Extracts From Testimonies

GCD.1899-02-20.001

«The conviction is gaining ground that Seventh-day Adventists are giving the trumpet an uncertain sound; that they are following in the path of worldlings.»

GCD.1899-02-20.002

«The proclamation of the third angel’s message-the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus-is the burden of our work.»

GCD.1899-02-20.003

«The mustard-seed has grown to a great tree.»

GCD.1899-02-20.004

«There must be a well-balanced, symmetrical development of the work in all its parts.»

GCD.1899-02-20.005

«What is the secret of our prosperity?-We have moved under the order of the Captain of our salvation. God has blessed our united efforts. The truth has spread and flourished. Institutions have multiplied. The mustard-seed has grown to a great tree. The system of organization has proved a grand success.»

GCD.1899-02-20.006

«An army in battle would become confused and weakened unless all worked in concord.»

GCD.1899-02-20.007

«If soldiers should act out their own impulsive ideas, without reference to each other’s position and work, they could not do the work of an organized body. So the soldiers of Christ must act in harmony.»

GCD.1899-02-20.008

«They must not stand apart. A spirit to act independently and alone must not be cherished. If they do this, the Lord’s people, in the place of being in perfect harmony, of one mind, one purpose, and consecrated to one grand object, will find their efforts fruitless, their time and capabilities wasted. Union is strength. A few converted souls acting in harmony, acting for one grand purpose, under one head, will achieve victories at every encounter.»

GCD.1899-02-20.009

«I am very sorrowful when I see things that I can not indorse, and I feel pained over the matter. I begin to be afraid. Some have entertained ideas, and without waiting to bring these before a council of brethren, have agitated strange theories. They have brought before some of the people, ideas in regard to organization that ought never to have had expression. I supposed that the question of organization was settled forever with those who believed the Testimonies. Now if they believe these matters, why do they work contrary to them?

GCD.1899-02-20.010

Satan’s angels are wise to do evil, and they will create that which some will claim to be advanced light, and will proclaim as new and wonderful things; while in some respects the message is truth, yet it will be mingled with men’s inventions, and will teach for doctrine the commandments of men. If there ever was a time when we should watch and pray in real earnest, it is now. There may be supposable things that appear as good things, and yet they need to be carefully considered with much prayer; for they are specious devices of the enemy, to lead souls in a path which lies so close to the path of truth that it will be scarcely distinguishable from the path which leads to holiness and heaven. But the eye of faith may discern that it is diverging from the right path, though almost imperceptibly. At first it may be thought positively right, but after a little while it is seen to be widely divergent from the path of safety,-from the path that leads to holiness and heaven. My brethren, I warn you to make straight paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way.»

GCD.1899-02-20.011

«We sought the Lord with earnest prayer, that we might understand his will, and light was given by his Spirit, that there must be order and thorough discipline in the church, that organization was essential. System and order are manifest in all the works of God throughout the universe. Order is the law of heaven, and it should be the law of God’s people on the earth.»

GCD.1899-02-20.012

«Let none entertain the thought, however, that we can dispense with organization. It has cost us much study, and many prayers for wisdom that we know God has answered, to erect this structure. It has been built up by his direction, through much sacrifice and conflict. Let none of our brethren be so deceived as to attempt to tear it down, for you will thus bring in a condition of things that you do not dream of.»

GCD.1899-02-20.013

«In the name of the Lord, I declare to you that it is to stand, strengthened, established, and settled. At God’s command, ‘Go forward,’ we advanced when the difficulties to be surmounted made the advance seem impossible. We work how much it has cost to work out God’s plans in the past, which has made us as a people what we are. Then let every one be exceedingly careful not to unsettle minds in regard to those things that God has ordained for our prosperity and success.»

GCD.1899-02-20.014

«You must never, never seek to lift one pin, remove one landmark, that the Lord has given to his people as truth.»

GCD.1899-02-20.015

«There is to be no change in the features of our work. It is to stand as clear and distinct as prophecy has made it. We are to enter into no confederacy with the world, supposing that by so doing we could do more work.»

GCD.1899-02-20.016

«We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history. We are now a strong people, if we will put our trust in the Lord; for we are handling the mighty truths of the word of God. We have everything to be thankful for. If we walk in the light as it shines upon us from the living oracles of God, we shall have large responsibilities, corresponding to the great light given us of God. We have many duties to perform, because we have been made the depositaries of sacred truth to be given to the world in all its beauty and glory. We are debtors to God to use every advantage he has entrusted to us to beautify the truth of holiness of character, and to send the message of warning and of comfort, of hope and of love, to those who are in the darkness of error and sin.»

GCD.1899-02-23.001

«I have been deeply stirred during the night season. I was in a meeting where were present men to whom had been entrusted large responsibilities. I can not now write as fully as I would like to, because I have not the strength, but I have words to say that I dare not leave unsaid. One stood in our midst, and said: «There is a large work to be done, in lines that the Lord has laid out before you,-a work that has yet scarcely been touched. I have sent my message to you; and what have you done for the Southern field,-for the colored people? What have you done with the means solicited for that field? You have robbed this destitute field of the means that God designed should come into it.'»

GCD.1899-02-23.002

«The money brought in in response to the appeals made in behalf of the Southern field was just as much set apart for that work as is the tithe for the support of the ministers.»

GCD.1899-02-23.003

«Mismanagement, wrong methods, ill-advised, movements have brought a reproach upon the work and cause of God, and these matters need to be adjusted. The book work needs to be cleansed of every artful intrigue. Those who have stood at the head of this unjust dealing will never be clean in the sight of God until they restore that which they have taken away. They are held responsible for the work that might have been done, but is not.»

GCD.1899-02-23.004

«The use of means in lines that will make a good showing is right, but not until you have done the work the Lord has appointed you to do in the field that has been so manifestly neglected. The Lord says, Their suffering, their poverty, their degradation, has come up before me. I have heard their cries. I have seen their neglect. I have called your attention to the field. But the means you should have used to advance the work there, you have appropriated to more pleasing work, to more promising fields,-fields that have not such necessities and will reveal no better results.»

GCD.1899-02-23.005

«There need be no dearth of means to-day for the advancement of the work, but the Lord has no pleasure in his people, because pride and selfishness have expelled mercy, and the love of God and for their fellow-men from their hearts. Wrong actions are clothed with a pretense of righteousness,-that which the Lord calls dissembling, false weights, unjust balances, and fraud.»

GCD.1899-02-23.006

«There have been dishonesty, fraud, the turning away of a man from his rights, and disregarding the principles of the commandments of God. You have had men, schemes, and devising of plans with the idea that you could as a board have power to do anything that would serve the conference, and bring in a revenue. But it was more grievous in the sight of God, because you there were covering the dishonest practises, saying The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we. Yes; but that temple was just as much in need of cleansing as the temple courts in the days when Christ was upon the earth. The Lord hates the mixture he saw in the earthly temple. Unholy bartering in the temple courts brought forth the righteous indignation of an insulted God.»

GCD.1899-02-23.007

«Wrong actions are clothed with a pretense of righteousness and fraud. This is the iniquity of the people of God. They have not restored the pledge, or brought back that which they have taken away. Truth has fallen in the street, and equity can not enter. The deepest humility should be felt by those who have the privilege of enlightenment and education in missionary lines.»

GCD.1899-02-23.008

«The Lord God of heaven, by whom all actions are weighed in the golden balances of the sanctuary, looks upon the thousands of colored people, our neighbors, who, in their destitution, are spreading their cases before the Giver of all mercies and blessings. These people are perishing in their sins. As a people they are ignorant, many knowing nothing of purity and godliness and elevation. But among them are men and women of quick perceptions, excellent talents, and these will be revealed when once the Spirit of God shall turn their attention to the Word.»

GCD.1899-02-24.001

«This condition of things has been created in our conferences and churches.

GCD.1899-02-24.002

«The evil is not with one man, or with two; it is the whole that needs the cleansing and setting in order.»

GCD.1899-02-24.003

«It has been some years since I have considered the General Conference as the voice of God.»

GCD.1899-02-24.004

«In order to save money, camp-meetings have been held over and over in the same place. They should have been held in new places, that the standard of truth might be lifted, and the message proclaimed, The Lord is coming, and the end of all things is at hand. But unconsecrated hearts and unsanctified counsel have used the means necessary to do this, in other directions, to gratify selfish ambitions. God is not pleased. There is a dearth of means, and there will be a dearth of means just as surely as those who are connected with the work of God neglect to humble their hearts before God. They must fall on the Rock, and be broken, or that Rock will fall on them, and grind them to powder.» . . . .

GCD.1899-02-24.005

«This evil has been done in united action. Men do not well to try to shield themselves, and fasten their guilt upon one or two. Their hearts must change.»

GCD.1899-02-24.006

«Every page of that dark history is written in the books of heaven, to react upon every soul who has engaged in these schemes, unless they shall repent with that repentance that needeth not to be repented of. The Lord can not tolerate any such transactions as those that have been professedly done in his name. He abhors all such satanic principles. What shall be done in the future? That is the question now.

GCD.1899-02-24.007

«What shall be done in the future? Lest you offend God, place no responsibility upon any man who has become leavened by connection with this work, unless he shows that he has a sense of the evil practises, and separates them from the institution,-unless he condemns all that savors of injustice, overbearing, or lording it over God’s heritage. There has been a betrayal of sacred trusts. The work of God has been abused, and covered up with men’s unsanctified attributes, and God says, ‘Shall I not judge for these things?’ It is for such working as these that Christ says, ‘I came not to send peace, but a sword.’ May God grant that never again shall this policy exist in our institutions; that no events, or combination of events, shall lead men to repeat the past. There is a work to be done that has not yet been done. The temple courts are not yet cleaned as they must be before the work which Christ did after the cleaning of the temple can be done. Then all the sick were brought to him, and he laid his hands upon them, and healed them all.»

GCD.1899-02-24.008

«The opinion of those handling sacred things has been that God did not expect them to be too liberal in business deal. The income must be brought into the work and the cause of God; therefore scheming and artful presentation and false representation have been made.»

GCD.1899-02-24.009

«And if it is never revealed in this time of probation, the future will show accounts standing in the books of heaven that reveal dishonesty, sharpness in business deal.»

GCD.1899-02-24.010

«These can never be washed away by the blood of the Lamb, until full repentance and restitution show a conversion of the soul from the sinful practises to righteousness.»

GCD.1899-02-27.001

«As the Lord’s workman, you are to open your plans to one another. These plans must be carefully and prayerfully considered, because those who do not this the Lord will leave to stumble in their own supposed wisdom and superior greatness.»

GCD.1899-02-27.002

«He has brought before some of the people ideas in regard to organization that ought never to have had expression. I supposed that the question of organization was settled forever with those who believed the Testimonies given through Sister White. Now if they believe these matters, why do they work contrary to them? Why should not my brethren be prudent enough to place these matters before me, or at least to inquire if I had any light upon these subjects? . . . O, how Satan would rejoice to get in among this people, and disorganize the work at a time when thorough organization is essential. — MS., Jan. 14, 1894 .

GCD.1899-02-27.003

«I learn that it is proposed by some of our brethren to do away with the organization of some at least of the branches of our work. No doubt what has led them to propose this step is that in some of our organizations the machinery has been made so complicated as really to hinder the work. This, however, is not an argument against organization, but against the perversion of it.»- Unpublished Testimony .

GCD.1899-02-28.001

«Now as never before we need to understand the true science of education. If we fail to understand this, we shall never have a place in the kingdom of God.»

GCD.1899-02-28.002

«The work that lies next to our church-members is to become interested in our youth.»

GCD.1899-02-28.003

«Through a vital connection with God, men and women may quickly gain a knowledge of that great text-book, the word of God, and go forth to impart what they have received.»

GCD.1899-02-28.004

«Let workers enter the field without going through many preliminaries. Teach them that they are to walk humbly with God, and to begin labor just where they see it is needed. Thus our working force may be greatly increased.» «A great work is being done in medical missionary lines, and its necessities are constantly being felt; but this work need not absorb the funds required in other lines. The medical missionary work, if rightly managed, may be made largely self-sustaining. Let our conferences and churches see that our youth are educated in the Scriptures; for the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.»

GCD.1899-02-28.005

«Let us in our educational work embrace far more than we have done of the children and youth, and there will be a whole army of missionaries raised up to work for God.»