Chap. 5 - An Opportunity

Berrien Springs, Mich., May 20, 1904.

Dear Brethren Daniells and Prescott:--

Yesterday a very strong impression came upon me that now is our time to save Dr. Kellogg. We must now work with determined effort. We must not prescribe the precise steps he must take, but we must lay hold of the man himself, and let him see that the Spirit of God and the spirit of soul-saving are in us. Satan has worked to bind him up with himself, but shall we stand by, and make no effort to pull him away from Satan? Shall we not, in the name of the Lord, call for Dr. Kellogg to come to this meeting, not that we may make accusations against him, but that we may help him, and all of us draw with Christ? {SpTB02 30.1}

Not one of us is above temptation. There is a work that Dr. Kellogg is educated to perform as no other man in our ranks can perform it; and if he will draw nigh to God, God will draw nigh to him. We are to draw with all our power, not making accusations, not prescribing what he must do, but letting him see that we are not willing that any should perish, but that every man should have that which Christ died to present to him,-- eternal life. {SpTB02 30.2}

Is it not worth the trial? Satan is drawing him, but last night I saw a hand reached out to clasp his hand, and the words were spoken: "Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me, and he shall make peace with Me. Satan is striving for the victory. I will help Dr. Kellogg to stand on vantage ground, and every soul who loves Me must work with Me. As he sees Me do, so must he do. {SpTB02 30.3}

"Leave the individuality of the man for God to work with at the present time. Every one needs to remember that Christ will pardon all transgression and all sin, because He came to save those that were lost." {SpTB02 31.1}

To all -- for there were many looking on -- He said, "Look not on this man, but look on Me. I gave My life to save him unto eternal life. He has dishonored Me. It is My name that must be honored as a sin-pardoning Saviour. I will open blind eyes. {SpTB02 31.2}

"Take heed, every soul, take heed to yourselves. lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." {SpTB02 31.3}

Then the Saviour stretched out His hand, saying: "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day. If ye be obedient to the knowledge ye have received from My word, then, walking according to My word, ye are the children of the day. Ye are not of the night, nor of darkness; therefore ye are not to sleep as do others, but to watch and be sober. Walk as children of the day. You all need a more earnest hold upon heavenly things. All need the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. You have not already attained, neither are you now perfect. A work of purification is to be done in your souls; then your lives will demonstrate that you are pressing toward the mark of the prize of your high calling in Christ. {SpTB02 31.4}

"Every man needs to walk humbly with God. Grow in grace and in a knowledge of God and your Saviour Jesus Christ. By looking unto your Saviour, beholding with open face as in a glass the glory of the Lord, you will be changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. As I work with you and you abide in me, you will reveal perfection of character. You will be made perfect in one. John Kellogg, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may see that of your own self you can do nothing. You can not possibly atone for your own sins. Through faith in Christ Jesus purify your soul from all dross, and reveal the righteousness of Christ, which is of God by faith. Christ has marked your desires when His Spirit has striven with you." {SpTB02 32.1}

Then Dr. Kellogg exclaimed: "I am sinful, but He hath covered me with His own righteousness, and henceforth I will go in the strength of the Lord God. Henceforth I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only." {SpTB02 32.2}

Confessions were made, and the words were spoken by Christ, "Unless you walk in all humility of mind, Satan will obtain the victory." {SpTB02 32.3}

Dr. Kellogg exclaimed, "He hath broken the bands of Satan; He hath covered me with the robe of His righteousness. I will go in the strength of the Lord God. I will make mention of Thy righteousness." {SpTB02 32.4}

A hand was laid upon the hand of Dr. Kellogg and upon the hand of W. K. Kellogg, and the Saviour said: "I have not been unmindful of your struggles; but ye would not come unto Me that ye might have life. Take My yoke upon you, and unite with your brethren, all of whom need to wear My yoke. 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. Ye were sometimes in darkness, because you did not wear My yoke. If you will wear My yoke and learn of Me, you will henceforth reveal My meekness and lowliness. Ye were sometimes darkness, but henceforth you are to be children of the light. If you will keep hold of My strength, you will be all light in the Lord. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light." {SpTB02 32.5}

Christ took the hands of both Dr. Kellogg and W. K. Kellogg, and said, "Awake to your responsibilities, but take on yourselves fewer burdens than you have taken in the past. Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee spiritual light. See that you both walk unitedly. I will be your sufficiency. Do not walk in your own strength, but with the sense that I am your helper. See, then, that ye walk circumspectly." {SpTB02 33.1}

Then His hand was laid upon the hands of Elder Daniells, and Elder Prescott, and W. C. White, and the words were spoken: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds of the enemy, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." {SpTB02 33.2}

Then He turned to the gospel medical missionaries, and said: "Ye strike too low. There is a broader work for you to do. Leave the smaller work for those who need the experience, but teach them all to be ever reaching a higher standard. Keep your souls in the love of God. Broaden your work. Teach those who know not the truth. The cities are to be worked. All the work to be done God will open before those who are striving to save souls perishing in their sins. There are various lines of work; but unite, unite in perfect harmony. This is your safety and your wisdom and your strength. {SpTB02 33.3}

"Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump,--the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. {SpTB02 34.1}

"Unify. Your unbelief and lack of unity have been a standing reproach to the people of God, who have been given such great light. The pride of the human heart has dishonored the greatest work ever committed to mortals. Unify; come into the sanctifying circle of truth. Draw together; walk humbly with God; and be subject one to another, according to the light of the word. Let no man seek to be the greatest. This has been an offense to God. Press together, and heed every word of God; that will create oneness. Avoid all fault-finding and dissension. Perplexing matters will adjust themselves if each one will walk circumspectly. {SpTB02 34.2}

"As you seek to reach the highest standard, I will turn My hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin. I will melt them and try them. Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. You are to be one. Strive no longer to be first. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Read the first twelve verses of the second chapter of First Peter. God gave these words through His servant. Let all help their brethren to be one as Christ is one with the Father." {SpTB02 35.1}

I can write no more now. I am bidden to present this to my brethren, for them to carry to others, who are not at this meeting. Work with all diligence in harmony with Christ. We have not a moment to spend in contention. Every soul is to be hidden with Christ in God. There is to be a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation. Those who have any realization of this will not regard it as a virtue to make little differences a hindrance to their own spirituality and to the advancement of the work of God. Let the Lord's entrusted means be put in operation, that new fields may be opened. Let lines of work be set in operation to warn the cities and villages as fast as possible; for the time will soon be upon us when the enemy will imbue all wicked men with his devising. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. God calls upon His people to assist with their means, that in the places which He has specified should be worked, there may be wise men to carry the work forward. {SpTB02 35.2}