W  
ll  
Center for Adventist Research  
Andrews University •  
Berrien Springs, Michigan  

TESTIMONY FOR THE CHURCH.  
YOUNG SABBATH-KEEPERS.  
YOUNG Sabbath-keepers are given to pleas- 
ure-seeking. I saw that there is not one in 
twenty that knows what experimental religion  
is. They are constantly grasping after some-
thing to satisfy their desire for change, for  
amusement, and unless they are undeceived  
' and their sensibilities aroused, so that they can  
say from the heart, " I count all things but loss 
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
Jesus, my Lord," they are not worthy of him,  
and will come short of everlasting life. The  
young, generally, are in a terrible deception,  
and yet profess godliness. Their unconsecra-
ted lives are a reproach to the Christian name,  
and their example is a snare to others. They  
hinder the sinner, for in nearly every respect 
they are no better than unbelievers. They  
have the word of God, but its warnings, ad-
monitions, reproofs and corrections are unheed- 
ed, as are also the encouragements and prom-
ises to the obedient and faithful. God's prom-
ises are all on condition of  humble obedience.  
On 
e pattern only is given the young, and I  
feel alarmed as I witness everywhere, in every  
place, the frivolity of young men and women  
who profess to believe the truth. How do


10  
their lives compare with the life of Christ?  
God does not seem to be in their thoughts. 
Their minds are filled with nonsense. Their  
conversation is only empty, vain talk. Their 
ear is keen for music, and the Devil knows 
what organs to excite to animate, to engross, 
and charm the mind, so that Christ is not de- 
sired. The spiritual longings of the soul for a  
growth in grace, for divine knowledge, are 
wanting.  
I wras shown that the youth must take a  
higher stand, and make the word of God the  
man of their counsel and their guide. I saw  
that solemn responsibilities rest upon the 
young, which they lightly regard. The intro-
duction of music into their homes, instead of*  
inciting to holiness and spirituality, has been 
the means of diverting their minds from the 
truth. Frivolous songs, and the popular sheet- 
music of the day seem congenial to their taste.  
The instruments of music have taken time  
which should be devoted to prayer. Music, 
when not abused, is a great blessing; but  
when put to a wrong use is a terrible curse.  
It excites, but does not impart that strength 
and courage which the Christian can find at the  
throne of grace alone, while humbly making  
known his wants,and with strong cries and tears  
pleading for heavenly strength to be fortified  
against the powerful temptations of Satan. 
Satan is leading the young captive. Oh!  
what can I say to lead them to break his power  
of infatuation ! He is a skillful charmer, luring  
on the young to perdition. Listen to the in-
structions from the inspired book of God. I  

11  
saw that Satan had blinded the minds of the  
youth, that they could not comprehend the 
truths of God's word. Their sensibilities were  
so blunted that they regard not the injunctions 
of the holy apostle:  
" Children, obey your parents in the Lord :  
fo 
r this is right. Honor thy father and thy  
mother (which is the first commandment with  
promise), that it may be well with thee, and 
thou mayest live long upon the [new]  
earth." Children who dishonor their parents,  
and disobey them, and disregard their advice  
and instructions, can have no part in the earth  
mad 
e new. The purified new earth will be no  
place for the rebellious, the disobedient, the 
unthankful, ungrateful son or daughter. Un- 
less such learn obedience and submission here, 
they will never learn the lesson hereafter, and 
the peace of the ransomed will never be  marred  
by the disobedient, unruly, unsubmissive  
children. No commandment-breaker can in-
heri 
t the kingdom of Heaven. Will all the  
youth please read the fifth commandment  
spoken by Jehovah from Sinai, and engraven  
with his own finger upon tables of stone ? 
" Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy  
days may be long upon the land which the  
Lord thy God giveth thee." " Children, obey 
your parents in all things; for this is well 
pleasing unto the Lord."  
I was referred to many passages of Scripture  
that are plain, instructing the young, showing  
them clearly the will of God concerning them.  
These plain teachings they must meet in the  
judgment. Yet there is not one young man


4  
or woman in twenty who professes the pres- 
ent truth, who heeds these Bible teachings.  
They do not read the word of God enough to 
know its claims upon them, and yet these 
truths will judge them in the great day of God,  
when young and old will be judged according  
to the deeds done in the body.  
Says John, " I have written unto you, young  
men, because ye are strong, and the word of  
God abideth in you; and ye have overcome  
th 
e wicked one. Love not the world, neither  
the things that are in the world. If any man 
love the world the love of the Father is not in  
him. For all that is in the world, the lust of  
the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the  
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the 
world. And the world passeth away, and the  
lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God  
abideth forever."  
This exhortation to young men extends also  
to young women. Their youth does not ex- 
cuse them from the responsibilities resting up-
on them. The youth are strong. They are 
not worn down with the weight of years, and 
with cares. Their affections are ardent, and  
if they are withdrawn from the world, and  
are placed upon Christ and Heaven, doing  
the will of God, they will have a hope of the  
better life that is enduring, and they will abide  
forever 
, being crowned with glory, honor, im- 
mortality, eternal life. If the youth live to  
gratify the lust of the flesh, the lust of the  
eyes, and the pride of life, they are seeking for  
the things of the world, are pleasing their  
great adversary, and separating themselves  

from the Father. And when these things that  
are sought after pass away, their hopes are  
blasted and their expectations perish. Sepa- 
rated from God, then will they bitterly repent 
their folly of serving their own pleasure, of  
gratifying their own desires, and for a few  
frivolous enjoyments, of selling a life of im- 
mortal bliss that they might have enjoyed for- 
evermore, " Love not the world, neither the  
things that are in the world," says the inspired  
apostle. Then the warning, " If any man love 
the world, the love of the Father is not in him."  
It is an alarming fact that the love of the world  
predominates in the minds of the young. They  
decidedly love the world and the things that  
are in the world, and for this very reason the  
lov 
e of God finds no room in their hearts.  
Their pleasures are found in the world, and in  
the things of the world, and they are strangers  
to the Father and the graees of his Spirit.  
Frivolity and fashion, and empty, vain talking 
and laughing, characterize the life of the youth  
generally, and God is dishonored. Titus ex- 
horts the youth to sobriety. " Young men, 
likewise, exhort to be sober-minded. In all 
things shewing thyself a pattern of good works;  
in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity,  
sincerity, sound speech that cannot Toe con-
demned ; that he that is of the contrary part  
may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say  
of you."  
I entreat the youth for their souls' sake to  
heed the exhortation of the inspired apostle.  
All these gracious instructions, warnings, and  
reproofs, will be either a savor of life unto life


10  
or of death unto death. Many of the young 
are reckless in their conversation. They  
choose to forget that by their words they shall  
be justified, or by their words be condemned. 
Take heed to the words of our Saviour: "A  
good man out of the good treasure of the heart 
bringeth forth good things, and an evil man  
out of the evil treasure of the heart bringeth  
fort 
h evil things. But I say unto you, that  
every idle word that men shall speak they shall  
give account thereof in the day of judgment;  
for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and 
by thy words thou shalt be condemned."  
How little regard is paid even to the instruc- 
tions of the heavenly Teacher. The word of  
God is either not studied at all, or if it is, its  
solem 
n truths are not heeded, and these plain  
truths will rise up in judgment and condemn 
them.  
Words and acts testify plainly what is in  
the heart. If vanity and pride, love of self  
and love of dress fill the heart, the conversa- 
tion will be upon the fashions, the dress, and 
the appearance, but not on Christ or the king- 
dom of Heaven. If envious feelings dwell in  
the heart, the same will be manifested in words  
and acts. Those who measure themselves by  
others, and do as others do, and make no higher  
attainments, and excuse themselves over the  
wrongs and faults of others, are feeding on  
husks, and will remain spiritual dwarfs as long  
as they gratify the Devil by thus indulging  
thei 
r own unconsecrated feelings. Some dwell  
upon what they shall eat and drink, and where-
witha 
l they shall be clothed. Their hearts are  

11  
filled with these thoughts, and they flow out 
from the abundance of the heart, as though  
these things were their grand aim in life, their 
highest attainment. They forget the words of  
Christ, " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and  
his righteousness, and all these things shall 
be added unto you." The youth have their  
hearts filled with their own love of self, which 
is manifested in their desire to see their faces  
daguerreotyped by the artist; and they will  
not be satisfied with being once represented, 
but they will sit again and again for their pic-
ture, hoping they will appear a little better,  
and excel all their previous efforts, and appear  
really more beautiful than the original. Their 
Lord's money is squandered in this way, and  
what is gained? Merely their poor shadow  
upo 
n paper. The hours that ought to have  
been devoted to prayer, are occupied upon  
their own poor selves,-—precious hours of pro- 
bation are thus wasted. Satan is gratified to  
have the attention of youth attracted by any-
thing to divert their minds from God, so that  
the deceiver can steal a march upon them, and 
they, unprepared for his attacks, be ensnared.  
They are not aware that the great Heavenly  
Artist is taking cognizance of every act, every  
word,  and their deportment; and that even  
the thoughts and intents of the heart stand  
faithfully delineated. Every defect in the  
moral character stands forth revealed to the  
gaze of angels, and they will have the faithful 
picture presented to them in all its deformity  
at the execution of the judgment. Those vain,  
frivolous words are all written in the book.


10  
Those false words are written. Those decep- 
tive acts, with the motives concealed from hu- 
man eyes, hut discerned by the all-seeing eye of 
Jehovah, are all written in living characters. 
Every selfish act is exposed. The young gen- 
erally conduct themselves as though the pre-
cious hours of probation, while mercy lingers,  
are one grand holiday, and that they are  
placed in this world merely for their own  
amusement, to be gratified with a continued  
round of excitement. Satan has been making  
special efforts to lead the youth to find happi- 
ness in worldly amusements, and to justify 
themselves in thus doing, by endeavoring to  
show that these amusements are harmless, in- 
nocent, and even important for health. The 
impression has been given by some physicians 
that spirituality and devotion to God are  
detrimental to health. This suits the adver- 
sary of souls well. There are persons with 
diseased imaginations who do not rightly  
represent the religion of Christ; such have not  
the pure religion of the Bible. Some are  
scourging themselves all through their life  
because of their sins; all they can see is an  
offended God of justice. Christ and his re-
deeming power, through the merits of his  
blood, they fail to see. Such have not faith.  
This class are generally those who have not  
well-balanced minds. Through disease trans-
mitted to them from their parents, and an er- 
roneous education in youth, they have imbibed 
wrong habits, injuring the constitution, affect- 
ing the brain, causing the moral organs to be 
diseased, and making it impossible for them  

11  
upon all points to think and act rationally.  
They have not well-balanced minds. Godli- 
ness and righteousness is not destructive to  
health, but is health to the body and strength  
to the soul. Says Peter: " He that will love  
life, and see good days, let him eschew evil,  
and do good; let him seek peace and ensue  
it: for the eyes of the Lord are over the right- 
eous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; 
but the face of the Lord is against them that  
do evil. But and if ye suffer for righteous-
ness' sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid  
of their terror, neither be troubled."  
The consciousness of right-doing is the best  
medicine for diseased bodies and minds. The  
special blessing of God resting upon the re-
ceiver is health and strength. A person whose 
mind is quiet and satisfied in God is in the  
pathway to health. To have a consciousness  
that the eyes of the Lord are upon us, and his  
ears open to hear our prayers, is a satisfaction  
indeed. To know that we have a never-fail- 
ing Friend in whom we can confide all the se- 
crets of the soul, is a privilege which words 
can never express. Those whose moral facul-
ties are beclouded by disease are not the ones  
to rightly represent the Christian life, or the 
beauties of holiness. They are too often in  
the fire of fanaticism, or the water of cold in- 
difference or stolid gloom.  
The words of Christ are of more worth than  
the opinions of all the physicians in the uni- 
verse. " Seek ye first the kingdom of God  
and his righteousness, and all these things shall  
be added unto you." This is the first great


10  
object,—the kingdom of Heaven, the right- 
eousness of Christ. Other objects to be at- 
tained should be secondary to these. Satan 
will present the path of holiness as difficult, 
while those of worldly pleasures will be strewed  
with flowers.  
In false and flattering colors will the tempter  
array the world with its pleasures before you.  
Vanity is one of the strongest traits of our de- 
praved natures, and Satan knows that he can  
successfully appeal to it. He will flatter you  
through his agents. You may receive praise  
of men and women. It may gratify your van- 
ity, foster in you pride and self-esteem, and 
yo 
u may think that it really is a great pity for  
you, with such advantages, such attractions, 
to come out from the world and be separate,  
an 
d become a Christian, to forsake your com- 
panions, and be alike dead to their praise or cen- 
sure. Satan tells you that with the advantages  
you possess you could to a high degree enjoy 
th 
e pleasures of the world. Let such consider  
that the pleasures of earth will have an end,  
and that which they sow they shall also reap.  
Are personal attractions, ability, or talents, too  
valuable to devote to God, the author of your 
being ? he who watches over you every mo- 
ment ? Are your qualifications too precious  
t 
o devote to God?  
The young will urge that they need some- 
thing to enliven and divert the mind. I saw  
that there was pleasure in industry, a satisfac- 
tion in pursuing a life of usefulness. Some  
still urge that they must have something to  
interest the mind, when business ceases,—  

11  
some mental occupation or amusementto which  
the mind can turn for relief and refreshment  
amid cares and wearing labor. The Chris- 
tian's hope is just what is needed. Religion 
will prove to the believer a comforter and a  
sur 
e guide to the fountain of true happiness.  
I saw that the young should study the word of  
God, and give themselves to meditation and  
prayer, and they will find that their spare mo-
ments cannot be better employed. Young  
friends, you should take time to prove your  
own selves, whether you are in the love of God. 
Be diligent to make your calling and election  
sure. All depends upon your course of action, 
whether you secure to yourselves the better 
life. " Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasant-
ness, and all her paths are peace." For the  
young to contemplate the future abode of the 
righteous, the everlasting reward, is a high  
aiid ennobling theme. Dwell upon the mar- 
velous plan of salvation, the great sacrifice 
made by the King of glory to prepare the way 
that you might be elevated through the merits  
of his blood, and by obedience finally be ex- 
alted to the throne of Christ. This subject 
should engage the noblest contemplation of  
the mind. To be brought into favor with  
God,—what a privilege! To commune with  
Him,—what can more elevate, refine, and ex- 
alt us above the frivolous pleasures of earth ? 
To have our corrupt natures renovated by 
grace, our lustful appetites and animal propen- 
sities in subjection, and we standing forth with 
noble, moral independence, achieving victories


10  
every day, will give peace of conscience which  
can arise alone from right doing.  
I saw, young friends, that with such em- 
ployment and diversion as this, you might be  
happy. But the reason you are restless is, 
you do not seek to the only true source for  
happiness. You are ever trying to find out of  
Christ that enjoyment which is found alone in  
him. In him are no disappointed hopes.  
Prayer! Oh, how is this precious privilege 
neglected. The reading of the word of God  
prepares the mind for prayer. One of the  
greatest reasons why you have so little dispo- 
sition to draw nearer to God by prayer is, you 
have unfitted yourselves for this sacred work 
by reading fascinating stories, which have ex- 
cited the imagination and aroused unholy pas- 
sions. The word of God becomes distasteful,  
th 
e hour of prayer is not thought of. Prayer  
is the strength of the Christian. When alone,  
he is not alone; he feels the presence of One  
who has said, " Lo, I am with you alway."  
The young want just what they have not,  
namely, RELIGION. Nothing can take the  
place of it. Profession alone is nothing.  
Names are registered upon the church-books  
upon earth, but not in the book of life.  
I saw that there is not one of the youth in  
twenty who knows what experimental religion 
is. They serve themselves, and yet profess to  
be servants of Christ; but unless the spell  
which is upon the youth is broken, they will  
soo 
n realize that the portion of the trans- 
gressor is theirs. As for self-denial or sacri- 

11  
fice for the truth's sake, they have found an  
easier wray above it all. As for the earnest  
pleadings with tears and strong cries to God  
for his pardoning grace, and strength from  
him to resist the temptations of Satan, they 
have found it unnecessary to be so earnest and  
zealous; they can get along well without.  
Christ, the King of glory, went often alone in  
the mountains and desert places to pour out 
hi 
s soul's request to his Father, but sinful man,  
in whom is no strength, thinks he can live  
without so much prayer.  
Christ is their pattern, his life was an exam- 
ple of good works. A man of sorrows and  
acquainted with grief. He wept over Jerusa-
lem, because they would not be saved by ac- 
cepting the redemption he offered them. They  
would not come to him that they might have  
life. Compare your course of life with that  
of your Master, who made so great a sacrifice  
that you might be saved. He was a man of  
sorrows, acquainted with grief, frequently  
spending whole nights upon the damp ground  
in agonizing prayer. You are seeking your own  
pleasure. Listen to the frivolous, light and vain  
conversation, hear the laugh, the jesting, the  
joking. Is this imitating the pattern ? Still  
listen,—is Jesus mentioned ? Is the truth the  
them 
e of conversation ? Are they glorying in  
the cross of Christ? It is this fashion, that 
bonnet, that dress, what that young man said,  
or that young lady said, or the amusements 
they are planning. What glee ! Are angels  
attracte 
d and pressing close around them to  
ward off the weight of darkness Satan is


10  
pressing in upon and around them ? Oh, no.  
See, they turn away in sorrow. I see even a  
tear upon the faces of these angels. Can it 
be that angels of God are made to weep ? It is  
even so.  
High and eternal things have little weight  
with the youth. Angels of God are in tears  
as they write in the roll the words, the acts,  
the doings of professed Christians. Angels  
are hovering around that dwelling. The young 
are there assembled; there is the sound of  
vocal and instrumental music. Christians are 
here assembled, but what is that you hear ?  
It is a song, a frivolous ditty, fit for the dance  
hall. Behold the pure angels gather the light  
which enshrouds them closer around them,  
and darkness envelops those in that dwelling.  
The angels are moving from the scene. Sad- 
ness is upon the countenance. Behold angels  
weeping. This I saw acted over a number of  
times, all through the ranks of Sabbath-keep- 
ers, and especially in Battle Creek. Music 
has occupied the hours which should be de- 
voted to prayer. Music is the idol which 
many professed Sabbath-keeping Christians 
worship. The Devil has no objection to 
music, if he can make that a channel through  
which to gain access to the minds of youth. 
Anything will suit his purpose that will divert  
the mind from God, and engage the time  
which should be devoted to his service, and  
which will exert the strongest influence in  
holding the largest numbers, paralyzed by his 
power, with a pleasing infatuation. Music is  
made one of Satan's most attractive agencies  

11  
to ensnare souls; but, when turned to a good  
account, it is a blessing. When abused, it  
leads the unconsecrated to pride, vanity, and 
folly. When music is allowed to take the  
place of devotion and prayer, it is a terrible  
curse. Young people assemble together to 
sing, and, although professed Christians, fre- 
quently dishonor God and their faith by their  
frivolous conversation and their choice of  
music. It is not congenial to their taste to 
make sacred music their choice. I was di- 
rected to the plain teachings of God's word,  
which have been passed by unnoticed. All  
these words of inspiration will condemn in  
the judgment those who have not heeded 
them 
.  
The apostle Paul exhorts Timothy " by the  
commandment of God our Savio.ur and Lord  
Jesus Christ:" "I will therefore that men 
pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, with- 
out wrath and doubting. In like manner also,  
that women adorn themselves in modest ap-
parel, with shame-facedness and sobriety; not  
with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly  
array; but, which becometh women profess- 
ing godliness, with good works."  
Peter exhorts: " Wherefore gird up the loins  
of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end  
for the grace that is to be brought unto you  
at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient 
children, not fashioning yourselves according  
to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as  
he which hath called you is holy, so be ye  
holy in all manner of conversation; because  
it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."


10  
The inspired Paul exhorts Titus to give  
special instructions to the church of Christ, 
"that they may adorn the doctrine of God  
our Saviour in all things." He says: " Teach-
ing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly  
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and 
godly, in this present world; looking for that  
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of  
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 
who gave himself for us, that he might redeem 
us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a 
peculiar people, zealous of good works."  
Peter exhorts the churches to " be sober,  
be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil,  
as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom  
he may devour." " But the end of all things  
is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch 
unto prayer."  
Again he says, " But sanctify the Lord God  
i 
n your hearts; and be ready always to give  
an answer to every man that asketh you a  
reason of the hope that is in you, with meek- 
ness and fear; having a good conscience;  
that 
, whereas they speak evil of you, as of  
evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely  
accuse your good conversation in Chi'ist. For  
it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye  
suffer for well doing, than for evil doing."  
Are the youth in that position where they  
can give an answer to every man that asketh  
a reason of their hope with meekness and fear ?  
The youth, I saw, fail greatly to understand  
our position. Terrible scenes are just before 
them, a time of trouble which will test the  
value of character. Those who have the truth  

11  
abiding in them will then be developed. Those  
who have shunned the cross, neglected the  
wrord of life, and pay adoration to their own  
poor selves, will be found wanting. They  
are ensnared by Satan, and will then learn too  
late that they have made a terrible mistake. 
The pleasures they have sought after prove  
bitter in the end. Said the angel, " Sacrifice  
all for God. Self must die. The natural de-
sires and propensities of the unrenewed heart 
must be subdued." Flee to the neglected  
Bible 
; the words of inspiration are spoken to  
you, pass them not lightly by, for you will  
meet every word again, to render an account  
whether you have been a doer of the work,  
shaping your life according to the holy teach- 
ings of God's word. Holiness of heart and  
lif 
e are necessary.  
As servants of Jesus Christ, every one who  
has taken his name and has enlisted in his  
service, must be a good soldier of the cross. 
They should manifest in their lives that they  
are dead to the world, and that their lives are  
hid with Christ in God.  
Pau 
l writes to his Colossian brethren as  
follows: " If ye then be risen with Christ,  
seek those things which are above, where  
Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set  
your affection on things above, not on things  
on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life 
is hid with Christ in God. When Christ,  
who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also  
appear with him in glory." " And above all 
these things put on charity, which is the bond  
2


10  
of perfectness. And let the peace of God  
rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are  
called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let  
the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all  
wisdom; teaching and admonishing one an-
other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,  
singin 
g with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do 
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving  
thank 
s to God and the Father by him."  
^T? the Ephesians he writes: " See then  
that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but  
a 
s wise. Redeeming the time, because the  
days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise,  
but understanding what the will of the Lord  
is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is 
excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking  
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spirit-
ual songs, singing and making melody in your 
heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for  
all things unto God and the Father in the  
name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  
God can be glorified by songs of praise  
from a pure heart filled with love and devotion  
to him. When consecrated believers assemble  
together, their conversation will not be upon  
the imperfections of others, or savor of mur- 
murin 
g or complaint; charity, or love, the  
bond of perfectness, will encircle them. Their  
hearts, filled with love to God and their fellow-
men, flow out naturally in words of affection,  
sympathy, and esteem for their brethren. The  
peace of God ruling in their hearts, their wTords  
are not vain, empty, and frivolous, but to the  
comfort and edification of one another. If  

11  
Christians will obey the instructions given to  
them by Christ and his inspired spostles, they  
will adorn the religion of the Bible, and save 
themselves much perplexity and severe trials,  
which they attribute to their afflictions in 
consequence of believing unpopular truth. 
This is a sad mistake. Very many of their  
trials  are of their own creating, because they  
depart from the word of God. They yield to  
the world, place themselves upon the enemy's  
battle-field, and tempt the Devil to tempt  
them 
. By adhering strictly to the admonitions  
and instructions of God's word, prayerfully  
seeking to knoAV and do his righteous will,  
they feel not the petty grievancies daily occur-
ring. The gratitude dwelling in their hearts,  
the peace of God ruling in them, causes them 
to make melody in their hearts unto the Lord,  
and by words make mention of the debt of  
love and thankfulness due the dear Saviour,  
who so loved them as to die that they might  
hav 
e life. Not one who has an indwelling  
Saviour will dishonor him before others by  
producing strains from a musical instrument  
which call the mind from God and Heaven to  
light and trifling things.  
The young are required in whatsoever they  
do, in word or deed, to do all in the name of  
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the  
Father by him. I saw that but few of the youth 
understand what it comprises to be Christians,  
to be Christ-like. They will have to learn the  
truths of God's word before they can conform  
their lives to the pattern. There is not one  
young person in twenty wrho has experienced


10  
in their lives that separation from the world 
which God requires of them in order to be- 
come members of his family, children of the  
heavenly King. " Wherefore come out from  
amon 
g them, and be ye separate, saith the  
Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I 
will receive you, and will be a Father unto 
you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,  
saith the Lord Almighty."  
What a promise is here made upon condi- 
tion of obedience. Do you have to cut loose 
from friends and relatives in deciding to obey  
the elevated truths of God's word? Well, 
take courage, God has made provision for  
you, his arms are opened to receive you.  
Come out from among them and be separate, 
and touch not the unclean, and he will receive  
you. He promises to be a father unto you.  
Oh 
, what a relationship is this! higher and  
holier than any earthly ties. If you make the 
sacrifice, if you have to forsake father, mother, 
sisters, brothers, wife and children, for Christ's 
sake, you will not be friendless. God adopts  
you into his family; you become members of 
the royal household; sons and daughters of 
the heavenly King who rules in the Heaven  
of heavens. Can you desire a more exalted  
position than is here promised? Is it not  
enough ? Said the angel, " What could God  
do for the children of men more than he has  
already done? If such love, such exalted  
promises, are not appreciated, could God  
devise anything higher, anything richer and  
more lofty ? All has been clone for the salva- 
tion of man that God could do, and yet the  

11  
hearts of the children of men have become 
hardened. Because of the multiplicity of the  
blessings God has surrounded them with, they  
receive them as common things and forget  
their gracious Benefactor."  
I saw that Satan was a vigilant foe, intent  
upon his purpose of leading the youth to a  
course of action entirely contrary to that  
which God would approve. He well knows 
that there is no class that can do as much  
good as young men and young women who  
are consecrated to God. The youth, if right, 
could sway a mighty influence. Preachers, or  
laymen advanced in years, cannot have one- 
half that influence upon the young in commu-
nities that the youth, devoted to God, can 
have upon their associates. They ought to  
feel that a responsibility is resting upon them, 
to do all they can to save their fellow mortals,  
even at a sacrifice of their pleasure and natural  
desires 
. Time, and even means, if required,  
should be consecrated to God, and these pro-
fessing godliness should feel the danger those  
are in who are out of Christ. Soon their pro- 
bation will close. These who might have had  
influence in saving souls, had they stood in the  
counsel of God, yet failed to do their duty  
through selfishness, indolence, or because they  
were ashamed of the cross of Christ, will not  
only lose their own souls, but the blood of  
poor sinners will be found in their garments.  
Such will have to render an account for the  
good that they could have done had they been  
consecrated to God, but did not do because  
of their unfaithfulness. Those who have really


10  
tasted the sweets of redeeming love will not 
rest, cannot rest, until those with whom they  
associate are made acquainted with the plan 
of salvation. Young men and women should  
inquire, « Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?  
How can I honor and glorify thy name upon  
the earth?" Souls are perishing all around  
us, and yet where is the burden the youth  
bear to win souls to Christ. Those who at- 
tend school could have influence; but who  
names the name of Christ, and who do you  
se 
e in earnest conversation, pleading with  
tender earnestness with their companions to  
forsake the ways of sin and choose the path  
of holiness ?  
I was_shown that this is the course the be- 
lieving young should take, but they do not ;  
it is more congenial to their feelings to unite  
with the sinner in sport and pleasure. I saw  
that the young have a wide sphere of useful-
ness, but they see it not. If they would now  
exert their powers of mind in seeking ways to  
approach perishing sinners, that they might  
make known to them the path of holiness, and  
by prayer and entreaty win even one soul to  
Christ 
, what a'noble enterprise! One soul to  
praise God through eternity! One soul to  
enjo 
y happiness and everlasting life! One  
gem in their crown to shine as a star forever  
and ever! But even more than one can be  
brough 
t to turn from error to truth, from sin  
to holiness. Says God, by the prophet, " And 
they that turn many to righteousness shall  
shine as the stars forever and ever." Then  
those who engage with Christ and angels in  

11  
the work of saving perishing souls, are richly  
rewarded in the kingdom of Heaven.  
I saw that many souls might be saved if  
the young were where they ought to be,  
devote 
d to God and to the truth; but the  
young generally occupy a position where con- 
stant labor must be bestowed upon them, or  
they will become of the world themselves.  
They are a source of constant anxiety, of  
heartache. Tears flow on their account, and  
agonizing prayers are wrung from the hearts  
of parents in their behalf. They move on,  
reckless of the pain their course of action  
causes. They plant thorns in the breasts of  
those who would die to save them, and have 
them become what God designed they should,  
through the merits of the blood of Christ.  
The youth exercise their ability to work out  
this or that nice piece of art, but feel not that  
God requires them to turn their talents to a  
better  account, that of adorning their profes- 
sion, and seeking to save souls for whom Christ  
died. One such soul saved is of more value  
tha 
n worlds. Gold and earthly treasure can  
bear no comparison to the salvation of even  
one poor soul.  
Young men and young women, I saw that  
God has a work for you to do; take up your  
cros 
s and follow Christ, or you are unworthy  
of him. While you  remain in listless indiffer- 
ence, how can you tell what is the will of God  
concerning you? and how do you expect to  
be saved, unless as faithful servants you do  
you 
r Lord's will? Those who possess eternal  
lif 
e will all have done mil. The King of


10  
glory will exalt them to his right hand, while  
he says to them, "Well done, good and faith- 
ful servants." How can you tell how many  
souls you might save from ruin, if, instead of  
studying your own pleasure, you were seeking  
what work you could do in the vineyard of 
your Master? How many souls have these 
gatherings for conversation and the practice  
of music been the means of saving? If you  
cannot point to one soul thus saved, turn, oh!  
turn to a new course of action. Begin to pray 
for souls; get near to Christ, close to his  
bleeding side. Let a meek and quiet spirit  
adorn your lives, and let your earnest, broken,  
humble petitions ascend to him for wisdom,  
that you may have success in not only savina  
your own soul, but the souls of others. Pray  
more than you sing. Do you not stand in  
need of prayer more than singing? God calls  
upon you to work, young men and women;  
work for him. Make an entire change in your 
course of action. You can do a work that  
those who minister in word and doctrine can- 
not do. You can reach a class the minister  
cannot affect.  
RECREATION  FOR CHRISTIANS.  
I WAS shown that Sabbath-keepers as a peo- 
ple labor #too hard, without allowing them- 
selves change, or periods of rest. Recreation  
is needful to those who are engaged in phys-
ical labor, yet still more essential for those 
whose labors are principally mental.  

11  
I was shown that it is not essential to our  
salvation, nor for the glory of God, for us to  
keep the mind laboring, even upon religious  
themes, constantly and excessively. There  
are amusements which we cannot approve, be- 
cause Heaven condemns them,—such as danc- 
ing, card-playing, chess, checkers, &c. These  
amusements open the door for great evil.  
Their tendencies are not beneficial, but their 
influence upon the mind is to excite and pro- 
duce in some minds a passion for those plays 
which lead to gambling, and dissolute lives. 
All such plays should be condemned by Chris-
tians. Something should be substituted in the 
place of these amusements. Something can  
be invented, perfectly harmless.  
I saw that our holidays should not be spent  
in patterning after the world, yet they should  
not be passed by unnoticed, for this will bring  
dissatisfaction to our children. On these days 
when there is danger of our children partaking  
of evil influences, and becoming corrupted by 
the pleasures and excitement of the world, let 
the parents study to get up something to take  
th 
e place of more dangerous amusements.  
Give your children to understand you have  
their happiness and best good in view.  
Let families unite together and leave their  
occupations which have taxed them physically  
and mentally, and make an excursion out of  
the cities and villages a few miles,into the  
country, by the side of a fine lake, or in a nice 
grove, where the scenery of nature is beautiful. 
They should provide themselves with plain,  
hygienic food, and spread their table under


10  
the shade of some tree, or under the canopy 
of heaven, provided with the very best fruits 
and grains. The ride, the exercise, and the  
scenery, will quicken the appetite, and they 
can come around a repast which kings might  
envy.  
Parents and children on such occasions  
should feel as free as air from care, labors, or  
perplexities. Parents should become children 
with their children, making it as happy as pos- 
sible for them. Let the whole day be given  
to recreation. Exercise of the muscles in the 
open air, for those whose employment has been  
withi 
n doors and sedentary, will be beneficial  
to health. All who can, should feel it a duty  
resting upon them to pursue this course. 
Nothing will be lost, but much gained. They  
can return to their occupations with new life  
and new courage to engage in their labor with  
new zeal. And such have gained much, for  
they are better prepared to resist disease.  
I saw that but few have a realizing sense of  
the constant, wearing labor upon the brains  
of those who are bearing the responsibilities 
of the work in the Office. Confined day after 
day, and week 'after week, within doors, a 
constant strain upon the mental powers is 
surely undermining the constitutions of these  
men, and lessening their hold on life. These  
brethren are in danger of breaking suddenly.  
They are not immortal, and without a change  
they must wear out and be lost to the work.  
Precious gifts we have in Brn. Smith, Al- 
drich, and Amadon. We cannot afford to  
have them ruin their health through close con- 

11  
finement and incessant toil. Where can we  
find men to supply their places, with their ex- 
perience ? Two of these brethren have been  
fourteen years connected with the work in the  
Office, laboring earnestly, conscientiously, and  
unselfishly, for the advancement of the cause  
of God.  
These brethren have had scarcely any varia- 
tion or change,' except what fevers and sick- 
ness have given them. They should have a  
change frequently; should devote a day whol- 
ly to recreation with their families, who are  
almost entirely deprived of their society. All  
may not be able to leave the work at a time, 
but they should so arrange their work that one  
or two may leave, leaving others to supply their 
places, and then give others the same oppor- 
tunity they have had.  
I also saw that these brethren, Aldrich, Am- 
adon, and Smith, should, as a religious duty,  
take care of the. health and strength which  
God has given them. God does not require  
them to become martyrs just now to his cause.  
They will obtain no reward for making this  
sacrifice, for God wants them to live. Their  
lives can better, far better, serve the cause of  
present truth, than their death.  
I saw that if either of these brethren  
should be suddenly prostrated by disease, no  
one should regard it as a direct judgment 
from the Lord. It will only be the sure result  
of the violation of nature's laws. They should  
take heed to the warning given them, lest they  
transgress and have to suffer the heavy pen- 
alty.


10  
I saw that these brethren could benefit the  
caus 
e of God by attending as often as practi- 
cable Convocation Meetings, at a distance from  
the place of their confinement and labor. It  
is impossible for their minds to be enlivened  
and invigorated as God would have them, to  
pursue the work so important, which requires  
healthy nerves and brain, while they are in- 
cessantly confined at the Office.  
I was shown that it would be a benefit to  
the cause at large for these men, standing at  
the head of the work at Battle Creek, to be- 
come acquainted with their brethren abroad  
by associating with them in meeting. It will  
give the brethren abroad confidence in those  
who are bearing the responsibilities of the 
work, and will relieve the brethren bearing 
these burdens, of the taxation upon the brain,  
and will make them better acquainted with  
the progress of the work and the wants of the  
cause. It will enliven their hopes, renew their  
faith, and increase their courage. Time thus  
taken will not be lost, but be spent to the very  
best advantage. These brethren have quali-
ties making them capable of enjoying social 
life to the highest degree. They would enjoy 
th 
e society of brethren abroad at their homes,  
and would benefit and be benefited by inter-
change of thought and views. Especially do  
I appeal to Bro. Smith to change his course 
of life. He cannot exercise as others in the  
Office can. Indoor, sedentary employment, is  
preparin 
g him for a sudden breakdown. He  
cannot always do as he has done. He must  
have more life in the open air, having periods  

11  
of light labor, of some special nature, or exer- 
cise of a pleasant, recreative character. Such  
confinement as he has imposed upon himself 
would break down the constitution of the  
strongest animal. It is cruel, it is wicked, a 
sin against himself, which I raise my voice in  
warning against. Bro. Smith, more of your  
time must be spent in the open air, riding, or  
in pleasant exercise, or you must die, your  
wif 
e become a wridow, and your children who  
love you so much become orphans. Bro.  
Smith is qualified to edify others in the expo- 
sition of the word. He can serve the cause of  
God, and be benefited himself, by making ef- 
forts to get out to the large gatherings of Sab-
bath-keepers, and let his testimony be borne 
to the edification of those who are privileged 
to hear him. This change would bring him  
more out of doors, and in the open air. His 
blood flows sluggishly through his veins for  
want of the electrifying air of heaven. He 
has done his part in the work at the Office  
well, but still he has needed the assistance of 
the electricity of pure air and sunlight out of  
doors, to make his work still more spiritual  
an 
d enlivening.  
June 5, 1863, I was shown the necessity of  
my husband's preserving his strength and 
health, for God had yet a great work for us to  
do. In his providence we had obtained an  
experience in this work from its very com- 
mencement, and thus our labors wrould be of  
greater account to his cause. I saw that my  
husband's constant and excessive labor was  
exhausting his fund of strength, which God


10  
would have him preserve. If he continued to 
overtask his physical and mental energies as 
he had been doing, he would be reaching down  
into the future, and using up his future re- 
sources of strength, and exhausting the cap- 
ital, and would break down prematurely, and 
the cause of God be deprived of his labor.  
He was much of the time performing labor 
connected with the Office which others might 
do; also business transactions which he should  
avoid. God would have us both reserve our 
strength to be used when he especially requir-
ed it, and do that work which others could not 
do, and for which he has raised us up, preserv-
ed our lives, and given us a valuable experi-
ence, to be a benefit to his people.  
I did not make this public, because it was  
given especially to us. If this caution had  
been fully heeded, the affliction under which 
my husband has been a great sufferer would  
hav 
e been saved. The work of God seemed  
urgent 
, and to allow of no relaxation or sep- 
aration from it. My husband seemed com- 
pelled to constant, wearing labor. His anxiety  
for his brethren liable to the draft, and to meet 
the rebellion in Iowa, kept the mind con- 
stantly strained, and the physical energies were  
utterly exhausted. Instead of having relief,  
burdens never pressed heavier; and care, in- 
stead of lessening, was trebled. But there 
certainly was a way of escape, or God would  
no 
t have given the caution he did, or else  
would have caused that he should not break 
down under such taxation. I saw that had 
he not been especially sustained by God he  

11  
would have realized the prostration of his  
physical and mental powers much sooner than 
he did.  
When God speaks, he means what he says.  
When he cautions, it becomes those noticed  
to take heed. Why I now speak publicly is  
because the same caution which was given 
my husband has been given some connected  
with the Office. They, I saw, were just as  
liable to be stricken down unless they change  
their course of action as was my husband. I  
am not willing that others should suffer as he  
has done. But that which is the most to be  
dreaded is, to be lost for a time to the cause  
and work of God, when the help and influence  
of all are so much needed.  
Thos 
e connected with the Office cannot en- 
dure, by considerable, the amount of care and  
labor that my husband has borne for years.  
The 
y have not the constitution, the capital to  
draw upon, which my husband has had. They 
can never endure the perplexities, and the con- 
stant 
, wearing labor which has come upon him,  
and which he has borne for twenty years. I 
cannot endure the thought that one in the  
Office should sacrifice  strength and health,  
through excessive labor, and their usefulness  
prematurely end, and they be unable to work 
in the vineyard of the Lord. It is not merely 
the gatherers of the fruit that are the essential  
laborers, but all who assist in digging about 
the plants, watering, pruning, and lifting up 
the drooping, trailing vines, and leading their  
tendrils to entwine about the true trellis, the


10  
sure support. None of these workmen can be  
spared.  
The brethren in the Office feel that they can- 
not leave the work for a few days for a change, 
for recreation ; but it is a mistake. They can,  
and should do so. How much better to leave  
for a few days, even if there is not as much 
work accomplished, than to be prostrated by  
disease and be separated from the work for  
months, and perhaps never be able to engage  
in it again ?  
My husband thought it wrong for him to  
spend time in social enjoyment. He could  
not afford to rest. He thought the work in 
the Office would suffer if he should. But  
after the blow fell upon him, causing physical 
and mental prostration, the work had to be 
carried on without him. I saw that these  
brethren engaged in the responsible labor in  
the Office should work upon a different plan, 
make their arrangements to have change. If  
more help is needed, obtain it; and let relief  
come to these who are suffering with constant  
confinement and with brain labor. They  
should attend Convocation Meetings. They 
need to throw off care, share the hospitality  
of their brethren, enjoy their society and the  
blessings of the meetings. They will thus  
receive fresh thoughts, and their wearied en- 
ergies will be awakened to new life, and they 
will return to the work far better qualified to  
perform their part, for they better understand 
the wants of the cause.  
Brethren abroad, are you asleep to this  
matter ? Must your hearts be made faint by  

11  
another of God's workmen, whom you love, fall- 
ing. These men are the property of the church.  
Wil 
l you suffer them to die under the burdens ?  
I appeal to you to advise a different order of  
things. I pray that God may never allow the 
bitter experience to come to any one of the 
brethren in the Office that has come upon us.  
Especiall 
y do I commend Bro. Smith to your  
care. Shall he die for want of air,—the vital- 
izin 
g air of heaven. The course he is pursu- 
ing is really shortening his life. Through  
confinement in-doors his blood is becoming 
foul and sluggish, the liver is deranged, the  
action of the heart is not right. Unless he  
works a change for himself, nature will take  
the work into her hands. She will make a  
gran 
d attempt to relieve the system by expell- 
ing the impurities from the blood. She will  
summon all the vital powers to work, and the 
whole organism will be deranged, and all this 
may end in paralysis or apoplexy. If he  
should ever recover from this crisis, his loss  
of time is great; but the probabilities of re- 
covery are very small.  
If Bro. Smith cannot be aroused, I advise  
you, brethren, who have an interest in the  
cause of present truth, to take him as Lu- 
ther was taken by his friends, and carry him  
away from his work.  
Since writing the above I learn that most  
of Thoughts on the Revelation was written  
in the night, after his day's work was done.  
This was the course which my husband pur- 
sued; I protest against such suicide. The 
brethren whom I have mentioned, who are so  
3


10  
confined in the Office, in attending meetings  
and taking periods of recreation are serving  
the cause of God. They are preserving them- 
selves in the best conditions of physical health  
and mental strength to devote themselves to  
the work. They should not be left to feel  
crippled because they are not earning wages.  
Their wages should go on, and they be free.  
They are doing a great work.  
THE REFORM DRESS.  
IN answer to letters of inquiry from many  
sisters  relative to the proper length of the  
dress, I would say, that we have in our part 
of the State of Michigan adopted the uniform  
length of about nine inches from the floor. I  
take this opportunity to.answer these inquiries 
in order to save the time in answering many  
letters.  
I should have spoken before, but have  
waited to see something definite on this point  
in the Health Reformer. I would earnestly  
recommend uniformity in length, and would"  
say that nine inches as nearly accords with  
my views of the matter as I am able to express  
in inches.  
As I travel from place to place, I do not  
find the Reform Dress rightly represented,  
and am made to feel the necessity of some- 
thing more definite being said, that there may  
b 
e uniform action in this matter. This style  
of dress is unpopular, and for this reason neat- 
ness and taste should be used by those who  
adopt it. I have once spoken upon this point,  

11  
yet some fail to follow the advice given.  
There should be uniformity as to the length of 
the Reform Dress among Sabbath-keepers.  
Those who make themselves peculiar by  
adoptin 
g this dress should not think for a mo- 
ment that it is unnecessary to show order, 
taste and neatness. Our sisters, before put-
ting on the Reform Dress, should obtain pat-
terns of the pants and sack worn with the  
dress. It is a great injury to the Dress Re- 
form to have persons introduce into a commu- 
nity a style which in every particular needs  
reforming before it can rightly represent the 
Reform Dress. Wait, sisters, till you can put  
on the dress right.  
In some places there exists great opposition  
to the short dress. But when I see some  
dresses worn by the sisters I do not wonder  
that people are disgusted, and condemn the  
dress. Where the dress is represented as it  
should be, all candid people are constrained  
t 
o admit that it is modest and convenient. In  
some churches I have seen all kinds of reform  
dresses, and yet not one answering the des-
cription presented before me. Some appear  
with white muslin pants, white sleeves, dark  
delaine dress and a sleeveless sack of the  
same description as the dress. Some appear  
with a calico dress and pants cut after their  
own fashioning, not after "the pattern,"  
without starch, or stiffening to give them form, 
and they cling close to the limbs. There is  
certainly nothing in these dresses manifesting 
taste or order. Such a dress would not recom- 
mend itself to the good judgment of sensible-


10  
minded people. In every sense of the word  
it is a deformed dress.  
Sisters who have opposing husbands have  
asked my advice in regard to their adopting  
the short dress, while their husbands would 
not consent to their doing so. I advise them 
to wait. I do not consider the dress question 
of such vital importance as the Sabbath. 
Here there is no hesitation admitted. The 
opposition which they might receive would be 
more injurious to health than the dress would  
be beneficial. Several of these sisters have  
said to me, " My husband likes your dress;  
he says he has not one word of fault to find  
with it." This has led me to see the neces- 
sity of our sisters representing the Dress Re- 
form aright, by manifesting neatness, order,  
and uniformity in dress.  
I shall have patterns prepared to take with  
me as we travel, ready to hand to our sisters  
whom we shall meet, or to send by mail, to  
all who may order them. Our address will  
be given in the Review.  
Those who adopt the short dress, should  
also manifest taste in the selection of colors.  
Those who are unable to buy new cloth,  
mus 
t do the best they can in exercising a lit- 
tle more taste and ingenuity in fixing over  
old garments, making them new again. Be 
particular to have the pants and dress of the  
same color and material, or you will ap- 
pear fantastic. Old garments may be cut af-
ter a correct pattern, and arranged tastefully,  
and appear like'new again. I beg of you, sis- 
ters, not to form your patterns after your own  

11  
particular ideas. There are correct patterns  
and good tastes. There are also incorrect  
patterns and bad tastes.  
This dress does not require hoops, and I  
hop 
e it will never be disgraced by them. Our  
sisters need not be under the necessity of  
wearing many skirts to distend the dress.  
They appear much more becoming, falling  
abou 
t the form naturally, over one or two light  
skirts 
. Moreen is excellent material for out- 
side skirts; it retains its stiffness, and is du- 
rable. If anything is worn in skirts, let it be  
very small. Quilts are unnecessary. Yet I  
frequently see them worn, and sometimes  
hanging a trifle below the dress. This gives  
the dress an immodest, untidy appearance. 
White skirts, worn with dark dresses, do not 
become the short dress. Be particular to 
have your skirts cleanly, neat and nice, made  
of good material, and in all cases let them be  
at least three inches shorter than the dress. 
If anything is worn to distend the skirt let it  
be small, and at least one quarter or one half  
a yard from the bottom of the dress or out- 
side skirt. If a cord, or anything answering  
the place of cords, is placed directly around 
the bottom of the skirt, it distends the dress  
merely at the bottom, where it should notbe, and  
throws out the dress, making it appear very 
unbecoming when sitting or stooping.  
As we travel from place to place none need  
fear that I shall make Dress Reform one of  
my principal subjects. Those who have heard  
me upon this matter will have to act upon the  
light that has already been given. I have


10  
done my duty; I have borne my testimony, 
and those who have heard me and read that  
which I have written, must now bear the re- 
sponsibility of receiving or rejecting the light  
given. If they choose to venture to be forget- 
ful hearers, and not doers of the "work, they 
run their own risk, and will be accountable to  
God for the course they pursue. I am clear.  
I shall urge none, condemn none. This is not  
the work assigned me. God knows who his hum-
ble, willing, obedient children are, and will re-
ward them according to their faithful perform- 
ance of his will. To many the Dress Reform is  
too simple and humbling to be adopted. The  
cross they cannot lift. God works by simple  
means to separate and distinguish his chil- 
dren from the world. Some have so departed  
from the simplicity of the work and ways of  
God that they are above the work, not in it.  
I was referred to Num. xv, 38-41. " Speak  
unto the children of Israel, and bid them that  
the 
y make them fringes in the borders of their  
garments throughout their generations, and 
that they put upon the fringe of the borders a 
ribbon of* blue: And it shall be unto you for 
a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and re- 
member all the commandments of the Lord, 
and do them; and that ye seek not after your 
own heart and your own eyes, after which ye 
use to go a whoring: That ye may remem- 
be 
r and do all my commandments, and be  
holy unto your God. I am the Lord your  
God, which brought you out of the land of  
Egypt 
, to be your God: I am the Lord your  
God." Here God expressly commanded a  

11  
very simple arrangement of dress for the chil- 
dren of Israel for the purpose of distinguish- 
ing them from the idolatrous nations around  
them. As they looked upon their singularity  
of dress from the world, they were to remem- 
ber that they were God's commandment-keep- 
ing people, and that he had wrought in a mir- 
aculous manner to bring them from Egyptian  
bondage to serve him, to be a holy people unto  
God, not to serve their own desires, or ob-
serve and do according to the idolatrous na- 
tion 
s around them, but to remain a distinct,  
separate people, that all who looked upon  
them might say, These are they whom God  
brought out of the land of Egypt, who keep  
the law of ten commandments. An Israelite 
was known to be such as soon as seen, for God 
through simple means distinguished him as  
his.  
The order given by God to the children of  
Israel to place a ribbon of blue in their gar- 
ments did not have any direct influence on  
their health, only as God would bless them by  
obedience, and the ribbon would keep in their  
memory the high claims Jehovah had upon 
them, and prevent their mingling with the  
nations, eating swine's flesh and luxurious 
food detrimental to health, and uniting in  
their drunken feasts. ) / ?? W  
The Reform Dress God would have his peo- 
ple now adopt, not only~to distinguish them 
from the "world as his " peculiar people," but a  
reform in dress is essential to physical and  
mental health. God's people have lost their pe-
culiarity to a great extent, and have been grad-


10  
ually patterning after, and mingling with, the 
world, until they are like them in many res- 
pects. This is displeasing to God. He di- 
rects them as he did the children of Israef an- 
ciently, to come out from the world and for- 
sake their idolatrous practices, and to not fol- 
low their own hearts (for their hearts are un- 
sanctified), or their own eyes, which have led  
to a departure from God and a uniting with  
the world.  
Something must arise to lessen the hold of  
God's people upon the world. The Dress Re- 
form is simple and healthful, yet there is a  
cross in it. I thank God for the cross. I 
cheerfully bow to lift it. We have been, so  
united with the world, we have lost sight of 
the cross, and do not suffer for Christ's sake.  
We do not wish to get up something to  
make a cross, but if God presents to us a cross-
we should cheerfully bear it. In the accept- 
ance of the cross, we are distinguished from  
the world. The world love us not, and ridi-
cule our peculiarity. Christ was hated of the  
world, because he was not one of the world.  
Can the followers of Christ expect to fare bet- 
ter than their Master? If they pass along 
without receiving censure, or frowns from the 
world, they may be alarmed, for it is their 
conformity to the world which makes them so  
much like them; they have nothing to arouse  
their envy or malice. There is no collison of  
spirits. The world despise the cross, " For  
the preaching of the cross is to them that per- 
is 
h foolishness ; but unto us which are saved  
it is the power of God." 1 Cor. i, 18. " But  

11  
God forbid that I should glory, save in the  
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the 
world is crucified unto me, and I unto the  
world." Gal. vi, 14.  
SUKMISINGS ABOUT BATTLE CHEEK.  
In 1865 I saw that some have felt at liberty  
through envious feelings to speak lightly of  
Battle Creek. Some look suspiciously on  
all that is going on there, and seem to exult  
i 
f they can get hold of any thing to take ad- 
vantage of that comes from Battle Creek.  
But God is displeased with such a spirit, such 
a course of action. From what soux*ce do 
churches abroad obtain their light and knowl-
edge of the truth? It has been from the 
means which God has ordained, which cen-
ter at Battle Creek. Who have the burdens  
of the cause ? It is those who are zealously  
laborin 
g at Battle Creek, and while churches  
that are scattered. abroad are relieved from 
the burdens and heavy trials which necessa-
rily come upon those who stand in the fore- 
front of the hottest battle, and while these  
are excused from perplexities and wearing  
thoughts attendant upon those who engage in  
makin 
g highly-important decisions in connec- 
tion with the work to be accomplished for the 
remnant people of God, they should feel thank-
ful, and praise God that they are thus favored,  
and should be the last to be jealous, envious,  
and fault-finding, occupying a position,—" Re- 
port, and we will report it."  
At Battle Creek they have borne the bur-


10  
dens of the conferences, which have been  
upon many, or nearly all of the church, a se- 
vere tax. Many in consequence of the extra  
labors borne have brought upon themselves  
debility, which has lasted for many months.  
They have borne the burden cheerfully, but  
have felt saddened and disheartened by the 
heartless indifference of some, and the cruel  
jealousy of others, after they have returned to  
the several churches from whence they came.  
Speeches are thoughtlessly made,—by some  
designedly, by others carelessly,—concerning  
the burden-bearers there, and concerning 
those who stand at the head of the work.  
God has marked all these speeches, all these  
jealousies, all these envious feelings, and a  
faithful record of it is kept. Men and 
wome 
n thank God for the truth, and then  
turn around and question and find fault with 
the very means Heaven has ordained to make  
them what they are, or what they ought  
to be. How much more pleasing to God for 
them to act the part of Aaron and Hur, and  
help hold up the hands of those who are bear- 
ing the great and heavy burdens of the work  
in connection with the cause of God. Mur-
murers and complainers should remain at  
home, where they will be out of the way of 
temptation, where they cannot find food for 
their jealousies, evil-surmisings and fault-find-
ings ; for the presence of such is only a bur- 
den to the meetings, clouds without water.  
All who feel at liberty to censure and find  
fault with those whom God has chosen to act  
an important part in this last great work, had  

11  
better  be converted and obtain the mind of  
Christ. Let them remember those of the  
children of Israel who were ready to find fault  
with Moses, whom God had ordained to lead  
his people to Canaan, and to murmur against  
even God himself. They should remember 
that all these murmurers fell in the wilderness.  
It is so easy to rebel, so easy to give battle  
before considering matters rationally, calmly,  
and settling whether there is anything to war  
against. The children of Israel are our ex-
ample upon whom the ends of the world are  
come.  
In regard to Battle Creek, it is easier with  
many to question and find fault than to tell  
what should be done. This responsibility some 
would even venture to take, but they would soon 
find themselves deficient in experience, for  
they would run the work into the ground. If  
these talkers and fault-finders would them- 
selve 
s become burden-bearers, and pray for  
the laborers, they would be blessed them- 
selves and bless others with their godly exam- 
ple, with their holy influence and lives. It is  
easier for many to talk than to pray, and such  
lack spirituality and holiness, and their influ- 
ence is an injury to the cause of God. In- 
stead of feeling that the work at Battle Creek  
is their work, that they have an interest in its  
prosperity, they stand aside more as specta- 
tors, to question and find fault. Those who  
do this are the very ones who lack experience  
in this work, and who have suffered but little  
for the truth's sake.


10  
SHIFTING RESPONSIBILITIES.  
THOSE Sabbath-keeping brethren who shift  
the responsibility of their stewardship into the  
hands of their wives, while they are capable  
of managing the same themselves, are unwise, 
and in the transfer displease God. The stew- 
ardship of the husband cannot be transferred  
to the wife. Yet this is sometimes done to 
the great injury of both. Believing husbands  
have sometimes transferred their property to  
their unbelieving companions, hoping thereby 
to gratify them, disarm their opposition, and  
finally induce them to believe the truth. But  
this is no more nor lees than hiring peace, or  
hiring them to believe the truth with the  
means God has lent them to advance his  
cause. This transfer is to one who has no  
sympathy for the truth, and what account will  
such render when the Great .Master requires  
hi 
s own with usury ?  
Believing parents have frequently trans- 
ferred their property to their unbelieving chil-
dren, thus putting it out of their power to ren-
der to God the things that are his. By so 
doing, they lay off that responsibility which  
God has laid upon them, and place in the en- 
emy's ranks means which God has entrusted  
to them to be returned to him by being in- 
vested in his cause when he shall require it of 
them. It is not in God's order that parents, 
who are capable of managing their own busi-
ness, should give up the control of their prop- 
erty, even to children who are of the same  
faith. They seldom possess the devotion to  

11  
the cause they should, and they have not been  
schooled in adversity and affliction, so as to  
place a high estimate upon the eternal treasure,  
and less upon the earthly. The means placed  
in the hands of such is the greatest evil. It  
is a temptation to them to place their affec-
tions upon the earthly, and trust to property,  
and feel that they need but little besides.  
Means coming into their possession which they  
have not acquired by their own exertion, they  
seldom use wisely.  
The husband who transfers his property to  
his wife, opens for her a wide door of tempta- 
tion, if she be a believer or unbeliever. If a 
believer, and her peculiar traits of character  
are penurious, rather inclined to selfishness and  
acquisitiveness, how much harder will be the  
battle for her with her husband's stewardship  
and her own to manage. In order for her to  
be saved, she must overcome all these peculiar,  
evil traits, and imitate the character of her  
divine Lord, seeking opportunity to do others 
good, loving others as Christ has loved us.  
She should cultivate the precious gift of love,  
possessed so largely by our Saviour. His life  
was characterized by noble, disinterested be- 
nevolence 
. His whole life was not marred  
by one selfish act.  
Whatever the motives of the husband, he  
has placed a terrible stumbling-block in his  
wife's way, to hinder her in the work of over- 
coming. And if the transfer be made to the  
children, the same evil results may follow. 
His motives God reads. If he were selfish, 
that his means might be retained, and he has


10  
made the transfer as a covert to conceal his 
covetousness, and excuse himself from doing  
anything to advance the cause, the curse of  
Heaven will surely follow. God reads the  
purposes and intents of the heart. He tries 
the motives of the children of men. His sig-
nal, visible displeasure, may not be manifested 
as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, yet  
their punishment in the end will in no case be  
lighter than that which was inflicted upon 
them. In their trying to deceive men, it was  
deceiving and lying to God. " The soul that  
sinneth it shall die." Such can no better  
stand the test of the judgment, than the man  
to whom was committed the one talent who 
hid it in the eai^th. When God called him to  
account, he accused him of injustice. "I  
know thee that thou art an hard man, reaping  
where thou hast not sown, and gathering  
wher 
e thou hast not strewed; and I was  
afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the  
earth [where the cause of God could not be  
benefited with it]; lo, there thou hast that 
is thine." Saith God, "Take therefore the 
talent from him, and give to him that hath ten 
talents, and cast ye the unprofitable servant 
into outer darkness; there shall be weeping 
and gnashing of teeth." This man was afraid  
that his lord would be benefited with the im- 
provement of his talent.  
I saw that there were many who have  
wrapped their talent in a napkin and hid it in  
the earth. They seem to think that every  
penny that is invested in the cause of God is 
lost, beyond redemption to them. To those  

11  
who feel thus, it is even so. They will re- 
ceive no reward. They give grudgingly, only 
because they feel necessitated to do something.  
God loveth the cheerful giver. Those who  
flatter themselves that they can shift their re- 
sponsibility upon wife or children, are deceived  
by the enemy. Such a transfer will not lessen  
their responsibility. They are accountable  
for the means Heaven has entrusted to their  
care, and in no way can they excuse them- 
selves of this responsibity, until they are re-
leased by their rendering back to God that  
which he has committed to them.  
The love of the world separates from God.  
If any man love the world, the love of the  
Fathe 
r is not in him. It is impossible for any  
one to discern the truth while the world has  
their affections. The world comes between  
them and God, beclouding the vision, and be- 
numbing the sensibilities to that degree that  
it is impossible for them to discern sacred  
things. God calls upon such: " Cleanse your  
hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye  
double minded. Be afflicted and mourn. Let  
your laughter be turned to mourning and your  
joy to heaviness." Those who have stained  
their hands with the pollution of the world, are  
required to cleanse themselves from its stains.  
Those who think they can serve the world and 
yet love God, are double minded. But they  
cannot serve God and mammon. They are 
men of two minds, loving the world and los-
ing all sense of their obligation to God, and  
yet professing to be Christ's followers. They  
ar 
e neither one thing nor the other. They


10  
will lose both worlds unless they cleanse their  
hands and purify their hearts through the  
pure principles of truth. " He that saith he  
abideth in him, ought himself also to walk  
even as he walked. Herein is our love made  
perfect, that we may have boldness in the day  
of judgment; because as he is, so are we in  
this world." " Whereby are given unto us ex-
ceeding great and precious promises; that by  
these ye might be partakers of the divine na- 
ture, having escaped the corruption that is in  
the world through lust." •  
It is worldly lust that is destroying true  
godliness. Love of the world, and the things  
that are in the world, is separating from the 
Father. The passion for earthly gain is in- 
creasing among those who profess to be look- 
ing for the soon appearing of our Saviour.  
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and  
the pride of life, control even professed Chris- 
tians. They are seeking for the things of the  
world with avaricious lust, and many will sell  
eternal life for unholy gain. 
PROPER OBSERVANCE OP THE SABBATH.  
- Dec. 25, 1865, I was shown in regard to  
the observance of the Sabbath, that there has  
been too much slackness. There has not 
been promptness to fulfill the secular duties  
within the six working days which God has 
given to man, and a carefulness not to infringe  
upon one hour of the holy, sacred time, God  
has reserved to himself. I saw that there was 
no business of man's that should be considered  

11  
of sufficient importance to cause him to trans- 
gress the fourth precept of Jehovah. There  
are cases that Christ has given us where we  
may labor even on the Sabbath in saving the 
life of man or of animals. But for our own  
advantage, in a pecuniary point of view, to 
violate the letter of the  fourth commandment,  
we are Sabbath-breakers, and become guilty  
of transgressing the whole of the command- 
ments ; for if we offend in one point, we are 
guilty of all. If in order to save property we  
break over the express command of Jehovah,  
where is the stopping-place ? where set the  
bounds? Transgress in a small matter, and 
look upon such things as a matter of no par-
ticular sin on our part, and the conscience be- 
comes hardened, the sensibilities blunted, and  
we can go still further, until labor to quite an  
extent  may be performed, and we still flatter  
ourselves that we are Sabbath-keepers, when  
according to Christ's standard we are break- 
ing every one of God's holy precepts. There  
is a fault with Sabbath-keepers in this respect. 
Bu 
t God is very particular, and all who think  
that they are saving a little time, or advant- 
aging themselves by infringing a little on the  
Lord's time, will meet with loss sooner or later.  
God cannot bless them as it would be his  
pleasure to do, for his name is dishonored  
by them, his precepts lightly esteemed, and 
instead of obtaining gain, God's curse will  
rest upon them, and they will lose ten or  
twenty fold more than they gain. "Will a  
man rob God ? yet ye have robbed me, this  
whole nation."  
4


10  
God has given man six days in which he  
may work for himself, and he has reserved to  
himself one day in which he is to be specially 
honored. He is to be glorified, his authority  
respected. And yet man will steal a little of  
the time God has reserved for himself, and 
thus rob God. God reserved the seventh-day  
as a period of rest for man, for the good of  
man as well as for his own glory. He saw that 
the wants of man required a day of rest from  
toil and care, that his health and life would  
be endangered without a period of relaxation 
from the care and taxation upon him through  
the labor and anxiety of the six days.  
The Sabbath was made for man, for the  
benefit of man; and to knowingly transgress  
the holy commandment forbidding labor upon  
the seventh-day is a crime in the sight of  
Heaven which was of such magnitude under  
the Mosaic law as to require the death of the  
offender. But this was not all that the offender  
was to suffer, for God would not take a  
transgressor of his law to Heaven. He must  
suffer the second death, which is the full and  
final penalty for the transgressor of the law  
of God.  
POLITICAL  SENTIMENTS.  
IN Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1865, 1 was  
shown many things concerning the people of  
God in connection with the work of God for  
these last days. I saw that many professed  
Sabbath-keepers would come short of everlast- 
ing life. They fail to take warning from the  

11  
course pursued by the children of Israel, and  
fall into some of their evil ways, which if con- 
tinued in, they will fall like them, and never  
enter the heavenly Canaan. " Now all these  
things happened unto them for ensamples, and  
are written for our admonition, upon whom 
the ends of the world are come."  
Many, I saw, would fall this side of the  
kingdom. God is testing and proving his 
people, and many will not endure the test of  
character, the measurement of  God.  
I 
 saw that many would have close work to  
overcome their peculiar traits of character,  
and be without spot, or wrinkle, or any such  
thing, unrebukable before God and man.  
Many professed Sabbath-keepers will be no spe-
cial benefit to the cause of God or the church,  
without a thorough reformation on their part.  
Many Sabbath-keepers are not right before  
God in their political views. They are not in  
harmony with God's word, and are not in 
union with the body of Sabbath-keeping be-
lievers. Their views do not accord with the 
principles of our faith. Light has been given  
sufficient to correct all who wish to be cor- 
rected. All who still retain their erroneous  
political principles, which are not in accord- 
ance with the spirit of truth, are living in vio- 
lation of the principles of Heaven. Therefore  
as long as they thus remain, they cannot pos-
sess the spirit of freedom and holiness.  
Their principles and positions in political  
matters are a great hindrance to their spirit- 
ual advancement. They are a constant snare 
to them, and a reproach to our faith; and if  
Center for Adventist Research  
Andrews University  
Berrien Springs, Michigan


52  
they retain these principles they will eventu- 
ally be brought into just the position the en-
emy would be glad to have them in, where  
they will finally be separated from Sabbath-
keeping Christians. These brethen cannot  
receive the approval of Heaven while they  
lack sympathy for the oppressed colored race,  
and are at variance with the pure, republican  
principles of our government. Heaven has  
no sympathy with rebellion upon earth any 
more than with the rebellion in Heaven, 
when the great rebel questioned the founda-
tion of God's government in Heaven. He  
was thrust out, with all who sympathized with  
him in his rebellion.  
USURY.  
IN the view given me in Rochester, N. Y.,  
Dec. 25, 1865, I was shown that the subject  
of usury should engage the attention of Sab- 
bath-keepers. Wealthy men have no right to 
take interest from their poor brethren, but  
from unbelievers they may exact usury. " And 
if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in de- 
ca 
y with thee, then thou shalt relieve him.  
Take thou no usury of him, or increase; but  
fear thy God; that thy brother may live with 
thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon 
usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.  
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother,  
usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of  
anything that is lent upon usury. Unto a  
stranger thou mayst lend upon usury, but unto  
thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury, that  

53  
the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that  
thou settest thine hand to, in the land whither  
thou goest to possess it."  
God has been displeased with Sabbath- 
keepers for their avaricious spirit. Their de- 
sire to get gain is so strong upon them that  
they have taken advantage of their poor, un-
fortunate brethren in their distress, and have  
added to their already-abundant means, when  
their poorer brethren have been distressed  
and necessitated for the same means. Am I  
my brother's keeper? is the language of their  
hearts.  
A few years since some of the poorer breth- 
ren were in danger of losing their souls through  
wrong impressions. Everywhere Satan was  
tempting the poorer brethren in regard to the  
wealthy. These poor were looking to be fa-
vored, and expecting it, when it was then- 
duty to rely upon their own energies; and  
had they been favored, it would have been the  
worst thing that could have been done for  
them. All through the ranks of Sabbath- 
keepers Satan opened the door of temptation  
to some among the poorer class that he might  
overthrow them. Some have lacked judg- 
ment and wisdom in their poverty; have taken 
their own course; have not been willing to ask  
advice, or to follow advice, and have had to 
suffer through the result of their miserable 
calculation; and yet these same ones would  
feel that they should be advantaged by then-
brethren who have property. These things  
needed to be corrected. The first-mentioned  
class did not realize the responsibilities rest-


10  
ing upon the wealthy, nor the perplexity and  
cares they were compelled to have because of  
their means. All they could see was that they 
had means to handle while they themselves were  
cramped for the same. But the wealthy have, 
as a general thing, regarded all the poor in the  
same light, when there is a class of poor who 
ar 
e doing the best in their power to glorify  
God, to do good, to live for the truth ; and  
such were of solid worth. Their judgment  
was good, their spirit precious in the sight of  
God; and the amount of good that they ac- 
complished in their unpretending way, was  
ten-fold greater than that accomplished by  
the wealthy, although they might give large  
sums on certain occasions. The rich fail to  
see and realize the necessity of doing good, of  
being rich in good works, ready to distribute,  
willing to communicate.  
DECEITFULNESS  OP BICHES.  
MEN and women professing to believe the  
truth do not all have discernment. They fail 
to appreciate moral worth. They who boast  
much of their fidelity to the cause, and talk as  
though they believe that they know all that is 
worth knowing, are not humble in heart. 
They may have money and property, which is  
sufficient to give them influence with some,  
but will not raise them one jot into favor with  
Gpd. Money has power. Money sways a  
mighty influence. Excellence of character  
and moral worth are overlooked, if possessed  
by the poor man. Does God care for money ?  

11  
for property? The cattle upon a thousand 
hill 
s are his. The world and all that is there- 
i 
n are his. The inhabitants of the earth are  
as grasshoppers before him. Men and prop-
erty are but as the small dust of the balance.  
He is no respecter of persons. Yet men of  
property have frequently looked upon their  
wealth and said, By my wisdom have I got- 
ten me this wealth. Who gave them power  
to get wealth? He, who gave them strength 
to get wealth, which, when they have gotten, 
instead of giving Him the glory take the glory  
to themselves, will prove them and try them,  
and will bring their glorying to the dust, and  
will remove their strength and scatter their  
possessions. Instead of a blessing, they will  
realize a curse. No act of wrong, of oppres- 
sion, of deviation from the right way, should  
be for a moment tolerated any sooner in a  
man who possesses property than in a poor  
man who has none. All the wealth and riches 
tha 
t the most wealthy ever possessed Avill not  
be of sufficient value to cover the smallest sin be- 
fore God, or be accepted as a ransom for their 
transgressions. Repentance, true humility, a 
broken heart and a contrite spirit, alone will  
b 
e accepted of God. No man can have true  
humilit 
y before God unless the same is exem- 
plified before others. Repentance, confession,  
and forsaking, alone are acceptable to God.  
Men who have riches have, many of them,  
obtained them by close deal, by advantaging  
themselves, and* disadvantaging their poorer  
fellowmen, or their brethren; and these very


10  
men glory in their shrewdness, in their keen-
ness in a bargain.  
Every dollar thus obtained, and the increase  
of it on their hands, will have attached to it  
the curse of God to that degree and weight  
according to the value and increase of the  
money thus obtained.  
As these things were shown me, I could  
see the force of our Saviour's words, "It is 
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a  
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the  
kingdom of God." Those who possess the  
ability of acquiring property, unless constantly  
on the watch, will turn their acquisitiveness  
to bad account, fall into temptation, overreach,  
not maintin strict honesty, receive more for a 
thing than it is worth, and sacrifice the gen-
erous, benevolent, noble principles of their  
manhood for sordid gain.  
I was shown many men who profess to be  
Sabbath-keepers, who so love the world and  
the things that are in the world, that they 
have been corrupted by the spirit and influ- 
ence of the world; the divine has dropped out  
of their characters, the satanic creeping in,  
transforming them to serve the purposes of  
Satan 
, to be instruments of unrighteousness.  
Then in contrast with these men were shown  
m 
e the industrious, honest, poor men, who  
will stand ready to help those who need help,  
who would rather suffer themselves to be dis- 
advantaged by their wealthy brethren than to  
manifest so close and acquisitive a spirit as 
they manifest; men, who will esteem a clear  
conscience, and right, even in little things, of  

11  
greater value than riches. They are so ready 
to help others, so willing to do all the good in 
their power, that they do not accumulate;  
their earthly possessions do not increase. If  
there is a benevolent object to call forth means  
o 
r labor, they are the first to be interested in  
and respond to it, and will frequently do far  
beyond their real ability, and thus deny them- 
selves some needed good, to carry out their  
benevolen 
t purposes. Although these men  
can boast of but little earthly treasure, and  
for this reason may be looked upon as defi- 
cien 
t in ability, judgment, and wisdom, their  
influence not esteemed by men, and they  
counted of no special worth, yet how does  
God regard those poor, wise men ? They are,  
I saw, regarded precious in his sight, and al- 
though not increasing their treasure upon  
earth, yet are laying up for themselves a treas- 
ure in "the heavens, incorruptible, and in do- 
ing this manifest a wisdom as far superior to  
the wise, calculating, acquisitive, professed  
Christian, as the divine and godlike is supe- 
rior to the earthly, carnal, and satanic. It is 
moral worth that God values. A Christian  
character unblotted with avarice, possessing  
quietness, meekness and humility, is more 
precious in the sight of God than the most 
fine gold, even the golden wedge of Ophiiv  
Wealthy men are to be tested more closely  
than they have ever yet been. If they stand  
the test" and overcome the blemishes upon 
their character, and as faithful stewards of  
Jesus Christ render to God the things that are  
God's, to them it will be said, " Well done,


10  
good and faithful servant; thou hast been 
faithful over a few things, I will make thee 
ruler over many things; enter thou into .the  
jo 
y of thy Lord."  
I was then directed to the parable of the  
unjust steward. " And I say unto you, make  
to yourselves friends of the mammon of un-
righteousness, that when ye fail, they may re-
ceiv 
e you into everlasting habitations." " He  
that is faithful in that which is least, is faith-
ful also in much; and he that is unjust in the  
least 
, is unjust also in much. If therefore ye  
have not been faithful in the unrighteous mam- 
mon, who will commit to your trust the true  
riches? And if ye have not been faithful in  
that which is another man's, who shall give 
you that which is your own?"  
If men fail to render to God that which he  
has lent them to use to his glory, and thus  
rob God, they will make an entire failure.  
God has lent them means which they can im- 
prov 
e upon, and be constantly laying up treas- 
ure in heaven, by losing no opportunity of do- 
ing good with their means. But if like the  
man who had one talent, they hide it, fearing  
that God will get that wrhich their talent 
gains, they will not only lose the. increase 
which will finally be awarded the faithful 
steward, but also the principal which God  
gave them to work upon. They will not have  
laid up treasure in Heaven, because they have 
robbed God, and they lose their earthly treas-
ure also. No habitation on earth, and no  
friend in Heaven to receive them into the ev- 
erlasting habitation of the righteous.  

11  
Christ declares that no servant can serve two  
masters, for either he will hate the one and  
love the other, or else he will hold to the one  
and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God  
and mammon—cannot serve God and your  
riches too. "The Pharisees also who were  
covetous, heard all these things, and they de- 
rided him." Mark the words of Christ to 
them: " Ye are they who justify yourselves 
before men; but God knoweth your hearts;  
for that which is highly esteemed among men  
[which is riches, acquired by oppression, by  
deception, by overreaching, by fraud, or in any 
dishonest manner,] is abomination in the sight 
of God." Then Christ presents the two char-
acters, the rich man who was clothed with  
purpl 
e and fine linen, and who fared sumptu- 
ously every day, and Lazarus, who was in ab- 
ject poverty, and loathsome to the sight; and  
wh 
o begged the few crumbs which the rich  
man despised. Then our Saviour shows his  
estimate of the two. Lazarus, although in so 
deplorable and mean a condition, had true  
faith, true moral worth, which God sees, and 
which he considers of so great value that he  
takes this poor, despised sufferer, and places 
him in the most exalted position, while the 
honored and wealthy ease-loving rich man is 
thrust out from the presence of God, and; is  
plunged into misery and woe unutterable.  
God did not value the riches of this wealthy  
man, because he had not true moral worth. 
His character was worthless—his riches did 
not recommend him to God, nor have any in-
fluence to draw to himself the favor of God.


10  
In this parable Christ would have his disci- 
ples shun the course pursued by the Phari- 
sees, of judging or valuing men by their  
wealth, or by the honors they received of men;  
for while they might possess both riches and 
worldly honor they were valueless in the sight 
of God; and more than this, were despised  
and rejected of him,—cast out from his sight  
as disgusting to him because there was no  
moral worth or soundness in them. They  
were corrupt, sinful and abominable in his 
sight. The poor man, despised of his fellow  
mortals, and disgusting to their sight, was val- 
uable in the sight of God because he possessed  
moral soundness and worth, thus qualifying  
him to be introduced into the society of re- 
fined, holy angels, and to be an heir of God  
and joint-heir with Jesus Christ.  
In Paul's charge to Timothy he warns him  
of a class who will not consent to wholesome  
words, but who place a wrong estimate on  
riches.  He says, " If any man teach other- 
wise, and consent not to wholesome words, 
even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and  
to the doctrine which is according to godli- 
ness ; he is proud, knowing nothing, but dot- 
ing about questions and strifes of words, where- 
of cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmis- 
ings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt  
minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing 
tha 
t gain is godliness: from such withdraw thy- 
self. But godliness with contentment is great 
gain. For we brought nothing into this world,  
and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  
And having food and raiment, let us be there- 

11  
with content. But they that will be rich fall 
into temptation and a snare, and into many 
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in  
destruction and perdition. For the love of 
money is the root of all evil: which while  
some coveted after, they have erred from the  
faith, and pierced themselves through with 
many sorrows. But thou, 0 man of God, flee 
these things ; and follow after righteousness,  
godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on  
eternal life, whereunto thou art also called,  
and hast professed a good profession before  
many witnesses. Charge them that are rich 
in this world, that they be not highminded, 
nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living  
God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  
that they do good, that they be rich in good  
works, ready to distribute, willing to commu-
cate; laying up in store for themselves a good  
foundation against the time to come, that they  
may lay hold on eternal life."  
This important charge to Timothy is not  
carefully considered and heeded. How few  
heed the charge which Paul commissioned  
Timothy to make to the rich. Paul in his  
letter to Timothy would impress upon his 
mind the necessity of giving such instruction  
as shall remove the deception which so easily  
steals upon the rich, that because of their  
riches they are superior to those who are in  
poverty ; and because of their ability to ac- 
quire, think themselves superior in wisdom  
and judgment—supposing that gain is godli- 
ness. Here is the fearful deception. They


10  
flatter themselves that their acquisitiveness is  
godliness. Paul then says, "Contentment 
with godliness is great gain."  
I saw that although rich pei-sons might de- 
vote their whole lives to the one object of get-
ting riches, yet as they brought nothing into  
the world, they cannot carry anything out.  
They must die and leave that which cost them  
so much labor to obtain. They staked their  
all, their eternal interest, to obtain this prop- 
erty, and have lost both worlds. He then  
shows what risks men will run to become  
rich. They are determined to be rich; this  
is their study; and in their zeal eternal con- 
sideration 
s are overlooked. In getting riches  
they are blinded by Satan, and make them-
selves believe it is for good purposes they de- 
sir 
e this gain, and they strain their conscien- 
ces, deceive themselves, and are constantly  
coveting riches and gain, and have erred  
from the faith, and pierced themselves through 
with many sorrows. They have sacrificed  
their noble, elevated principles, given up their 
faith for riches, and if they are not disap- 
pointed in their object, are disappointed in  
the happiness they supposed riches would 
bring. They are entangled, perplexed with  
care, are slaves themselves to their avarice, 
and compel their families to the same slavery,  
and the advantages they reap are " many sor- 
rows." Charge them that are rich in this  
world that they be not highminded, nor trust  
in uncertain riches, but in the living God who 
richly giveth us all things to enjoy; not to  
hoard up and take no good of their riches, be- 

11  
come slaves to retain that which they already  
possess, and to gain a little more, deprive 
themsel ves of the comforts of life to retain or 
increase their earthly treasure.  
The apostle Paul shows the only true use  
for riches, awd bids Timothy charge the rich 
to do good, that they be rich in good 
works, ready to distribute, willing to commu-
nicate ; for in so doing they are laying up in  
store for themselves a good foundation  
against the time to come,—referring to the 
clos 
e of time,—that they may lay hold on  
eternal life. The teachings of Paul harmon- 
ize perfectly with the words of Christ, " Make 
t 
o yourselves friends of the mammon of un- 
righteousness 
, that when ye fail they may re- 
ceive you into everlasting habitations." God- 
lines 
s with contentment is great gain. Here  
is the true secret of happiness, and real pros- 
perity of soul and body.  
PERSONAL.  
[As the following, which was a personal  
message, is applicable to very many, I give it 
for the benefit of all.]  
DEAR BRO. A : I recollect your coun- 
tenance among several others that were shown 
me in vision in Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 25,  
1865. I was shown that you were upon the  
back-ground. Your judgment is convinced  
that we have the truth, but you have not as  
yet experienced the sanctifying influence of 
the truth. You have not followed closely the


64  
footsteps of our Redeemer, therefore are un- 
prepared to walk even as he walked.  
As you listen to the words of truth, your  
judgment says it is correct, it cannot he gain- 
sayed; but immediately the unsanctified heart 
says, These are hard sayings, who can hear  
them ? that you had better give up your efforts  
to keep pace with the people of God, for new 
and strange and trying things will be continu-
ally arising; you will have to stop sometime, 
and you may just as well stop now, and better  
than to go any further.  
You cannot consent to profess the truth and  
not live it; you have ever admired a life con- 
sistent with profession. I was shown a book;  
your name was written in it with many others. 
Against your name was a black blot. You 
were looking upon this and saying, It can  
never be effaced. Jesus held his wounded 
hand above it and said, "My blood alone can  
efface it. If thou wilt from henceforth choose  
the path of humble obedience, and rely solely  
upon the merits of my blood to cover thy past 
transgressions I will blot out thy transgressions  
and cover thy sins. But if you choose the  
path of transgressors you must reap the trans- 
gressor's reward. The wages of sin is death."  
I saw evil angels surrounding you, seeking  
to divert your mind from Christ, causing you 
to look at God as a God of  justice, and losing  
sight of the love, compassion and mercy of a  
Saviou 
r crucified, that would save to the utter- 
most all that come unto him. "If we sin  
(said the angel), we have an advocate with  
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."  

When under the pressure of mental anxie- 
ties, when you are hearkening to the sugges-
tions of Satan, and murmuring and complain-
ing 
, some ministering angel is commissioned  
to bear you the succour you need, and put to  
shame the language of your unbelieving mind.  
You distrust God; you disbelieve in his power  
to save to the uttermost. You dishonor God 
by this cruel unbelief, and cause yourself much 
needless suffering. I saw heavenly angels  
surrounding you, driving back the evil angels,  
and looking with sorrow and pity upon you, 
and pointing you to Heaven, the crown of im- 
mortality, saving, " He that w7ould win must  
fight."  
Although you have been in doubt and per- 
plexity, you have not dared to venture to en-
tirely sever the connecting link between you  
and God's commandment-keeping people.  
You have not yet yielded all for the truth's  
sake; you have not yet yielded yourself, your  
own will. You fear to lay yourself and all  
that you have upon the altar of God. You  
fear that you may be required of him to yield  
back to God some portion of that which he  
has lent you. Heavenly angels are well aware  
of our words and actions, and even of the 
thoughts and intents of the heart. You, dear 
brother, have too many fears that the truth  
would cost you too much, but this is one of  
Satan's suggestions. Let it take all that you  
possess, and it does not cost too much; the  
value received, if rightly estimated, is an eter- 
nal 
 weight of glory. How small is that which  
is required of us. Little is the sacrifice that  
5


10  
we can make in comparison with that which  
our divine Lord made for us. And yet a spirit 
of murmuring comes over you because of the  
cost of everlasting life. You have had severe 
conflicts (as well as others of your brethren at  
B ,) with the great adversary of souls. 
You have several times nearly yielded the con- 
flict, but the influence of your wife and daugh- 
ter has prevailed. These members of your 
famil 
y would obey the truth with their whole  
heart could they have your influence to sustain  
them.  
Your daughters look to you for example.  
They think their father must be right. Their 
salvation depends much upon the course which  
; ou pursue. If you cease striving for ever- 
lasting life, you will carry your children to a  
great degree with you, will bow down the  
spirit of your faithful wife, crush her hopes, 
and lessen her hold on life. How can you in  
the judgment meet these to testify that your  
unfaithfulness proved their ruin.  
Several times I saw that you had yielded to  
the suggestions of Satan to cease striving to live 
out the truth; for the tempter told you that you 
would fail with the best endeavors you might  
make, and with all your weakness and failings  
it was impossible for you to maintain a life of  
devotion and prayer. I was shown that your  
wife and eldest daughter have been your good  
angels, to grieve over you, to encourage you to  
resist in a measure the powerful suggestions  
of Satan; and through your love to them you  
have been induced to again try to fix your 
Irembling faith upon the promises of God.  
Satan is waiting to overthroAv you that he may  

11  
exult over your downfall, and those who are  
trampling under foot the law of God you  
strengthen in their rebellion. It is impossible 
for you to be strong until you take a decided 
stand for the truth.  
Systematic Benevolence looks to you as need- *"*'"  
less; you overlook the fact that it originated 
with God, whose wisdom and judgment is un- 
erring. This plan he ordained to save confu- 
sion, to correct covetousness, avariciousness  
of spirit, selfishness and idolatry. This system  
was to cause the burden to rest lightly, yet  
with due weight upon all. The salvation of  
man cost a dear price, and God has so ordained  
that man should aid his fellow-man in the great  
work of redemption. If he excuses himself  
from this, he is unwilling to deny himself, that  
others may be partakers with him of the heav- 
enly benefit, he proves himself unworthy of  
the life to come, unworthy of the heavenly  
treasure which cost so great a sacrifice, even 
the life of the Lord of glory, which he freely 
gave to lift man from degradation, and to exalt  
him to become heir of the world. Gods wants  
no unwilling offerings, no pressed sacrifice.  
Those who appreciate the work of God, those 
who are thoroughly converted, will give the  
little required of them cheerfully, and consider  
it a privilege to bestow.  
Said the angel, Abstain from fleshly lusts  
which war against the soul. The Health  
Reform you have stumbled at. It looks to  
you to be a needless appendix to the truth. 
It is not so; it is a part of the truth. Here is 
a work before you which will come closer and  
be more trying than anything which has yet


10  
been brought to bear upon you. While you  
hesitate and stand back, failing to lay hold  
upon the blessing it is your privilege to expe- 
rience, you suffer loss.  
You are stumbling over the very blessing  
which Heaven has placed in your path de- 
signed to make your progress less difficult.  
The very things which will prove the greatest  
blessing to you, Satan determines to present  
before you"in the most objectionable light,  
that you may combat that which would prove 
for your physical and spiritual health. Of all 
men you are one to be benefited with health  
reform. The truth received on every point  
in this matter of reform will be of the greatest  
advantage. You are a man that a spare diet 
will benefit. You were in danger of being  
stricken down in a moment by paralysis, and  
one half of you becoming dead. A denial of  
appetite is salvation to you, while you view it 
as a great privation. Why the youth of  
the present age are not more religiously in- 
clined is because of the defect in their educa- 
tion. It is not true love which is exercised  
toward children to permit in them the indul-
gence of passion, or permit disobedience of 
your laws to go unpunished. "Just as the 
twig is bent the tree inclines."  
A mother should ever have the co-operation  
of the father, in her efforts to lay the founda-
tion for a good Christian character in her  
children. A doting father should not close  
his eyes to the faults of his children, because  
it is not pleasant to administer correction.  
You both need to arouse, and with firmness,  
not in a harsh manner, but with determined  

11  
purpose, let your children know they must  
obey you.  
A father must not be a child, moved merely  
by impluse. A father is bound to his family  
by sacred, holy ties. Every member of the 
family centers in the father. His name is  
" house-band," the true definition of husband.  
He is the law-maker, illustrating in his own 
manly bearing sterner virtues, energy, integ- 
rity, honesty, and practical usefulness. The 
father in one sense is the priest of the house- 
hold, laying upon the altar of God the morn- 
ing and evening sacrifice, the wife and children  
uniting in prayer and praise. With such a 
househol 
d Jesus will tarry, and through his  
quickening influence your joyful exclamations 
shall yet be heard, and amid higher and more  
lofty scenes, saying, " Behold I, and the chil- 
dren whom thou hast given me." Saved, saved, 
eternally saved ! Escaped the corruption that  
is in the world through lust, and through the  
merits of Christ become heirs of immortality.  
I saw that but few fathers realize the re- 
sponsibility resting upon them. They have  
not learned to control themselves, and until 
this lesson is learned they will make poor 
work in governing their children. Perfect  
self-control will act as a charm upon the fam- 
ily. When this is attained, a great victory is  
gained. Then can they educate their children  
to self-control.  
My heart yearns over the church at B ,  
for there is a work to be accomplished there.  
It is God's design to have a people in that 
place. There is material there for a good  
church, but there is considerable work to be


TO  
done to remove the rough edges and prepare  
them for working order, that all may labor  
unitedly and draw in even cords. It has 
hitherto been the case, when one or two feel  
the necessity of arousing and standing unitedly  
and more firmly upon the elevated platform of  
truth, that a portion will not make efforts to  
arise 
. Satan puts in them a spirit to rebel, to  
discourage those who would advance. They  
brace themselves when urged to take hold of  
the work, and a stubborn spirit comes upon  
some, and when they should help, they hinder. 
Som 
e will not submit to the planing-knife of  
God. As it passes over them, and the uneven  
surfac 
e is disturbed, they complain of too close  
and severe work. They wish to get out of  
God's work-shop, where their defects may  
remai 
n undisturbed. They seem to be asleep  
as to their condition; but their only hope is  
to remain where the defects in their Christian  
character will be seen and remedied.  
Some are indulging lustful appetite which  
wars against the soul, which is a constant 
drawback 
, a hindrance to their spiritual ad- 
vancement. They bear an accusing conscience  
constantly, and are prepared, if straight truths  
are talked, to be hit. They feel condemned,  
and as though subjects had been purposely 
selected to hit their case.  They feel grieved  
and injured, and withdraw themselves from  
the assemblies  of the saints. They forsake  
the assembling of themselves together, for  
then their consciences are not so disturbed.  
They soon lose their interest in the meetings  
and their love for the truth, and, unless they 
entirely reform, will go back and take their  

71  
position with the rebel host who stand under 
the black banner of .Satan. If all these will  
crucify fleshly lusts which war against the 
soul, they will get out of the way, where the 
arrows of truth will pass harmlessly by them.  
While they indulge lustful appetite, cherish  
their idols, they make themselves a mark for  
the arrows of truth to hit, and if truth is spo- 
ken at all, they must be wounded. Satan tells 
some that they cannot reform, that health  
would be sacrificed should they make the 
attempt, and leave the use of tea, tobacco, 
and flesh-meats. This is the suggestion of 
Satan. It is these hurtful stimulants which  
are surely undermining the constitution and 
preparing the system for acute diseases, by  
impairin 
g Nature's fine machinery, battering  
down her fortifications erected against disease  
and premature decay.  
Those who make a change and leave oft  
these unnatural stimulants, will for a time feel 
their loss and suffer considerably without  
them, as does the drunkard who is wedded to  
his liquor. Take away intoxicating drinks, 
and he feels terribly. * But, if he persists, he 
will soon overcome the dreadful lack he suffers.  
Nature will again come to his aid and remain  
at her post until he again substitutes, in the  
place of Nature, the false prop. Some have 
so benumbed the fine sensibilities of Nature  
that it may require a little time for her to recov- 
er from the abuse she has been made to suffer  
through the wrong and sinful habits of man.  
throug 
h the indulgence of an acquired, de- 
praved appetite, which has depressed and  
weakened her powers. Give Nature a chance


72  
and she will rally, and again perform her part  
nobly and well. The indulgence of these idols 
is destructive to health, and has a benumbing 
influence upon the brain, making it impossible  
to appreciate eternal things. They cannot  
rightly value the salvation Christ has wrought 
out for them by a life of self-denial, continual  
suffering, and reproach, and finally yielding  
his own sinless life to save perishing man 
fro 
m death.  
LIFE INSURANCE.  
I WAS shown that Sabbath-keeping Advent- 
ists should not engage in life insurance. This  
is a commerce with the world which God does  
not approve of. Those who engage in this 
enterprise are uniting with the world, while  
God calls his people to come out from among  
them and to be separate. Said the angel, 
" Christ has purchased you by the sacrifice of  
his life. What! know ye not that your body 
is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in  
you, which ye have of God; and ye are not  
your own ? For ye are bought with a price; 
therefore glorify God in your body, and in  
you 
r spirit, which are God's. For ye are dead,  
and your life is hid with Christ in God; when  
Chris 
t who is your life shall appear, then shall  
ye also appear with him in glory?" Here is the  
only life insurance which can be engaged in  
which Heaven sanctions.  
Life insurance is a worldly policy, which'  
leads our brethren who engage in it to depart  
from the simplicity and purity of the gospel. 
Every such departure weakens our faith and  

73  
lessens our spirituality. Said the angel, " But 
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,  
an holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye 
should show forth the praises of Him who hath 
called you out of darkness into his marvelous  
light." As a people,.we are in a special sense  
the Lord's. Christ has bought us. Angels  
that excel in strength surround us. Not a 
sparrow falls to the ground without the notice  
of our Heavenly Father. Even the hairs of  
our head are numbered. God has made pro- 
vision for his people. He has a special care 
for them, and they should not distrust his provi- 
denc 
e by engaging in a policy with the world.  
God designs that we should preserve in  
simplicity and holiness our peculiarity as a  
people. Those who engage in this worldly 
policy invest means which belongs to God,  
which he has entrusted to them to use in his  
cause, to advance his work. In life insurance  
but few will realize any returns, and even  
these returns without God's blessing will  
prove an injury instead of a benefit. Those  
whom God has made his stewards have no  
right to place in the enemy's ranks that means 
which he has entrusted to them to use in his  
cause.  
Satan is constantly presenting inducements  
to God's chosen people to attract their minds 
fro 
m the solemn work of preparation for the  
scenes just in the future. He is in every 
sense of the word a deceiver, a skillful 
charmer. He clothes his plans and snares  
with coverings of light borrowed from Heaven.  
He tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit.  
•


72  
He made her believe that she would be greatly  
advantage 
d by tasting of that fruit.  
Satan leads his agents to engage in various  
inventions and patent rights, and different en- 
terprises, that Sabbath-keeping Adventists,  
who are in haste to be rich, may fall into 
temptation 
, become ensnared and pierce them- 
selves through with many sorrows. He is  
wide awake, busily engaged leading the world  
captive, and through the agencies of world- 
lings he keeps up a continual pleasing excite- 
ment to draw the unwary who profess to be- 
lieve the truth to unite with worldlings. The 
lust of the eye, the desire for excitement and  
pleasing entertainment, is a temptation and  
snare to God's people. Satan has many  
finely-woven, dangerous nets, covered with  
apparent innocency, but with which he is  
skillfully preparing to infatuate God's people. 
There are pleasing shows, entertainments,  
phrenological lectures, and an endless variety  
of enterprises, constantly arising calculated  
to lead the people of God to love the world  
and the things that are in the world. Through  
this union with the world faith becomes weak- 
ened, and means are transferred to the enemy's  
ranks which should be invested in the cause of  
present truth. Through these different chan- 
nels Satan is skillfully bleeding the purses of 
the people of God, and for it the displeasure 
of God is upon them.  
ADVERTISE THE PUBLICATIONS.  
I HAVE been shown that we were not do- 
ing our duty in the direction of gratuitous  

75  
circulation of small publications. There are 
many honest souls who would be brought  
where they would embrace the truth by this  
means alone. Should there be on each copy  
of these small tracts an advertisement ot our 
publications 
, and the place wThere they can be  
obtained, it would result in the circulation of  
the larger publications, and the Review, In- 
structor and Reformer.  
These small tracts of four, eight, or sixteen  
pages, can be furnished for a trifle, from a 
fund raised by the donations of those who 
have the cause at heart, "When you write to  
a friend you can enclose one or more without  
increasing postage.  When in conversation  
with persons in the cars, on the boat, or in  
the stage, who seem to have an ear to hear,  
you can hand them out. They should not be 
promiscuously scattered at present like the  
autumn leaves, but judiciously and freely  
handed to those who would be likely to prize 
them. This will  be advertising our publica- 
tions, and the Publishing Association, in a 
manner that will result in much good.  
KNOWLEDGE.  
THE people are perishing for want of  
knowledge. Says the apostle, " Add to your 
faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge," &c.  
To the faith of the gospel the first work is to 
seek to add virtuous and pure principles, and  
thus cleanse the mind and heart for the re- 
ception of true knowledge. Disease of al- 
most every description is pressing upon the  
people, who seem to be willing to remain ig-


72  
norant of the means of relief, and the course  
to pursue to avoid disease.  
The great design of God in the Health In- 
stitute was that knowledge might be imparted,  
not only to the comparatively few who should  
attend it but that -the many might be in- 
structed as to home treatment. The Health  
Reforme 
r is the medium for rays of light to  
shin 
e out to the people. It should be the very  
bes 
t health journal in our country. It must  
be adapted to the wants of the common peo- 
ple, ready to answer all proper questions, and  
fully explain the first principles of the laws of 
life, and how to obey them and preserve 
health. The great object to be had in view 
by the publication of such a journal should be 
the good of the suffering people of God. The  
common people, especially those too poor to 
attend the Institute, must be  reached, and in- 
structed by the Health Reformer.  
THE HEALTH REFORM.  
IN the vision given me December 25, 1865,  
I saw that the Health Reform was a great  
enterprise 
, closely connected with the present  
truth, and that Seventh-day Adventists should 
have a home for the sick where they could be 
treated for their diseases, and also learn how  
to take care of themselves so as to prevent  
sickness. I saw that our people should not  
remain indifferent upon this subject, and 
leave the rich among us to go to the popular  
water-cure institutions of the country for the 
recovery of health, where they would find op-
position to, rather than sympathy with, their  

77  
views of religious faith. Those reduced by-
disease, suffer not only for the want of physi-
cal, but also of mental and moral strength;  
and afflicted,  conscientious Sabbath-keepers  
cannot receive the benefit at these institutions 
where they feel that they/nust be constantly  
guarded lest they compromise their faith, and 
dishonor their profession, as at an institution  
where its physicians and conductors are in 
sympathy with the truth connected with the  
third angel's message.  
Thos 
e who have suffered greatly, and are  
relieved by an intelligent system of treatment 
consisting of baths, healthful diet, proper pe-
riods of rest and exercise, and the beneficial  
effects of pure air, are led to conclude that 
those who successfully treat them are right  
in matters of religious faith, or at least, can-
not greatly err from the truth, and thus our  
people, if left to go to  those institutions whose  
phvsicians are corrupt in religious faith, are  
in danger of being ensnared. The institution  
at Dansville, N. Y., I then saw (in 1865) was  
the best in the United States. So far as the 
treatment of the sick is concerned, they have 
been doing a great and-good work; but they  
urge upon their patients dancing and card-
playing, and recommend attendance at thea- 
ters and such plaees of worldly amusement,  
which is in direct opposition to the% teachings  
of Christ and the apostles. * .  
Those connected with the Health Institute •  
now located at Battle Creek, should feel that  
thev are engaged in an important and solemn 
work; and in no way should they pattern af-
ter the physicians at the institution at Dans-


72  
ville in matters of religion and amusements.  
Yet, I saw that there would be danger of imi- 
tating them in many things, and losing sight 
of the exalted character of this great work.  
And should those connected with this enter- 
prise descend from J,he exalted principles of 
present truth, to imitate in theory and prac-
tice those at the head of institutions where  
the sick are treated only for the recovery of 
health, and should they cease to look at their  
work from a high religious stand-point, the  
especial blessing of God would not rest upon 
our institution any more than upon those  
where corrupt theories are taught and prac- 
ticed.  
I saw that a very extensive work could not  
be accomplished in a short time, as it would  
not be an easy matter to find physicians whom  
God could approve, who would work together  
harmoniously, disinterestedly and zealously, 
for the good of suffering mortals; keeping  
prominent that the great object to be attained 
through this channel is not only health, but 
perfectio 
n and the spirit of holiness, which  
cannot be attained to with diseased bodies  
an 
d minds. This object cannot be obtained  
merely by working from the worldling's stand-
point.  
God will raise up men and qualify them to  
engage in» the work, not only as physicians of  
the body, but of the sin-sick soul, who will be  
spiritual fathers to the young and inexperi-
enced.  
I was shown that the position of Dr. Jack- 
son in regard to amusements was wrong, and  

79  
that his views of physical exercise were not 
all correct. The very amusements he recom- 
mends hinder the recovery of health in mahy  
cases, where one is helped by them. And  
physical labor for the sick, is to a great degree  
condemned  by Dr. Jackson, which proves in  
many cases the greatest injury, while such  
mental exercise as playing at cards, chess,  
and checkers, excites and wearies the brain,  
and hinders recovery. Light and pleasant  
physical labor will occupy the time, improve  
the circulation, relieve and restore the brain,  
and prove a decided benefit to the health.  
But take from the invalid all such employment,  
and he becomes restless, and, with a diseased  
imagination, views his case as much worse  
than it really is, which tends to imbecility.  
For years past I have been shown from  
time to time that the sick should be taught  
that it was wrong to suspend all physical la- 
bor in order to regain health. In thus doing 
the will becomes dormant, the blood circu- 
late 
s through the system sluggishly, and grows  
more impure. Where there is danger of the  
patient's imagining his case worse than it  
really is, indolence will be sure to produce  
the most unhappy results. Well-regulated 
labor gives the invalid the idea that he is not 
totally useless in the world, that he is, at least, 
of some benefit. This will afford him satis-
faction 
, give him courage, and impart to him  
vigor 
, which vain, mental amusements can  
never do.  
The view that those persons who have abused  
both their physical and mental powers, or 
who have broken down in mind or in body,


72 80  
must, in order to regain health, suspend  
activity 
, is a great error. In a very few cases  
entire rest for a short period may be  necessary,  
but these instances are very rare. In most  
cases the change would be too great. Those  
who have broken down by intense mental la- 
bor, should have rest from wearing thought, 
yet to teach them that it is wrong for them to  
exercise their mental powers to a degree, and 
even dangerous for them to do so, would be  
to increase their diseased imaginations of their  
condition, and lead them to view it as worse than  
it really is. Such become still more nervous,  
and a great trouble and annoyance to those  
who have the care of them. In this state of 
mind, their recovery is doubtful indeed.  
Those who have broken down by physical  
exertion must have less labor, and that which 
is light and pleasant, and more rest. But to  
shut them away from all labor and exercise,  
would in many cases prove their ruin. The  
will goes with the labor of their hands, and  
those accustomed to labor would feel that  
they were only machines, to be acted upon by 
physicians and attendants, and the imagina-
tion would become diseased. Inactivity is  
the greatest curse that could come upon such.  
Their powers become so dormant that it is  
impossible for them to resist disease and lan- 
guor, which they must do in order to re- 
gain health.  
Dr. Jackson has made a great mistake in  
regard to exercise and amusements, and a  
still greater in his teachings of religious expe- 
rience and religious excitement. The exper-
imental religion of the Bible is not detrimental  

to health of body or mind. The exalting in- 
fluence of the Spirit of God is the best restor- 
ative for the sick. Heaven is all health, and  
the more fully the heavenly influences , are  
felt,  the more sure the recovery of the believ- 
ing invalid. The influence of these things  
has reached us as a people in some degree.  
Sabbath-keeping health reformers must be  
free from all these. Every true and real re- 
form will bring us nearer to God and Heaven, 
close 
r to the side of Jesus, and increase our  
knowledge of spiritual things, and deepen in  
us the holiness of Christian experience.  
That there are unbalanced minds that im- 
pose upon themselves fasting that the Scrip-
tures do not teach, and prayers and privations  
of rest and sleep which God has never re- 
quired 
, is true. This is why many such are  
not prospered and sustained in their voluntary  
acts of righteousness. They have a pharisa- 
ical religion which is not of Christ, but of 
themselves 
. These trust in their good works  
for salvation. They vainly think to earn  
Heaven by their meritorious works instead of 
relying,  as every sinner should, upon the mer- 
its of a crucified, risen, and exalted Saviour.  
These are almost yire to become  sickly. But  
Christ and true godliness are health to the  
body and strength to the soul.  
Let invalids do something, instead of occu- 
pying their minds with a simple play, which  
lowers them in their own estimation, and leads  
them to think their lives useless. Keep the 
powers of the will awake, for the will aroused  
and rightly directed, is a mighty soother of  
6*


82  
the nerves. Invalids are far happier with  
employment, and their recovery is more eas- 
ily effected.  
I saw that the greatest curse that ever came  
upon my husband and sister Lay, was the in- 
structions they received at Dansville, N. Y.,  
in regard to remaining inactive in order to re- 
cover 
. The imaginations of both were dis- 
eased, and their inactivity resulted in the  
thought and feeling that it would be danger- 
ous to health and life to exercise, especially if  
in doing so they became weary. The ma- 
chinery of the system so seldom put in mo- 
tion, lost its elasticity and strength, so that 
when they did exercise, their joints were stiff  
and their muscles were feeble; and every  
move required great effort, and of course  
caused pain. Yet this very weariness would  
have proved a blessing to them, had they, ir-
respective of feeling or unpleasant symptoms, 
persevered and resisted the disposition to fol-
low their inclinations to inactivity.  
I saw that it would be far better for sister  
La 
y to be with her family by herself, and feel  
the responsibilities resting upon her. This 
would awaken into life her dormant energies. 
I was shown that the brok®n-up condition of  
this dear family while at Dansville was un-
favorable to the education and training of 
their children. These children, for their own 
good, should be learning to take responsibil-
ities in household labor, and feeling that some  
burdens in life rest upon them. The mother,  
engaged in the education and training of her 
children 
, is employed in the very work God  
has assigned to her, and for the sake of which  

83  
he has in mercy heard the prayers offered for  
her recovery. She should shun wearing labor,  
but above all should she avoid a life of inac- 
tivity.  
When the vision was given me at Roch- 
ester, 1ST. Y., I saw that it would be far better  
fo 
r these parents and children to form a fam- 
ily by themselves. The children should each  
do a part of the family labor, and thus obtain 
a valuable education which could not be ob- 
tained in any other way. Life at Dansville, 
or in any other place, surrounded by waiters 
and helpers, was the greatest possible injury  
to mother and children.  
Jesus speaks to sister Lay, to find rest in  
him; and to let her mind receive a healthy  
tone by dwelling upon heavenly things, and  
earnestly seeking to bring up her little flock  
in the nurture and admonition of  the Lord.  
In this way can she best assist her husband,  
by relieving him of the feeling that she is the  
objec 
t of so much of his attention, care and  
sympathy.  
As to the extent of the accommodations of  
the Health Reform Institute at Battle Creek, I  
was shown, as I have before stated, that we  
should have such an institution, small at its 
commencement, and cautiously increased, as  
good physicians and helpers could be procured, 
means raised, and the wants of invalids should  
demand; and all should be conducted in har- 
mony, strictly in accordance with the princi- 
ples "and humble spirit of the third angel's 
message.  And as I have seen the large cal- 
culations of some, hastily urged by those who 
have taken a leading part in the work, I have


72  
felt alarmed, and in many private conversa- 
tions and in letters, I have warned these  
brethren to move cautiously. My reasons for  
this are, that without the especial blessing of  
God, there are several ways in which this  
enterprise might be hindered, for a time at  
least, either of which would be detrimental to  
the institution, and an injury to the cause.  
Should the physicians fail, through sickness,  
death, or any other cause, to fill their places, 
the work would be hindered till others were  
raised up; or should means fail to come in  
when extensive buildings are in process of  
erection, and the work stop for want of means, 
capital would be sunk, and a general discour- 
agement would come over all interested; also  
there might be a lack of patients to occupy 
present accommodations, consequently a lack  
of means to meet present expenses. With all  
the efforts in every department, put forth in a  
correct and judicious manner, with the bless-
ing of God on all these efforts, the Institution  
will prove a glorious success, while a single  
failure in any one direction might sooner or 
later prove a great injury. It should not be  
forgotten that out of many hygienic institu- 
tion 
s started in the United States, within the  
last twenty-five years, but few maintain even  
a visible existence at the present time.  
I have publicly appealed to our brethren in  
behalf of an institution to be established among  
us, and have spoken in the highest terms of  
Dr. Lay, as the man who has in the provi-
denc 
e of God obtained an experience to act  
a part in this work, as physician. This I have  
said upon the authority of what God has shown  

85  
• me. I would unhesitatingly repeat all that I  
have said, if necessary. I have not a feeling  
to draw back from one sentence that I have  
written or spoken. The work is of God, and  
must be prosecuted with a firm, yet cautious  
hand.  
The Health Reform is closely connected  
with the work of the third message, yet it is 
not the message. Our preachers should teach 
the Health Reform, yet they should not make  
this the leading theme in the place of the  
message. Its place is among those subjects 
which set forth the preparatory work to meet 
the events brought to view by the message,  
among which it is prominent. We should  
take hold of every reform with zeal, yet should  
avoid giving the impression that we are vascil- 
lating,°and subject to fanaticism. Our people  
should furnish means to meet the wants of a 
growing Health Institute among us, as they  
are able to do without giving less for the  
various wants of the cause, and let the Health  
Reform and the Health Institute grow up  
among' us as other worthy enterprises have 
grown, taking into the account our feeble  
strength in the past, and our greater ability  
to do=much in a short period of time now. In  
this respect let the Health Institute grow, as  
other interests among us have, as last as it  
can safely and rest upon a sure basis, and not  
cripple other branches of the great work, ot  
equal, or of greater importance at this time.  
For a brother to put a large share oi his 
property, whether he has much or little, into  
the Institute, so as to be unable to do as much  
in other directions as he otherwise should,


72 86  
would be wrong. And for him to do nothing- 
would be as great a wrong. With every 
stirring appeal to our people for means to put  
into the Institute, there should have been a  
caution not to rob other branches of the work;  
especially should the liberal poor have been  
cautioned. Some feeble, poor men with fam- 
ilies, without a home of their own, and too  
poor to go to the Institute to be treated, have  
put from one-fifth to one-third of all they pos- 
sess into the Institute. This is wrong. Some  
brethren and sisters have several shares who  
should not have one, and should for a short  
time attend the Institute, having their expen- 
ses paid, or partly paid, from the charity-fund. 
I do not see the providence of God in making 
great calculations for the future, and letting 
those suffer who need help now. Move 110  
faster, brethren, than the unmistakable provi- 
dence of God opens the way before you.  
The Health Reform is a branch of the espe- 
cial work of God, for the benefit of his people.  
I saw that in an Institution established among  
us, the greatest danger would be of its man- 
agers departing from the spirit of the present  
truth, and from that simplicity which should 
ever characterize the disciples of Christ. A  
wTarning was given me against lowering the  
standard of truth in any way in such an insti- 
tution, in order to help the feelings of unbe-
lievers, and thus be more sure of their patron-
age. The great object of receiving unbelievers  
into the institution is to lead them to embrace 
the truth. If the standard be lowered, they 
will get the impression that the truth is of 
little importance, and they will go away in a  

stat 

e of mind harder of access than before.  
But the greatest evil resulting from such a  
course would be the influence it would have  
upon the poor, afflicted, believing patients, 
which would alfect the cause generally. They  
have been taught to trust in the prayer of 
faith, and many of them are bowed down in  
spirit because the prayer of faith is not now  
more fully answered. I saw that the reason  
why God did not hear the prayers of his ser- 
vants for the sick among us more fully was,  
that he could not be glorified in so doing  
while they were violating the laws of health.  
And that he designed the Health Reform and  
Health Institute to prepare the way for the 
prayer of faith to be fully answered, and thus  
faith and good works go hand in hand in re-
lieving the afflicted among us, and in fitting 
them to glorify God here, and to be saved at 
th 
e coming of Christ. God forbid that these af- 
flicted ones should ever be disappointed and  
grieved in finding the managers of the Insti- 
tute working only from a worldly standpoint,  
instead of adding to the hygienic practice the 
blessings and virtues of nursing fathers and  
nursing mothers in Israel.  
But let no one obtain the idea that the In- 
stitute is the place for them to come, and be  
raised up by the prayer of faith. That is the 
place to find relief from disease by treatment,  
and right habits of living, and to learn how to / 
avoid "sickness. But if there be one place un- 
der the heavens more than another where the  
soothing, sympathizing prayer should be offer- 
ed, by men and women of devotion and  
faith, it is at such an Institute. Those who


72  
treat the sick should move forward in their 
important work with strong reliance upon God  
for his blessing to attend the means he has  
graciously provided, and to which he has in  
mercy called our attention as a people, such  
as pure air, cleanliness, healthful diet, proper  
periods of labor and repose, and the use of  
water. None of them should have a selfish in- 
terest outside of this important and solemn  
work. To care properly for the physical and 
spiritual interests of the afflicted people of  
God who have reposed almost unlimited con- 
fidence in them at great expense, will require  
their undivided attention. No one has so 
great a mind, or is so skillful, but that  
the work will be imperfect after they have  
done their very best. Let those to whom are 
committed the physical, and also to a great  
extent the spiritual interests of the afflicted  
people of God, beware how they, through 
worldly policy, or a desire to be engaged in a  
grea 
t and popular work, or personal interest,  
call down upon themselves and this branch of  
the work in which they are engaged, the frown  
of God. Neither should they depend upon  
their skill alone. If the blessing, instead of  
the frown of God, be upon the Institution, an- 
gels will attend patients, helpers, and physi- 
cians to assist in the work of restoration, so 
that in the end the glory will be given to God,  
instea 
d of feeble, short-sighted man taking it  
to himself. Should these men work from a  
worldly policy, and should their hearts be lift- 
ed up, and they feel to say, " My power, and 
the might of my hand^hath done this," God  
would leave them to work under the great  

89  
disadvantages of their inferiority to other in- 
stitutions in knowledge, experience and facil- 
ities. They could not then accomplish half as  
much as other institutions do.  
I saw the beneficial influence of out-door  
labor upon those of feeble vitality and de- 
pressed circulation, especially upon females  
who have induced these conditions by too  
muc 
h confinement in-doors. Their blood has  
become impure and feeble for want of pure air  
and exercise. Instead of being held in-doors  
by amusements, there should be out-door at- 
tractions. I saw there should be connected  
with the Institute ample grounds, beautified  
with flowers, and planted with vegetables and  
fruits, where the feeble could find a proper  
amount of labor to do, appropriate to their sex  
and condition, at suitable hours. These  
grounds should be in the care of an experi- 
enced gardener, to direct all in a tasteful, or- 
derly manner. ,  
The relation I sustain to this work demands  
of me an unfettered expression of my views. 
I speak freely, and choose this medium to  
speak to all interested. What appeared in 
Testimonv No. 11 concerning the Health In- 
stitute, should not have been given until I was  
able to write out all I had seen in regard to it. 
I did not design to say anything upon the sub-
ject  in No. 11, and sent all the manuscript  
that I designed for that Testimony, from Ot- 
tawa Co., "where I was then laboring, to the  
Office at Battle Creek, stating that I wished  
them to hasten out that little work, as it was  
muc 
h needed, and as soon as possible I would  
write No. 12, in which I designed to speak


72  
freely and fully concerning the Institute. The 
brethren at Battle Creek especially interested  
in the Institute, knew I had seen that our peo- 
ple should cast in of their means to establish  
such an institution. They therefore delayed  
the publication of No. 11 to write to me that  
th 
e influence of my testimony in regard to the  
Institute was needed to immediately move the  
brethren upon the subject, and that No. 11 
wouId~wait till I could' write. This was a  
great trial to me, as I knew I could not write  
out all I had seen, for I was then speaking to  
the people six or eight times a week, visiting  
from house to house, and writing hundreds of  
pages of personal testimonies and private let- 
ters. This amount of labor, with unnecessary  
burdens and trials thrown upon me, unfitted 
me for labor of any kind. My health was  
poor, and my mental sufferings were beyond  
description. Under these circumstances I  
yielded my judgment to that of others, and  
wrot 
e what appeared in No. 11 in regard to  
the Health Institute, being unable then to give  
all I had seen. I did wrong. I must be al- 
lowed to know my own duty better than oth- 
ers can know it for me, especially on matters  
which God has revealed to me. I shall be  
blamed by some for speaking as I now speak.  
Others will blame me for not speaking before.  
The disposition manifested to crowd "the mat- 
ter of the Institute so fast has been one of the  
heaviest trials I have ever borne. If all those 
who have used my testimony to move the  
brethren, had been equally moved by it them- 
selves 
, I should be better satisfied. Should I  
delay longer to speak my views and feelings,  

91  
I should be blamed the more by both those 
who think I should have spoken sooner, and 
those also who may think I should not give  
any cautions. For the good of those at the  
head of the work, for the good of the cause  
and the brethren, and to save myself great  
trials, I have freely spoken.  
EXTRACTS  PROM LETTERS,  
[THE two following extracts are from letters  
which I addressed to those at the head of the  
Health Institute, the first one, the first of May,  
1867, and the second, in June following.]  
FIRST EXTRACT.  
" A Health Institution God would have es- 
tablished which will in its influence be closely  
connected with the closing work for mortals  
fitting for immortality; one that would have  
no tendency to weaken the religious principles  
of old or young, which would not improve the 
health of the body to the detriment of spirit-
ual growth. The great object of this Institu-
tion should be to improve the health of the 
body that the afflicted might more highly ap- 
preciate eternal things. If this object is not  
continually set before the mind, and efl'orts  
are not made to this end, it will prove a curse  
instead of a blessing, spirituality will be re- 
garded a secondary thing, and the health of 
the body and diversion will be made primary.  
" I saw that the high standard should not  
be lowered a particle in order that the Institu- 
tion might be patronised by unbelievers. If any


72 92  
choose to come while the conductors of the In-
stitution occupy the exalted spiritual position  
God designs they should, there will be a power  
that will affect the hearts of unbelievers, and  
with God on their side and angels enlisted, his  
commandment-keeping people can but pros- 
per. This Institution is not to be established 
for the object of gain and to accumulate, but  
to aid in bringing God's people into such a 
condition of physical and mental health as  
will enable them to rightly appreciate eternal  
things, and to correctly value the redemption  
so dearly purchased by the sufferings of our  
Saviour. This Institution is not to be made a  
plac 
e for diversion or amusement. Those who  
cannot live unless they have excitement and  
diversion, will be of no use to the world; none 
are made better for their living. They mi^ht  
just as well be out of the world as to be in°it.  
" 
 I saw that the view which Dr. Jackson  
sought to instill into the minds of others, that  
spirituality was a detriment to the health of  
the body, was but the sophistry of the Devil.  
Satan found his way into Eden and made  
Eve believe that she needed something  
more than that which God had given for her 
happiness, that the forbidden fruit would have  
a 
 special exhilarating influence upon her body  
and mind, which would exalt her even to be 
equal with God in knowledge. But the  
knowledge and benefit she thought to gain 
was to her a terrible curse.  
_ "There are persons with diseased imagina- 
tions ; religion is to them a tyrant, to rule them  
as with a rod of iron. With such it is a con- 
stant mourning over their depravity, and groan- 

ing over supposed evil. Love does not exist  
in their hearts; a frown is ever upon the  
countenance 
. They are chilled with the in- 
nocent laugh from the youth, or from any one. 
They consider it a sin to have recreation or  
amusement. The mind must be wrought up  
to just such a stern, severe pitch. This is  
one extreme. Others think that the mind 
must be on the stretch to invent new amuse- 
ments and diversion to gain health. They 
learn to depend on outward excitement, are  
uneasy without it. Such are not true Chris- 
tians. They go to another extreme. The 
true principles of Christianity open before all a  
source of happiness; the height and depth,  
the length and breadth of it are immeasurable.  
It is Christ in us a well of water springing up  
into everlasting life. It is a continual well- 
spring that the Christian can drink from and  
never exhaust the fountain.  
" What brings sickness of body and mind to  
nearl 
y all, is dissatisfied feelings and discon- 
tented repinings. They have not God, they  
have not the hope which reaches to that  
within the vail, which is as an anchor to the 
soul both sure and steadfast. All with this  
hope will purify themselves even as he is pure,  
and will not have the restless longings, the  
repinings, the discontent, the lack of love, the  
continual looking for evil and brooding over 
borrowed trouble, having a time of trouble 
beforehand, with anxiety stamped upon every  
feature with no consolation but a continual,  
fearful looking for of some dreadful evil.  
" God is dishonored by such. The religion  
of Christ is brought into disrepute. Such


72  
have not love for God, nor love for their com- 
panions nor children. The affections of such  
are morbid. But vain amusements will never  
correct the minds of such. They need the  
transforming influence of the Spirit of God in  
order to be happy, and to be benefited with  
the mediation of Christ, and to realize conso- 
lation, divine and substantial. ' For he that 
will love life and see good days, let him re-
frain his tongue from evil, and his lips that  
they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil,  
and do good; let him seek' peace and ensue  
it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the 
righteous, and his ears are open unto their  
prayers; but the face of the Lord is against  
the 
m that do evil.'  
" Those who have experimental knowledge  
of the above scriptures are truly happy. They  
will consider the approbation of Heaven 
higher than any earthly amusement; Christ 
i 
n them the hope of  glory, will be health to  
the body and strength to the soul. The sim-
plicit 
y of the gospel is fast disappearing from  
professed Sabbath-keepers. How can God 
prosper us, I enquire a hundred times a day.  
Prayer is almost obsolete. How little pray-
ing, how little bearing the cross of Christ 
who bore the shameful cross for us.  
" I cannot feel that things are moving at  
that Institution as God would have them 
move. I fear that he will turn his face from  
it. I was shown that physicians and helpers  
should be of the highest order. Those who  
have an experimental knowledge of the truth,  
who will command respect, and whose word  
ca 
n be relied on. They should be persons  

95  
whose imaginations are not diseased, persons 
who have perfect control of themselves, who  
are not fitful or changeable, persons who are  
free from jealousy and evil surmisings; per- 
sons who have a power of will that will not  
yield to slight indispositions; persons who  
will think no evil, unprejudiced, who think  
and move calmly, considerately, having the  
glory of God, and the good of others ever  
before them. Never should one be exalted to  
any responsible position to gratify them or  
because they desire it, but because they are  
qualified and have the fitness for the position.  
Those who have responsibilities upon them,  
should be proved and give evidence that they 
are free from jealousy, that they will not be  
,t of that kind who will take a dislike to this or  
that one, while they will have a few favored  
friends, taking no notice of others. God  
grant that they may move just right in that 
Institution."  
SECOND EXTRACT.  
" DEAR BRO. LAY :—My mind has been ex- 
ercise 
d considerably upon one or two points.  
When I get where I am writing letters to you 
night after night in my sleep, I then think it 
time to carry out my convictions of duty.  
When I was shown that Dr. Jackson erred in  
some things in regard to the instructions he  
gave to his patients, I saw that you had re- 
ceived the same ideas in many things, and that  
the time wrould come when you would see cor-
rectly in regard to the matter. These are  
concerning work and amusements. I was


96 15  
shown in nine cases out of ten that to allow  
light work, and even to urge it upon most of  
th 
e patients, would prove more beneficial than  
to urge them to remain inactive and idle.  
There&needs to be a power of the will kept ac- 
tive, which is the greatest help to recover the  
health, and to arouse the dormant faculties.  
Remove all labor from those who have been  
overtaxed all their lives, and in nine cases out  
of ten the change will prove an injury. This 
instruction has proved one of the greatest in- 
juries to my husband. I was shown that  
physical, out-door exercise was far preferable  
to in-door; but if this cannot be brought about, 
light employment would occupy and divert  
the mind, and prevent it from dwelling upon 
little ailments and symptoms, and will prevent  
home-sickness. This do-nothing system, I saw,  
had been the greatest curse to your wife and  
my husband. God gave employment to the 
first pair in Eden, because he knew that they  
would be happier thus employed. From what  
has been shown me, this do-nothing system  
is a curse to soul and body. Light employ- 
ment will not excite or tax the mind or strength  
any more than amusements. The sick get 
where they look at their poor feelings, and  
often think themselves utterly unable to do  
anything, when I saw if they would arouse the  
will and compel themselves every day to do 
an amount of physical labor, they would be 
far happier, and improve much faster. I shall  
write more fully upon this point hereafter.'  
NOTE. I understand from a recent Rochester paper that "card  
playing" is no longer practiced as an amusement at Our Home  
in Dansville, N. Y.