they give to their children. If they let them have their own way, and do just as they please, they are answerable for their souls. But the mother is to guard the interests of her children, and in every way possible she is to be in a condition where she can give instruction kindly and tenderly. She shall be preparing her children for the future immortal life. It is lesson after lesson she is to give.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 6

Here is the life insurance policy for the father, for the mother, and for the children. When the children are brought up carefully, the younger members are placed under the older members, and these older ones learn to bear and lift the responsibilities from their father and their mother—the boys and the girls united, that they will be educated in the right line.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 7

We read that God said, I know Abraham, that he will command his children and his household after him. [Genesis 18:19.] It was a very large family to keep in the way of the Lord, to do judgment and justice, and to carry out the very instructions that are given here in living on the plan of addition, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 8

Then you are to understand that the education that is given in this Word is to be obeyed strictly, and if they want the life insurance policy they must live according to the instruction that is given here.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 9

Peter says, [2 Peter 1] verse 13. Now we want to escape every evil.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 10

Verse 14. Now we understand what our life insurance policy is. It is to obey the commandments of God just as He had given in His Word, and have characters that shall be living on the plan of addition, and this plan is to add grace to grace, virtue to virtue.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 11

Verse 4. Now if you will follow out these promises, there is not a soul in this congregation that needs to be in darkness. Every soul can have the light, because they have the Word. The Word is our director; we are to study the Word. Do not pile upon your tables in your homes all the magazines, and these stories of different things, and let that mind that should be educated to be fitting for the heavenly courts be filled with evil and nonsense. What we want is heaven. Christ paid a very dear price in order that He might redeem man and bring him into the position where he and his whole family shall have a guide. And what it that? It is the Word. You won’t need to bring folly into your family, but you want to take time. If you cannot take time to read the Scriptures to your family, fathers, how can you be trusted with the responsibilities of the souls of the children? How can you let your children grow up without leading them to Christ Jesus?

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 12

How the mothers lead their children to Christ! They felt sure if they led them to Jesus, they should ever keep in mind the instructions that He would give them. So the mother starts with her children and the neighbors unite with her, and they come, quite a company of them, come to Christ. Well, what did He do with them? Here the mothers with their children were crowding around to hear and to be healed, and the disciples thought that Christ ought not to be disturbed, and they were sending the mothers away. Christ was watching, and He said, “Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:14.]

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 13

You know that Christ told His disciples that they were not to offend one of these little ones. Now these little ones were not the little ones He spoke of, but He told them not to offend the little ones—those that were young in faith—for you had better have a millstone hung about your neck and to be cast into the depths of the sea, for their angels do always behold the face of your Father which is in heaven.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 14

Now there is a solemn work that is resting upon parents, and when the children are in our cities, our large cities, I think the sooner they get out of the cities the better it will be. That has been my message for years: Out of the cities, out of the cities, go where there is room that the children can circulate and where they can have land to cultivate, and where you can educate them in regard to cultivation. The time will come when Christ said that if you are on your housetop, don’t you go to gathering up the things that are there; don’t you go down below to gather things. Why? Because they are driven right into the mountains. You do not know what is coming before us. It is opened before me again and again of what is coming, and I have been very much interested in studying the Scriptures, of what we should educate our children. Teach them to keep the Sabbath. Watch them, do not go away from your house, whatever your work is, unless you have the committing of this family to God. Present them, and let Christ be brought before them as the Saviour that gave His life for the life of the world.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 15

Only think of it! Our Saviour the Prince of life! The Prince of heaven laid off His royal crown, laid aside His royal robe, and clothed His divinity with humanity. What for? That humanity might touch humanity. Did He come as a Prince? No. He might have had myriads of angels with Him if He had chosen, but that was not the way. He was to give an example of perfection of Christian character in just the way that He did give it. Poor, brought up in poverty, working at the trade of His father, this was the way that Christ came to our world to save sinners.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 16

He took the pains to save them. And when these little children were brought to Him, and they were sending them away, Christ forbade them, and He took them in His arms, and He blessed them, and then the mothers went on their way very much relieved. Now what impression was left on those children? When ever they would attempt to do a wrong action: “Don’t you see, don’t you know that Christ laid His hand on you, and blessed you?” Fathers and mothers, bring your children right to the throne of grace, and plead with God for Christ’s sake to pardon their sins.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 17

Now, Christ our Redeemer was a man of sorrow. He came to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. How was it? In order to obtain life for you and me and every one of us in our world, He must come in humanity and give an example of what humanity could be and should be. And there He gave lesson after lesson, and He educated them, and, boys and girls, He was a teacher. He was an educator, He was a minister, He was our example in all things. Now we think enough of eternal life to just practice, if it is possible, the life of my Lord. I think enough of that inheritance that has been purchased for us at such a large cost that I want to live on the plan of addition. I want to add grace to grace, virtue to virtue, and be continually educating the mental powers as well as the physical powers.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 18

Deny the appetite of things, tobacco and rum and all intemperate habits, and keep you children where they will not be tempted with these things. If you take the responsibility of bringing children into the world, you take that responsibility which is of the highest solemnity, of how you are educating them, is it for heaven or for hell? Is it to let Satan come in and have the power over your children, or is it for you to begin with their very infancy to train them how they can be Christians.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 19

What we want is religion. What we want is that eternal life insurance policy. We want to be educated in the line of love Christ will all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul. When the lawyer asked Christ what he should do to have eternal life, Christ turned the question right to the lawyer. He asked him, “What saith the Scriptures, how readest thou?” The lawyer said, “Thou shalt love ... neighbor as thyself.” Now that is the Scripture. Then the question arose, “Who is my neighbor?” Then He brings up a case that they had had right amongst them. [Luke 10:25-37.] (Quote from Bible).

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 20

Now, that is you neighbor. Supposing that that principle could be cultivated in our homes, supposing we cultivated them as we are giving the education to our children, and that we are teaching them the right way to live on the plan of addition. Then how will it be? We are doing just exactly as the Lord would have us do in that case. We have families, and God expects us to do our duties as Abraham did his duty.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 21

Now we have a contrast, and we see Eli. He let his children do just as they pleased. He would remonstrate, but they would never carry out his remonstrance. He let them go, and did not restrain his children. Then what came? God declared from heaven that He would not give them victories in their battles, that He would give them up to the possession of their enemies, because of their unfaithfulness. We are striving for everlasting life, and we want the sweetness of disposition to be brought into the training of our children; we want to be fitting them up for the future, immortal inheritance. It is worth everything to us that we shall have a home, a precious home, in the kingdom of God. Every child is a sacred trust, and you are to educate and train that child for temperance, for kindness, for patience, for longsuffering, just as the Word says, just as it is given here. The Lord wants us to carry out these principles ([2 Peter 1] verses 3, 4) “according as His divine power ... divine nature.”

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 22

That is if you fulfil the promise. Fathers and mothers, I ask you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, are you preparing your children for the future immortal life? Now, our Saviour has given us instructions what we should do. We are to be constantly fitting ourselves to come into possession of the heavenly inheritance, to bring sweetness and joy and goodness right into our daily life. I want Christ. I want Him to be with me. I want strength, I want His grace. Can we consider ourselves Christians merely because we make a profession? Not unless we carry out the principles.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 23

The prayer of Christ before He left the world was “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.” [John 17:17.] Now what kind of a sacrifice did Christ make? He came here to show what it meant to be a Christian, in kindness, in love, in temperance, in all things to be a perfect pattern. Why, to profess to be a Christian is nothing. It is nothing at all. You may be placed in positions of trust, you may become ministers, you may become pastors, you may become all these, and yet there is a selfishness woven into the web that Christ or God does not accept. What we want is to be in a position to give the light of truth just where it should be given. Here we have so much that God would have us take up, and that in taking up we shall learn.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 24

Here we have John 20:1. How hard it was for them to believe that Christ would do just exactly as He said He would do. He said He would rise from the dead the third day. They had forgotten all about it. The comfort of this that should have been with them, they had forgotten, and so the comfort that will be with a true father and a true mother takes care of their home life, teaching the older daughters to take up the responsibilities of life just as soon as they are able to take them up. Bow with them in prayer. When they have a temper that perhaps the mother or the father has given them, the poor little children need sympathy and love and pity and compassion. Bring them along tenderly. Appetites and passions are to be brought under obedience to the law.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 25

We shall see things that we do not dream of yet. We shall see violence and crime that shows that Satan has the possession of minds and characters in our world, that Satan has the possession of the world, as it were, excepting those that have given themselves unreservedly to Jesus Christ.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 26

And He is coming in a little while in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. What we want is to be in a position of educating, educating, educating for the future immortal life.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 27

I want to go to this party, one child says. Yes, but how is it that a Christian mother will allow it? What right have you to allow you children to be with those that are not under the influence of the children of God? We are accountable for the influence we are exerting in this world. And there are many, many who claim to be teachers in the very truths we profess that will find that they are not converted when the trial comes. They do not understand. They are not prepared. They have not lived on the plan of addition. “Add to your faith virtue ... temperance,” temperance in eating, temperance in dress. [2 Peter 1:5, 6.] God has money in this world to do missionary work, and what are you doing about it? Are you piling it on furniture in your house, or on your body in dress? Are you indulging yourselves in this way?

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 28

Now, Christ gave His whole life and all His being for us. It was a costly sacrifice. And if you make nothing of it, and do not seek to practice the plan of addition, place yourself where you can see what you need, and not seek to add every penny you can get to the indulgence, and to put all your money on any such things as this. No; you want to be where you can exert a sacred, holy influence.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 29

Here we have the word coming to us from all nations and tongues and people. We are entering this field, and now we are trying to learn the language. And then they tell how they have to get along in their life work. It is a life of continual self-denial and continual sacrifice. They are trying to work out the plan of salvation. “Add to your faith virtue ... cannot see far off.” [Verses 5-9.] Now, we want a great deal more praying in our meetings. We want a great deal more educating in the very way that we can pursue to meet the mind of Jesus Christ. What a life of self-denial, and what a life of self-sacrifice! And He was working out our salvation. Christ Jesus was working out our salvation, that we might have that life—how can I describe it? It measures with the life of God. It is everlasting life.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 30

Now He told His disciples that they must go out and do the work and it must go. They must do the works that He has done, and “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Why not take up the work? Here is the commission: Matthew 28:16-20.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 31

Now I do not want to take up any more time, but I want to ask you if there is praying and humility and humbling of the soul before God, that when you leave this meeting you will leave with an experience far in advance of what you have had heretofore. What we want is that every soul of us should search our own hearts. What we need is for us to pray most earnestly to God in a humble manner, that we may be prepared, that we shall not be found commandment breakers, that we shall not be found among those that will not put themselves out of line in any way unless it just agreed with you to put yourself out of line, that you will be accomplishing a work that shall bring souls to Jesus Christ.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 32

You want every soul in your family. You want a contribution box. You want that box to educate your children to put in their pennies and their silver bits in that box. If you could see the letters that are written to us that are engaged in the important work of publishing, that we may get the light out everywhere. We want to build a cheap meetinghouse, and they will ask in a modest way if they cannot have some help in doing it. Now what can I say? I have devoted all the royalty of my books in Europe, that they may be multiplied, multiplied, and they have been multiplied, thousands and thousands of dollars to try to help them in that field. And there are others that are working constantly in everything possible to advance the work in these fields, foreign fields, striving for the truth, longing for the truth. And who is it that is preparing themselves to take right hold of the work with these souls, to teach them, to educate them?

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 33

We want more prayer. What we want is prayer to God, to humble our hearts before Him, and to walk in all humility of mind, and right on this campground is a good place for you to begin, to begin in your tent. We used always to have it in the early morning, and I presume you do here. Educate, educate in Bible lines, and then pray. Take right hold of God as though you knew He was a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God, that He will hear our petition, and that we may receive the great grace of God in our hearts.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 34

I came here to tell you this more than anything else, and I want to tell you that the Lord God of heaven will answer the prayer of humble faith. But we are far away from where we should be. Far away. Self, self, self is striving for the monopoly. Self is striving for the prominence and self-indulgence, but we are to be a people to stand before the world as a representation of Christ’s self-denial. He came into our world to die for us, to give His life for us, and they mocked Him, and they put a crown of thorns upon His head. They opposed Him in every way possible, that human beings could do, and it was the devil that led them to do it, and the time of trouble is right before us. We are right in it now. We are in it in these cities, but God helps us. We want to know what it means to be converted. We do not half of us know. We are not converted. We have tugged along all our own natural temperaments, our own natural ideas, and we carry them with us, and that has been one thing that has led me to this camp meeting.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 35

I have been so sick since I have been here, and I did not know as I could say anything. But I want to tell you it is coming right to Jesus in the simplicity of childhood and ask Him just what you need, and be ready to make any and every sacrifice for Jesus Christ. All the money is His, all the possession is His. It is just loaned us to see what object we would put His treasure to, and I want to say, Seek Him, seek Him here while He is to be found, call upon Him while He is nigh, humble your hearts before Him, and work, O work as for your life. God wants every one that is here today to know what it means to sacrifice for the truth. He wants every soul to get rid of that which never will find an entrance into the kingdom of glory.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 36

It is self that has grown to such proportions that you do not know anything about what Christ’s life was, denial at every point, and then He stood there to be crowned with thorns. They spit in His face, they mocked Him, they derided Him—and all this, what was it for? That you might learn what it means to have the purchase of your soul that God has given to Christ to give His life for you. Yes, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 37

Now I want to ask you if this is not the time, I suppose you have been having a few meetings, but is not this the time that we seek the Lord, every one of us? Is it not the time now, to seek Him? Isn’t it time to offer yourselves unreservedly to God? Are there any here that are unconverted, that you can labor with them all through this meeting until you can win them to Christ? Now, here are seats, and I want to know if right here is not the time for every one of us to seek to empty our souls of self; for God has shown me that selfishness is interwoven in the web, and He will not accept the pattern unless every thread of it is withdrawn. This is why there is so little of conversion when our souls ought to be converted, and when the salvation of God ought to be revealed in a much more distinct manner than it is.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 38

I ask you if there are any here that want to take their stand for Jesus. If there is a determination to rid yourself from everything that would separate you from God, you must have a clearer eyesight than you have now. It is not to understand all about faith: you may understand that, that does not do. It is to carry into the practice the self-denial that Christ has presented to you, that you may go here and there and somewhere else and be telling souls what they shall do to be saved.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 39

Heaven, heaven—it is worth everything—persevering, untiring effort from ourselves. Every one take charge of his own self, according to the Scriptures, and that tells you decidedly what to do.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 40

We can see the salvation of God in our camp meetings, or we need not see it, just according to the course we pursue. If we begin in simplicity, if we beg of God for His grace, He heareth us. But do we realize what our individual selves need, what we have to put away, what we have to crucify, and that if we shall come to Him in meekness and lowliness of heart, we shall realize the salvation of God right here upon the ground? What we want is Christ to walk through our midst. We want Him to walk through this very tent and the salvation of God be revealed.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 41

I do not know as I can say anything more, but if there is any one that wants to seek the Lord with all determination of heart, here are seats, come right forward, come right forward and seek the Lord if you have backslidden from Him and if you do not understand. If you become impatient, and if you become talkative, and you can talk of others’ faults, and you can talk and talk and show a spirit that is unchristlike and God is displeased, now let that die.

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 42

Who wants to stand in right relation to God, and who wants to be brought where they know they have a living connection with God? I ask you, Will you manifest it right here? Will you begin this very day to put away self, ministers or people, every one is in danger, it has been opened before me so distinctly that I understand. I cannot tell you the particulars; for you are not ready for it, but I want to say, Will you seek the Lord while He may be found, will you draw nigh unto Him that He may draw nigh unto you, will you humble your hearts before God, and may it be a time here of seeking God, of heart-searching, of repentance, of seeking God with all the heart while you are at this meeting?

22LtMs, Ms 189, 1907, par. 43

I would not have tarried on the way, nothing could have tempted me to, only just that I might say a word that would be a help and blessing to those that are here. And I want to tell you, We are not ready for Christ’s coming. There is to be a humility of mind, there is to be an order of spirit in the truth, that we will “let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:16.] O, there is a discipline we must have to open ourselves to Him, there is a wrestling with God until we know the voice of praise shall ascend to Him right from this campground. It may be so.

The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials

The Visit to Washington, D C. Diary, December 19 to [30], 1890

1888 779.3

December 27, Sabbath. Spoke in the hall to the church in Washington. The hall was well filled and I had much freedom in speaking from 2 Peter 1, showing the necessity of practical godliness.

Loma Linda Messages

E. G. White to J. A. Burden & G. W. Reaser, Jan. 15, 1908 (B.-46-’08.)

LLM 335.4

The first chapter of 2 Peter contains valuable instruction for every worker. Read this chapter, and understand it for your individual selves. It is your privilege to secure the everlasting life insurance policy there brought to view.

Loma Linda Messages

E. G. White to Those in Our Sanitariums, Sept. 10, 1910 (B. 77, 1910)

LLM 560.1

Read slowly the whole of the first chapter of second Peter and grasp by faith the precious truths given for our encouragement.

Sermons and Talks, vol. 2

Manuscript 163, 1898

2SAT 126.3

We read in 2 Peter 1 that you are to be divine partakers of Jesus Christ, and there is not one of the very simplest in the institution but that he can take hold of the divine nature through the knowledge of Jesus Christ who gave His life to buy us. Then we must consider we are bought with a price—even the precious blood of the Son of God. God is not going to let us drift this way and that way with Satan’s temptations, but if you will stand in Christ and if you will be determined that you will make of yourself all that God intended you should make, you can become as precious in the sight of God as Daniel was—beloved of God.