致纽约弟兄姐妹的重要证言
致我们在纽约区会的弟兄们。
1月7日至11日在罗马举行的总会闭幕后，纽约区会主席收到了怀姐妹的下述来信。它将不言自明：{PH039 3.1}
亲爱的在纽约的弟兄们：
我被主的灵催促，要写信给你们，陈明一些事。{PH039 3.2}
我已经好几次蒙指示看到你们的危险和你们的生活远远落后，其实你们应该远远领先于你们现在的样子。包围你们的责任没有得到赏识，也没有得到履行;我在梦中正写给你们过去主在纽约州为你们而赐给我的见证。上帝已赐给你们伟大的亮光和宝贵的机会来知道祂的旨意并且行善。这种忽视不仅影响人自己，也影响到与他有联系的其他人。谢绝承担责任并不是一种值得赞扬的行为，这对造你们的主来说却是一种极大的羞辱，因为祂赋予你们钱财和影响力的才干，如果你们忠实于自己受到的信任，这些才干就会构成你们向世界通光的管道。上帝赐给你们的一切能力都应当得到使用。祂所借给你们的一切钱财都应当予以明智的善用，因为你们不是自己的人，你们是重价买来的，是在拿受托的资本作买卖。上帝要求你们善用本着信任借给你们的每一恩赐。你们不应当仅仅为了使自己获利、使自己有能力去做救赎主已告诉你们不要去做的事而广泛延伸：不要为自己积攒财宝在地上，因为你的心必在你地上的财宝上;而要为自己积攒财宝在天上，在不会朽坏的钱囊里。{PH039 3.3}
这是如何做到的呢?是藉着不断地把你的财产视为主的而不是你自己的，把你自己当作上帝的管家，认真地，焦急地，警醒着，看看你能在什么方面做些什么来帮助推进上帝的圣工。这是上帝的工作，而你们是祂的仆人，受托使用祂的货财。你们若是利用主的货财来为自己谋利益，远远过于造福和推进上帝的圣工，你们就是在利用主的东西在一个自私、属世的渠道中流动，而让上帝的圣工得不到上帝已托付给你们作为祂的管家要用在圣工上的资金。现在库里之所以没有更多的资金，是因为那些作上帝资金管家的人不忠于所托。他们为自私的目的使用上帝的钱，好像那是他们自己的，把推进上帝的圣工所需要的资金送到世界上，流于世俗，而不是交给兑换银钱的人，投资于上帝的圣工，给祂带来双倍的收益。{PH039 4.1}
我蒙指示看到，并没有做成上帝有权利期望你们明智地投入祂所托付的才干在纽约州做成的推进祂圣工的工作。所有的钱都是主的。你们为什么扣留上帝自己的东西呢?在你们州没有完成应完成之工的百分之一。你们如此缺乏信心和相应的行为，以致上帝不能为你们做很多的事。狭隘的信仰，狭隘的计划，是对工作的限制和约束。上帝会按照我们的信心为我们行事。我们在许多国家的人以缓慢的速度工作，这要花上一个现世的千禧年来警告世界。天使正在执掌四方的风，不叫它们刮，直到世界受了警告，直到一班人决定支持真理，诚实正直的心知罪归主。于是他们的能力、他们的影响和他们的钱财就会流进布道的渠道。这就是将钱交给兑换银钱的人，当主来到时，祂的管家们可以呈上双倍的银子，就是收聚灵魂归于耶稣基督。但是富有的农民中有些人的行为就好像在上帝的日子里，上帝只会要求他们向祂呈上富饶、改良的农场，建造更多的建筑，他们说：“主啊，祢的银子在这里。看哪，我得了这一切的产业。”如果他们农场的面积是那么多宝贵的灵魂得救归于耶稣基督，如果他们的楼房是那么多要带到主面前的灵魂，那么祂就能对这些人说：“做得好，又良善又忠心的仆人。”但是你不能把这些改良的农场，或者这些建筑带进天堂。末日的火必烧灭它们。你若将银子投资或埋没在这些属地的财宝上，你的心就在它们上面，你就为它们挂虑，为它们坚持不懈地操劳，你的机智、你的技巧就被培养去为属地的、世俗的财产服务，而不是被指向或用于属天的事。你就开始把投资于扩大工作的更大计划的资金看作是损失了那么多没有回报的资金。这完全是一个错误，因为尘世被高举在永恒之上了。当人心在地上的财宝上时，它只能作这样的估计;它无法赏识天上的财宝。它被完全占据，正如魔鬼所希望的那样;永恒被尘世遮蔽了。{PH039 4.2}
现在有许多人勤奋地工作，就好像他们的得救依赖于他们在上帝圣工的投资上惊人的节省，好像他们在扩展和建立上帝工作的计划和努力上花费最少的钱是一种美德。人们把钱占用在农场和生意中，好像他们的得救取决于他们尘世财产的改善。这些人知道自己沉迷于自私自利吗?这些人知道他们生活的每一天都在抢夺上帝吗?他们知道自己在将自己的光阴、自己身心的才干奉献于在根基上铺设草木禾秸吗?多年的所有进步都将被末日的火消灭，即使他们自己得救，也只会像从火里经过的一样。他们一生的工作都化为灰烬。他们若是忠心的管家就本来可以得到的赏赐失去了，永远失去了。许多他们本可以拯救的灵魂却因为他们的疏忽而没有得救。上帝赐给他们一切的能力，都是要检验他们，看他们配不配受托永远的丰富。有许多在你们的聚会上作过见证的人始终谨慎，惟恐做出什么前进的举动，要求他们奉献一些资金光照世界。他们被尘世的东西埋得如此之深，以致于对永恒的财富没有正确的估计，即使把天国赐给他们，他们也不会珍视。他们的品味、他们的欲望、他们的追求、他们的倾向都具有属地、世俗的性质，他们不适合天国;他们和他们的财宝一起灭亡了。我们所有的才干都应当用到极致。我们被要求通过运用来发展我们的能力，直到它们达到最高点，在从事你们的农场、你们的建筑方面吗?不，而是在上帝的工作方面，作上帝恩典的管家。你们的能力应当用来造福世界。拿上帝所托付的才干用于属地的、自私的、世俗的目的，忽视得人归于基督的上帝的工作，凡这么做而忽视神圣责任的人，都被指控为不忠心的仆人。以这样一种会使上帝得不到尊荣的方式使用祂所赐给你们要用来造福世人的你们身心的能力，乃是一件可怕的事。将银子包在布里，埋在地里，或世界上，因为担心上帝会向你追讨，这也是一件可怕的事。这会断绝我们自己对永恒赏赐的盼望;这是丧失生命的冠冕，表明我们不尊重永恒的幸福。上帝号召你们在纽约州拥有宝贵的真理之光的人，不要再把你们的时间和才能奉献给自私的目的，从而使你们失去人性，也失去上帝，把你们的才干包起来藏在地下。这一切的才干都必须用来给赐予者带来荣耀。要接受上帝赐给你们的责任，背起你的十字架，舍己，否则你就不能成为基督的门徒。上帝并没有计划你应该把大脑、骨骼和肌肉奉献给世俗的工作;祂意在让你善用你的才干，好在上帝的计划中，在救灵上、在从事上帝的工作上充任某个重要、高贵的位置。自私的思想和感情已经使你们的灵魂干枯了。天上的湿气并不在你们许多人身上。你们干旱得像基利波山没有雨露一样。重大的机会正在失去，你们因不使用你们的才干而在属灵上枯萎和死亡。你们在品格上若不改变，就无法履行你们对上帝的严肃职责。你们那自私地爱世界的属灵态度无意中发挥的影响是在对世人说：“我的主必来得迟。”你们的罪与古代世界居民的罪相似。你们在计划和建造，你们的行为证明你们不是在盼望、警醒、等候我们主的显现。{PH039 5.1}
你们蒙主惠赐这么大亮光、这么崇高神圣特权的男男女女，怎么能向上帝交账呢?你们作为祂的仆人为什么做得这么少呢?你们为什么这么不相称地完成了人生的重大工作呢?上帝把责任放在你们手中去从事祂的工作，去教育训练你们所有的能力有效地从事祂的工作，使你们能赢得祂的称赞：“做得好，又良善又忠心的仆人。”这种忠心是由什么构成的呢?是在于你将你的兴趣、你的时间、你的影响力从上帝的工作收回，从设法将真理传给纽约的每一个城市和村庄收回，而将你所有的能力都奉献给世俗的自私的目的吗?不是，福气必宣布给那些与基督同负轭从事祂工作的人。你们是与上帝同工的。你们要向世人显明你们所有的信心。你们并没有都被迫前往外邦国家;在你们自己的疆界内就有灵魂在上帝的眼中与你自己的灵魂一样宝贵而有价值。而且，在大城市里，多么少，很少有工人被雇用来传达警告的信息!你们准备为你们这样可怕地忽视上帝赐给你们的责任而向上帝提出什么借口呢?我蒙指示看见，你们力所能及的范围内没有得到拯救的这些灵魂，将在审判的日子与你们当面对质。你崇拜你的农场，你崇拜你的金钱，你为自己作为世俗事务中明智的金融家而以自己的智慧为荣，但这一切对上帝来说有什么分量呢?祂对那个财主说：“无知的人哪，今夜必要你的灵魂;你所预备的要归谁呢”(路12:20)。现在的应用是：“凡为自己积财，在上帝面前却不富足的，也是这样”(路12:21)。主已在警告、督责和劝勉的证言中赐给你们亮光，但你们的行为却很少与所赐的亮光相符。基督的话是明确的，但你们不是行道的人。“你们不能又事奉上帝，又事奉玛门”(太6:24)。{PH039 8.1}
有些人没有意识到他们的影响力超越了他们现在的生活，进入了永恒。每个人的一生中都有机会成就许多善事。我们正在给周围的人留下为善或为恶的的印象;我们正在引导别人的思路，他们的品格要么在属天的通道，要么在低劣的、世俗的方向。我们在向世人传道，并在我们的工作、我们的言语和行为举止上见证我们内心是否相信真理。我们是在以我们的行为来确认我们的信仰表白，要不然就是在以我们的行为否认我们的信仰。“凭着他们的果子，就可以认出他们来”(太7:16)。你们是我的弟兄，向世界证明你们正准备行动吗?你们的行为是否表明你们是等候主的男女呢?天上的家乡是你们谈话的主题吗?你们在谈话那幸福的家，谈论可称颂的耶稣吗?你们永生的盼望集中在祂身上。你们在世人面前，当着他们的面行事，好像你们关心他们的灵魂胜过关心你们的牲畜、房屋、田地吗?你有没有默想基督牺牲了祂的威严、尊贵和荣耀，使救恩在你所能及的范围之内，并且拯救亚当的每一个儿女呢?祂为我们的缘故成了贫穷，叫我们因祂的贫穷，可以成为富足。“我们是与上帝同工的。”祂升到高天的时候将祂的工作交在跟从祂之人手中去推进，因为祂已在祂自我牺牲的生活中给我们树立了一个榜样。祂周流四方行善事。你在这方面效法祂的榜样了吗?难道你自己的业务比耶稣来到这个世界要拯救的宝贵灵魂更重要吗?甚愿我能开许多已被撒但弄瞎了的眼睛。甚愿笔墨和声音能有一种影响力，把你们从瘫痪中唤醒。甚愿你们能看见你们在全天庭都在进行紧张的活动，预备一班人在上帝的大日站立得住时，竟然什么都不做。{PH039 8.2}
你们需要向基督买金子、白衣和眼药。要研究给老底嘉教会的这个信息，因为它适用于纽约的许多人。你们需要发热心并且悔改。请思考，发热心并不意味着几句无力的祈祷和半心半意的忏悔，而是意味着一种热情、认真、坚定的努力去征服你世俗的、自私的爱，成为圣洁的虔诚献身的基督徒，无论你身在何处，都散发出温柔的温暖和爱。你们必须有一番觉醒和内心的修养，否则你们就不会进入天国。基督就要来了，你们准备好了吗?你们在等候吗?你们在爱慕祂的显现吗?基督为我们证明了多么奇妙的爱呀!祂说过：“你们要彼此相爱，像我爱你们一样”(约15:12)。我们需要纯洁、真理、乐于助人和基督的爱，使我们的影响力成圣。我们必须被基督所充满，那么不管你是在农场干活时，还是从事你的行业时，你就不会使自己的心与上帝分离，而是以上帝的亮光判断属世的事物了，因为你是以真正的宗旨和目标来从事工作,你承认你所有的一切都是属于上帝的，并寻求智慧来使用祂的货财，以增添祂的荣耀。这样你就是在服侍了。“殷勤不可懒惰，要心里火热，常常服侍主”(罗12:11)。于是人们的生活就可因着你的感化力而蒙福。人的心思就必集中在天上的事物。你就会如在耶稣面前，将光散射给你周围所有的人。真基督徒的生活必使我们慎思、查经、极其恳切恒切地祷告。你祷告就不会没有重点和目标，而会出于基督对可怜罪人的心灵负担而为他们代求了。你的内心就必渴望服侍耶稣，为拯救人们的灵魂而做个人之工了。耶稣为这些灵魂做出了巨大的牺牲。“你们是与上帝同工的。”你们中间有许多人，多年在真理中，却没有在属灵和神圣的生活上长进，因为世俗的事业已经被高举在属天的事之上。上帝的工作永远需要自我牺牲的人，每一个有真理知识的人都有责任把亮光传给他人，培养圣灵所有的优美去做这宝贵的工作以蒙上帝悦纳。{PH039 9.1}
你们那毫无生气、无情、冷酷的努力是上帝无法接受的。当耶稣为你们做了这么多事的时候，你们没有理由为祂做这么少的事。上帝岂没有看见你们所作的事吗?祂说：“我知道你的行为;”上帝见证内心的侍奉，上帝也见证仅仅口头的侍奉。我们正处于危险时期。如果你们能与上帝的公开天意保持同步，并充分利用所赐给你们的亮光和特权，你们今天就会成为世界上的一股力量。你们就会不需要我现在给你们写的这些话，你们就会在主里全然光明了;上帝的能力和荣耀就会在你们的聚会中显现出来。主必按照你们的信心为你们成全。如果你们的信心要求得很少，你们得到的就会很少。你们若是凭着信心看到收割园地要做的大工，就会发现工人太少了。你们就会屈膝祈求庄稼的主打发工人到纽约来。于是你们就会对那些愿意带着令人信服的信息到各城市里、到大路和篱笆那里作工的人说：“我要尽我最大的努力地支持你们，我要尽我所能地作工，将光反照到我们的邻舍身上，在教会中成为一盏发光的明灯，使我们的信心和祷告，如快镰刀，和收割园地的工人一同出发。我们有工作要做，庄严的工作，这工作必须经受审判的考验。{PH039 10.1}
我们蒙召要有更好的信心，因为在上帝古时子民的亮光之上增加了亮光。凡与世俗为友的，就是与上帝为敌。我们所生活的时代要求你们相信的人醒来，穿上军装。你们没有做得太多，而是不够。与你们的信心相称的行为的自然结果是增加了真理的知识和对天上事物的经验，更高程度地将我们所有的能力和所有的财物奉献给上帝;我们越坚定地走在信心的道路上，与世界和黑暗的分离就越大。我们将越来越接近那伟大的世界之光的身边。基督就要来了。在你们收到这封信之前，我们就要进入1887年了。你们愿意给上帝新年的礼物吗?你们愿意把自己的灵与魂与身子都献给上帝吗?你们愿意把属于上帝的放在祂的祭坛上吗?你们愿意摆脱世界，愿意证明你们相信真理吗?你们愿意在十分之一和供物上停止抢夺上帝吗?“万军之耶和华说：你们要将当纳的十分之一全然送入仓库，使我家有粮，以此试试我，是否为你们敞开天上的窗户，倾福与你们，甚至无处可容”(玛3:10)。{PH039 11.1}
与你们聚会的人谈话之后的几个晚上，我在梦里。一大批会众在我面前。我讲话、我哭泣、我祈祷，一些人似乎像花岗岩一样不易受感动，然而有上帝之灵的一次大能的显现。耶稣从我们中间走过，祂触摸了一个又一个人，他们的脸就多么容光焕发呀!他们怀着喜悦的心赞美上帝。一些人被忽略了。亮光照耀各处，但是耶稣怜悯地看着一些可怜人;他们偷偷地躲进黑暗的角落，没有设法来就光，然而其他人从黑暗中冲出来，奋勇前进，好像这对他们来说生死攸关似的，我从未听到过这样的呼喊：“我该怎么做才能得救?”有认罪;有因罪得赦免而欢喜快乐。在我看来，他们似乎被提到了审判案前。然而不是所有的人都参与了。他们没有与耶稣结伴同行，而是远离祂，他们没有意识到祂的存在。他们似乎认为那不是耶稣。哀哉!他们不认识祂!这在人们心中留下了多么严肃的印象啊!我觉得是时候从睡梦中醒来，从死里复活了，基督就会赐给你生命。你们是有君尊的国度，是特选的子民，要宣扬那召你们出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。啊，我们可以一同坐在天上!光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。上帝禁止我们因为不接受那光而丧失天上的福气。我们必须在善行上作上帝特选的子民。{PH039 12.1}
愿主帮助你们抛弃黑暗，来就光。在纽约有一个人作工的地方，应该有一百人。主已赐下真理之光，然而有钱财的人却在贪婪中受到鼓励，这将证明他们的毁灭，通过限制上帝的工作来满足那些声称相信真理之人的自私和世俗的爱的精神。弟兄们，现在做这种工作太晚了。上帝已经白白赐给我们的宝贵亮光并没有赐给所多玛或蛾摩拉，否则他们就不会在他们的罪中灭亡了。我们有更好的优势，我们要按照我们所处时代的亮光和特权受审判。上帝不会作出对我们有利的判断，因为我们在特权方面现在像迦百农一样被高举到了天上。但我们是如何利用上帝的福气的呢?我们有没有在光中行走，在光中工作，与我们所拥有的真理的圣洁性质一致呢?在国内布道区有一项大工要完成。你们在美国作工时并没有我们在欧洲这里遇到的困难。我们想要的是在内心和生活上成圣，因真理的伟大而得到提升、成为高贵的人。我们需要有真正进取精神的人，他们愿意存谦卑的心与上帝同行，愿意努力推进基督十字架的胜利。{PH039 12.2}
愿上帝帮助你们，不要比你们所做的更少，而要在主里做更大的工作。白昼将尽，黑夜将到。守望者必须呼喊：“早晨将到，黑夜也来”(赛21:12)。{PH039 13.1}
怀爱伦
附言：请在你们各教会宣读这封信好吗?你们愿意做出认真的努力亲近上帝，以便上帝亲近你们吗?你们愿意敦促各教会查考圣经并仔细阅读证言吗?所赐下为要唤醒各教会积极活动的警告没有得到重视，上帝因这种疏忽而认为教会有罪。你们需要上帝之灵的复兴。你们需要在几个教会中在上帝面前大大谦卑己心，免得耶稣经过你们而不给你们留下福气。现在趁着怜悯还在，要认真。不要拖延，以免永远太迟。爱世界的男男女女睡得很沉。将需要一次强大的努力来打破这种冻结的状态，并解冻灵魂。愿上帝帮助你们自助。{PH039 13.2}
怀爱伦
1886年12月27日写于瑞士巴塞尔
PH039 - An Important Testimony to our Brethren and Sisters in New York
(To our Brethren in the N. Y. Conference.)
The following letter was received from Sister White by the president of the New York Conference after the close of the general meeting, held at Rome January 7-11. It will speak for itself:?{PH039 3.1}[1]
Dear Brethren In New York,I am urged by the Spirit of the Lord to write you, and make a statement of things.?{PH039 3.2}[2]
I have been shown several times of your danger and of your living far behind when you should be far in advance of what you now are. The responsibilities which encircle you are not appreciated and are not met; and in my dreams I am writing you the past testimonies that have been given me for you in the State of New York. God has given to you great light and precious opportunities for knowing his will and doing good. This neglect affects the person himself as well as others connected with him. It is not a praise-worthy act to decline responsibility, but it is a great dishonor to your Maker who has entrusted you with talents of means and of influence, which will constitute you channels of light to the world if you are faithful to your trust. All your powers given you of God are to be used. All the means which he has lent you is to be put to wise improvement, because you are not your own, you are bought with a price, and are trading upon entrusted capital. God requires you to put to improvement every gift lent you in trust. You are not to be far-reaching merely to get gain to yourself, to give you the power to do that which the world’s Redeemer has told you not to do: Lay?not?up for yourselves treasures?upon the earth, for your heart will be upon your earthly treasures; but lay up for?yourselves treasures?in the?heavens, in bags which wax not old.?{PH039 3.3}[3]
How can this be done? By constantly regarding your property as the Lord’s and not your own, and yourselves as stewards of God, earnest, anxious, watching, to see what you can do in any direction to help advance the cause of God. This God’s work, and you are his servants entrusted with his goods. Now if you use the Lord’s goods to benefit your own personal interest far more than to benefit and advance the cause of God, you are using that which is the Lord’s to flow in a selfish, worldly channel, and the cause of God is left without the means that God has entrusted to you as his stewards to be used for this very purpose. Now the reason that there is not more means in the treasury is because those whom God has made his stewards of means are unfaithful to their trust. They use God’s money for selfish purposes as if it were their own, and send the means which the cause of God needs to advance his work in the world to flowing in an earthly current, in the place of being put out to the exchangers and invested in the cause of God to bring to him double improvements.?{PH039 4.1}[4]
I have been shown that there was not that being done which God has a right to expect of you in New York State to advance his cause and push forward the work, in wisely investing his entrusted talents. All the money is the Lord’s. Why do you withhold from God that which is his own? There is not one hundredth part being done that ought to be done in your State. There is so great lack of faith and corresponding works that God cannot do much for you. The narrow faith, the narrow plans, are the limiting and binding about of the work. God will work for us just in accordance with our faith. At the slow rate our?people in many States working, it would take a temporal millennium to warn the world. The angels are holding the four winds that they should not blow until the world is warned, until a people has decided for the truth, the honest of heart have been convicted and converted. Their power, their influence, and their means will then flow in the missionary channel. This is putting out the money to the exchangers, that when the Master shall come his stewards may present the talents doubled in the ingathering of souls to Jesus Christ. But the wealthy farmers are some of them acting as if in the day of God the Lord only would require of them to present to him enriched, improved farms, building added to building, and they say, “Here Lord are thy talents; behold, I have gained all this possession.” If the acres of their farms were so many precious souls saved to Jesus Christ, if their buildings were so many souls to be presented to the Master, then he could say to these men, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” But you cannot take these improved farms, or these buildings into heaven. The fires of the last days will consume them. If you invest and bury your talents of means in these earthly treasures, your heart is on them, your anxiety is for them, your persevering labor is for them, your tact, your skill is cultivated to serve earthly, worldly possessions, and are not directed or employed upon heavenly things. And you come to look upon means invested for larger plans in extending the work as so much means lost which bring no returns. This is all a mistake, because the earthly is exalted above the eternal. While the heart is on earthly treasures it can only estimate such; it cannot appreciate the heavenly treasure. It is fully occupied just as the Devil wants it should be; and the eternal is eclipsed by the earthly.?{PH039 4.2}[5]
Now there are many diligently at work just as though?their salvation depended upon their wonderful economy in investing means in the cause of God, as though the least money they consumed in plans and efforts to broaden and build up the work of God was a virtue. And money is held in farms and in business as though their salvation depended upon the improvements to be made upon their earthly property. Do these men know that they are bound up in selfishness? Do these men know that they are robbing God every day of their lives.? Do they know that they are devoting their time, their physical and mental talents, in laying upon the foundation, hay, wood and stubble? All the improvements of years will be consumed with the fires of the last day, and if they themselves are saved, it will be only as by fire. Their whole life work is in ashes. The reward that they might have gained if they had been faithful stewards is lost, eternally lost. A host of souls that they might have saved are not saved, because of their neglect. All their powers God had given them to prove them as probationers, whether they are worthy to be entrusted with eternal riches. And there are many whose testimonies have been heard in your meetings in continual cautions, lest some advance move shall be made calling for some of their means to reflect light to the world. They are found so buried up with earthly things that they have no right estimate of the eternal riches, and would not prize heaven if it were given them. Their taste, their appetite, their pursuits, their inclinations, had all been of an earthly, worldly character, and they were unfitted for heaven; they perish with their treasures. All our talents are to be used to the utmost. We are required to develop our abilities by exercise until they have reached the highest stand-point in doing,—your farming, your building??No, but?God’s?work, as stewards of the grace of God. Your powers are to be used in being a blessing?to the world. To take God’s entrusted talents and employ them for earthly, selfish, worldly purposes, and neglect the work of God in winning souls to Christ, unfaithful servants is charged upon all who do this and neglect a sacred responsibility. It is a fearful thing to take the powers of the body and of the mind, given you to be employed to be a blessing to the world, and use them in such a way that God is not honored. It is also a fearful thing to fold up the talent in a napkin, and hide it in the earth, or world, for fear God would demand it of you. This will be the cutting off of our own hopes of an eternal reward; it is the forfeiting of the crown of life, and showing that we have no esteem for an eternity of bliss. God calls upon you who have the precious light of truth in the State of New York, to no longer have your time and talents devoted to selfish purposes, and thus lost to humanity, and lost to God by folding up your talents and hiding them in the earth. All these talents must be employed to bring glory to the Giver. Accept your God-given responsibilities and take up your cross, denying yourself, or you cannot be disciples of Christ. God did not design that you should devote brain, bone, and muscle to earthly employments; he intended you should improve your talents to fill some grand and noble place in God’s plans, in saving of souls, and in doing God’s work. The selfish thoughts and feelings have dried up your souls. The moisture of heaven is not upon many of you. You are as dry as the hills of Gilboa that was not visited by dew nor rain. Grand opportunities are being lost and you are shriveled and dying spiritually of?non-use?of your talents. You cannot fulfill your solemn responsibilities to God unless you are transformed in character. Your unconscious influence in your spiritual attitude of selfish love of the world, is saying to the world, “My Lord delayeth his coming.”?Your guilt is similar to that of the inhabitants of the old world. You are planting and building, and your works testify that you are not looking and watching and waiting for our Lord’s appearing.?{PH039 5.1}[6]
How can you who are men and women blessed with so great light, so high and sacred privileges, render an account to God why you have done so little as his servants? why you have fulfilled life’s grand work so unworthily? God lays responsibilities in your hands to do his work, to educate, to train all your powers to do his work with that efficiency which shall earn for you the “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Wherein does this faithfulness consist? in your withdrawing your interest, your time, your influence, from the work of God, and from seeking to send the truth to every city and village in New York, and devoting all your powers to earthly, selfish purposes? No, the blessing will be pronounced upon those who yoke up with Christ in doing his work. Ye are laborers together with God. You will reveal to the world all the faith you have. You are not all compelled to go to heathen lands; there are souls just as precious in the sight of God and valuable as your own soul right within your own borders. And how few, very few, workers are employed in giving the message of warning in the large cities! What excuse will you have prepared to offer to God for this terrible neglect of your God-given responsibilities. These souls unsaved within your reach, I was shown, will confront you in the day of judgment. You worshiped your farms, you worshiped your money, you prided yourself upon your wisdom as wise financiers in worldly affairs; but how does all this weigh with God? He said of the rich man, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Now the application, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” The Lord has given you light in testimonies of warning, of reproof, and counsel, but you do but little in accordance with the light given. The words of Christ are explicit, but you are not doers of his words. “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”?{PH039 8.1}[7]
There are those who do not realize that their influence?reaches beyond their present life into eternity. In every life there are opportunities to accomplish much good. We are leaving impressions upon those around us for good or for evil; we are directing others in the current of thought, and their characters in a heavenly channel or in a cheap, earthly direction. We are preachers to the world, and bear a testimony in our works, in our words and in our deportment, whether we believe the truth in heart. We are confirming our profession of faith by our works or denying our faith by our works. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Are you my brethren testifying to the world that you are getting ready to move? Do your works show that you are men and women who are waiting for your Lord? Is the heavenly country the theme of your conversation? Do you talk of the home of the blest, of the blessed Jesus in whom your hopes of eternal life are centered? Do you act before the world and in their presence as though you care more for their souls than for your cattle, your houses, and your lands? Do you contemplate that Christ sacrificed his majesty, his honor and glory to bring salvation within your reach and save every son and daughter of Adam? He for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich. “We are laborers together with God.” When he ascended on high he left his work in the hands of his followers to carry it forward, as he has given us an example in his self-sacrificing life. He went about doing good. Do you follow his example in this? Does your own business seem of greater importance than the precious souls Jesus came to the world to save? Oh, that I could open many eyes that Satan has blinded. Oh, that pen and voice could have an influence to arouse you from your paralysis. Oh that you could see that you are doing nothing while all heaven is engaged in intense activities to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God.?{PH039 8.2}[8]
You want to buy of Christ gold, white raiment, and eyesalve. Study this message to the Laodicean church, for it applies to many in New York. You need to be zealous and repent. Please consider,?zealous?does not mean a few feeble prayers and half-hearted confessions, it means, a zealous, earnest, determined effort to conquer your worldly, selfish love, and to be consecrated, devoted Christians,?shedding a tender warmth and love wherever you are. You must have a waking up, and heart culture, or you will fail of heaven. Christ is coming. Are you ready? Are you waiting? Are you loving his appearing? What a wondrous love Christ has evidenced for us! He has said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” We need purity, truth, helpfulness and the love of Christ that sanctifies our influence. We must be full of Christ and then we shall estimate worldly things in the light of God, and when at work upon your farms, when engaged in your business vocations, you are not separating your souls from God, because you labor with the true purpose and object, recognizing God as the owner of all that you possess and you seeking wisdom to use his goods to advance his glory. You then are ministering, not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Then human lives will be blessed through your influence. The mind will be on heavenly things, you will be as in the presence of Jesus, and diffuse light to all around you. A truly Christian life will cost us thoughtfulness, searching of the Scriptures, and most earnest, persevering prayer. It will not be prayer without point and purpose, but it will be the intercession of a heart burdened for poor sinners out of Christ. It will be a heart longing to do service for Jesus in personal effort for the saving of souls of men. Jesus made great sacrifices for these souls. “Ye are laborers together with God.” Many of you who have been years in the truth have not advanced in the spiritual and divine life, because worldly business has been exalted above the heavenly. The work of God ever calls for self-sacrificing men, and every soul who has the knowledge of the truth is bound to communicate the light to others, cultivating all the graces of the Spirit to do this precious work to God’s acceptance.?{PH039 9.1}[9]
Your lifeless, heartless, frozen-up efforts are not acceptable to God. There is no excuse for you to do so little for Jesus, when he has done so much for you. Does not God behold your works? He says, “I know thy works;” God witnesses the heart service, and God witnesses the mere lip service. We are in perilous times. If you had kept pace with the opening providence of God, and made the most of the light and privileges granted to you, you would?today be a power in the world. You would not need these words I now write you, you would be all light in the Lord; divine power and glory would be manifested in your gatherings. According to your faith so shall it be unto you. If your faith claims little, you will receive only little. If you by faith see the great work to be done in the harvest field, you would see that there are too few laborers. You would fall upon your knees and pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers in New York. Then you would say to those who would go forth to work in the cities, in the high-ways and hedges, with the compelling message. “I will do the very best in my power to sustain you, and I will work to the very best of my ability to reflect light upon our neighbors and to be a bright and shining light in the church, that our faith and our prayers shall go forth as sharp sickles with the laborers in the harvest field. We have work to do, solemn work, which must bear the test of the judgment.?{PH039 10.1}[10]
We are called to have a superior faith, because of increased light above the light of God’s ancient people. Whosoever will be the friend of the world, is the enemy of God. The times in which we are living call for you who believe, to arouse, to put the armor on. You have not done any too much, but not enough. The natural consequence of works in accordance with your faith is an increased knowledge of truth and experience in heavenly things, a higher degree of consecration of all our powers and all our possessions to God; and the more firmly we walk in the path of faith, the greater will be our separation from the world, and from darkness. We will come closer and still closer to the side of the Great Light of the world. Christ is coming. We shall enter upon the year 1887 before this reaches you. Will you give to God a New Year’s offering? Will you consecrate yourselves, soul, body, and spirit to God? Will you lay upon his altar that which belongs to God? Will you cut loose from the world, and will you evidence that you believe the truth? Will you cease to rob God in tithes and in offerings? “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing,?that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”?{PH039 11.1}[11]
I was in my dream a few nights since talking with you who were assembled. A large congregation was before me. I talked, I wept, I prayed, and some seemed to be as unimpressible as the granite rocks, but there was a mighty revealing of the Spirit of God. Jesus walked through our midst, he touched one and another, and still another, and how their faces lighted up! They praised God with joyful hearts. Some were passed by. Light was shining everywhere, but some poor souls Jesus looked upon with pity; they slunk into dark corners, they did not try to come to the light, while others rushed from the darkness, forcing their way, as though it was life or death with them, and the cry went forth as I never heard it before, “What shall I do to be saved?” There were confessions of sins; there was rejoicing of sins forgiven. It seemed to me they were reigned up before the judgment. But all did not participate. They had not been walking in the company of Jesus, but apart from him, and they did not realize his presence. They seemed to think it was not Jesus. Alas! they did not know him! What a solemn impression was left upon minds! I feel that it is time to awake out of sleep, to arise from the dead, and Christ will give you life. Ye are a royal nation, a peculiar people to show forth the praises of Him, who hath called you out of the darkness into his marvelous light. Oh, we may sit together in heavenly places! The light shineth in darkness, but the darkness comprehendeth it not. God forbid that we should lose the heavenly blessings because we do not comprehend the light. We must be God’s peculiar people in good works.?{PH039 12.1}[12]
May the Lord help you to put away darkness, and come to the light. Where there is one man laboring in New York there ought to be one hundred. The Lord has given the light of truth, but men who have means are encouraged in the covetousness which will prove their ruin, by limiting the work of God to meet the selfishness, and worldly loving spirit of those who claim to believe the truth. Brethren, it is too late in the day for this kind of work. The precious light which has been freely given to us of God was not given to Sodom or Gomorrah, or they would not have perished in their sins. We have?superior advantages, and we shall be judged by the light and privileges of the times in which we are living. God will not give judgment in our favor, because like Capernaum we are now exalted to heaven in point of privileges. But what use have we made of God’s blessings? Are we walking in the light, working in the light, in accordance with the holy character of truth which we possess? There is a great work to be done in home missions. In laboring in America you do not have the difficulties which we have here in Europe. What is wanted is men sanctified in heart and life, elevated and ennobled by the greatness of the truth. We need men who will have the true enterprising spirit of doing something, who will walk humbly with God, and who will strive to push the triumphs of the cross of Christ.?{PH039 12.2}[13]
May God help you not to do less than you have done, but to do a much greater work in the Lord. The day is far spent, the night is at hand. The watchman must cry, “The morning cometh, and also the night.”---Ellen G. White?{PH039 13.1}[14]
P.S.—Will you please to read this in your churches? and will you make earnest effort to draw nigh to God that God may draw nigh to you? Will you urge upon the churches the searching of the Scriptures and the careful reading of the Testimonies? The warnings that have been given to arouse the churches to activity have not been regarded, and God holds the church guilty because of this neglect. You need the revival of the Spirit of God. You need in the several churches to greatly humble your souls before God, lest Jesus pass by and leave you no blessing. Now while mercy lingers, be in earnest. Make no delay, lest it shall be forever too late. The slumber of the world-loving men and women is deep. It will require a powerful effort to break up this frozen state of things and thaw out souls. May God help you to help yourselves.?{PH039 13.2}[15]
---Ellen G. White?Basle, Switzerland.December 27, 1886.[16]
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