Meetings at St. Helena, Cal.

Thus hath it been presented to me in regard to the Rural Health Retreat. I had a message of warning. I spoke with earnestness, and I know the Lord put his Holy Spirit upon me while I presented the danger of association with, and love of, the world. The worldling is ever on the watch to criticize and accuse those who serve God. This will reveal itself in the querulous complaining of professed Christians, who have never been transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ. They are deadly enemies to those who believe. They despise the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and if they can make it appear that those who are striving to obey the commandments of God are faulty, Satan has cast his arrow, and now what?-- He has shown his accusing power; but his cruel thrusts will do little harm if the professed believers will stand true to the words of Christ, and be doers of his word, and not hearers only. Those to whom these complaints are made, are under bonds to Jesus Christ to love and respect and be faithful to one another who are united to Christ in church fellowship. To unite with the fault-finding element, to be accusers of the brethren, to take up the reproach they lay at your door, is seconding the work of the enemy by playing yourself into his hands, to make his work a success. {SpTA06 4.3}

I presented the matter before the hearers, that Jesus the Lord of life and glory, was crucified to please the malice of the Jews, because the principles he presented did not coincide with their own ideas and ambitious aims. He condemned all guile, all underhanded work of policy for supremacy, and every unholy practise. Pilate and Herod became friends in crucifying Jesus Christ. They pleased the Jews in making effective their enmity against one whom Pilate proclaimed innocent. I presented to them Judas, who betrayed his Lord for money value; Peter who denied him in his humiliation in the judgment-hall. A few hours before, he had with great firmness assured his Master he would go with him to prison and to death, and notwithstanding Jesus' declaration that he would, ere the cock crow, deny him thrice, he was so self-confident that he took not the words of Christ as verity and truth. How little he knew himself! How soon circumstances tested his allegiance to his Master! He denied Jesus in the very hour he should have watched with him in fervent prayer. When in the judgment-hall he was accused of being one of this man's disciples, he denied; and the third time he was accused, he emphasized his denial with cursing and swearing. Said Christ, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me." The look of grief and sadness which Jesus gave Peter, was not a hopeless look; it broke the heart of Peter, who denied his Lord. {SpTA06 5.1}

But Peter was converted, and then after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, when before the rulers, he boldly declared for Jesus, and charged the rulers with these words: "But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life." There Peter shows himself entirely a different man after his conversion, than the self-confident, boasting Peter prior to his conversion. I presented before them the voice of the world, the enemies of Christ, saying to Christ's messengers, "Ye should not teach in this name," and "bring this man's blood upon us." Did these threatenings succeed? did it make cowards of the witnesses of Christ? -- No; they proclaimed the message given them of God; and they were shut up in prison, and God sent his angels to release them. The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them forth and said, "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." This voice from the heavenly angels was directly opposite to that voice from the authorities, and which should they obey? "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay him." Then Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, pleaded in behalf of the apostles, and his words prevailed. Well, this is a little part of the words the Lord gave me to speak to the people. {SpTA06 6.1}

The words given me were of that character that I knew the people needed, and which would benefit them if they would hear. One discourse was upon how to treat those united with us in church capacity, if they erred. They were not to permit their minds to be affected to action by the words of the Lord's enemies against his children. If complaints or murmurings or charges are made, they must study in Christ's school as to the course to be pursued toward the ones of whom complaints are made. Tell the matter between him and thee alone, and if he will not hear, then take two or three others; if he will not hear these, tell it to the church. The world has no part with the believers in this work. They cannot discern the motives and principles by which God's people are bound in their relations and dealings with one another. We must be true, loyal soldiers in the army of Jesus Christ. All his followers are to keep step with their Leader. They should never introduce their secrets to, or make confidants of, the enemies of Jesus Christ in regard to their movements or what they purpose to do in their line of action; for it is a betrayal of sacred trusts, and is giving the enemy every advantage. Let the counsel of the people of God be within their own company. The enemies of Christ should not be made familiar with their secrets, while the children of God are kept in ignorance of the very things they ought to know. The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him. {SpTA06 7.1}

The world is the chief enemy of religion. The satanic forces are constantly at work through the world, and those who are professed Christians, yet associated with the world in close fellowship, are so much one in spirit, aims, and principles of working, that they cannot discern between him who serveth God and him who serveth the world. The enemy works constantly to push the world to the front, to be looked upon as superior to those who believe in Jesus, and who seek to be doers of his word. Words of praise and flattery from worldlings are received as sweet morsels, but the judgment of those who love this sort of food is in accordance with the weakness which they show in this direction. Their spiritual life is composed of just the kind of material they feed upon. Their Christian experience is largely dependent on flattery and human appreciation. The fear and love of God are not interwoven in their experience. How pitiable and sad to see men who have known something of the Spirit of God, fall so completely into the arms of the world, as to be swayed and influenced by its voice, and depend upon it favors for strength and success! How manifestly such are alienated from Christ, how full of self-confidence, how full of vaunting, of vanity, and how short-sighted in regard to spiritually! How little true discernment have they to distinguish between him who is a child of God, an heir of the kingdom, and him who is a child of the wicked one, who is a child of disobedience, and an enemy of God! There are only two classes in our world: Those who are obedient to Jesus Christ, who seek the Master, to do his will, and work for the attainment of the salvation of their own souls, and the soul of every one who is associated with them, who names the name of Christ; and the children of disobedience. There are but two classes in our world. Then listen to the words of One who knows: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them." 1 John 4:4, 5. Souls are being deluded. The fear and love of God have not a controlling power. The world is their master, and they chase after its delusive, flattering mirage. Listen to One who gave his life for the world, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." He spake as never man spake. The whole of John 15 contains a most important lesson. Read it; obey it. Again, hear the voice of God, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." {SpTA06 8.1}