亲爱的伯登弟兄和姐妹:
天刚亮,我坐在沙发上,开始给你写一封信。我们这里的聚会是一两天前开始的,我认为会有不少我们的人出席。在安息日,芒廷维尤的兄弟姐妹们都表现得很好。安息日上午十点半,我在大帐篷里向一大批人讲了道。{PC 250.3}
我强烈希望这次聚会能成为主希望我们举行的那种聚会。我非常盼望主的灵复兴。{PC 250.4}
我同意留在这里,直到帐篷大会结束——从星期一起一个星期。然后我们将返回在圣赫勒那的家。{PC 250.5}
有很多事情要考虑,我们都需要圣灵的引导。我祈祷能给那些出席的人心中留下正确的印象。{PC 250.6}
学校的问题会得到认真的关注,我们希望事情能够得到如此的调整,使今后在教育领域的工作更加先进和令人满意。如果我们学校的老师和学生愿意稳步地向前向上推进,上帝就能藉着他们做很多事情。{PC 250.7}
我随时都很高兴收到你的来信。我衷心希望加利福尼亚南部的弟兄们团结一致,共同推进学校工作和疗养院工作。{PC 251.1}
关于伯登姐妹继续担任会计员的事,我认为,如果她愿意采取应有的锻炼,我所担心的弊害是可以避免的。她不应该把自己限制得太紧。在教导别人如何记账方面,她能提供实在的帮助。这是一项非常需要的教育,在任何情况下都不应被忽视。然而应当让伯登姐妹完全自由地开始从事她所选择的工作。她能用她的经验在许多方面提供帮助。她可以就许多将要讨论的问题给出宝贵的建议。{PC 251.2}
我非常希望你们二人在新疗养院的工作中都能得到极大的祝福。我希望里瑟弟兄会就已经开办的疗养院和新疗养院采取聪明的行动。我祈求主提供合适的人、将成为该机构的真正力量的人参与这个机构的工作。{PC 251.3}
如果你的计划被人打断,或者你受到阻碍,不要气馁。但我希望我们再也不要遇到我们过去因在加利福尼亚州南部某些工作方面行事的方式而遇到的阻碍。我见过所遵行的阻拦原则,也见过耶和华因此而不悦。如果再表现同样的精神,我就不会同意像以往那样保持沉默。{PC 251.4}
一个人能做的最可怕的事情,就是拒绝接受圣经作为他的顾问,从而将上帝从他的心中驱逐出去。做这件事的人贬低了与他有联系的一切。基督并不住在他心里。上帝的律法对他来说是一种空洞的形式。他可能被认为是一个基督徒,但他无论接触什么都会贬低之。{PC 251.5}
基督的福音因被罪玷污的手所处理而蒙羞。自称的基督徒以一种不尊荣上帝的方式说话和行事。男男女女所需要的是彻底归正。他们理智的每一部分,都应该出来迎接基督,他们属灵本性的每一部分,都应当渴望更多的基督。父要这样的人拜祂——那些以心灵和真理和圣洁的荣美敬拜祂的人。让我们远离世界的污染影响,与救主保持沟通吧。让我们在思想上、言语上和行为上使自己与基督的旨意一致吧。救赎主正在寻找那些以服侍和荣耀上帝为最高目标的人。{PC 251.6}
主为洛杉矶教会赐给我的信息是,你们应当藉着信心和殷勤的服务变得与基督合一。你们要吃祂的肉,喝祂的血,使祂的话成为日常生活的一部分。大教师只会接受最纯粹的正直,祂的话语和精神最鲜明的表现。我们切不可让体贴圣灵在我们中间成为一件奇怪的事。我们将变得越来越接近基督。耶和华的喜乐,就是上帝的赞美,要在我们口中,在我们心里。品格要从不确定的云雾转变成来自天国之光的光辉。世界要因默想属天的事而黯然失色。{PC 251.7}
我请求洛杉矶的信徒们追求在上帝的事上有更加深刻高尚的经验。父所寻找的,正是这样敬拜祂的人。要兴起,振作精神行动起来。普查应当完成的工作。以不断增加的兴致阅读你们的圣经,好在上帝的事上有更广博的经验。要站在公义日头的光中。{PC 252.1}
什么能引起上帝纯洁无罪的儿子在一个充满犯罪、纷争和邪恶的世界支搭帐篷与人同住呢?祂竟然这么做了,以便更好地接触失丧将亡的人。祂既被试探,就受了苦。试探的力量与祂圣洁的完全成正比。由于祂的纯正对堕落十分反感,祂在世上居住便感到不断的忧伤。祂在各方面都看到男男女女因屈服于败坏的食欲和情欲而毁灭自己。{PC 252.2}
基督为救世人的命舍了自己的生命。祂以人的样式来到这个地球,在人面前树立一个品格的榜样,人人都必须塑造这种品格才能得救。祂来带给他们能力,克服仇敌一切的试探。{PC 252.3}
巴不得每一个人都能被唤醒,蒙引导成为天国的国民,将一切都投诚于基督。圣经丝毫没有鼓励我们认为一个罪人蒙赦免是为了他继续犯罪。他蒙赦免的条件是他接受基督,承认并悔改自己的罪,得以更新。许多有基督徒名号的人并没有归正。归正意味着革新。罪人必须为自己进入更新的过程。他必须来到耶稣面前,必须放弃所放纵的错误习惯。他必须使他未被制服的、不像基督的各种倾向服在基督的控制之下,否则他就不能成为与上帝同工的人。基督作工,罪人也作工。基督的生活成为人的生活。正是藉着圣灵使人更新的能力,人在基督里被塑造成一个完全的人。{PC 252.4}
藉着正在形成的品格,每一个人在决定着自己将来的命运。在天上的案卷中作着记录。品格被拍摄到那里。在那里看见赤裸灵魂的画面。{PC 252.5}
所赐的应许是:“凡接待祂的,就是信祂名的人,祂就赐他们权柄,作上帝的儿女”(约1:12)。努力的人才领受天国的帮助并与其原理有分。跟从基督的人藉着测试和考验才得到造就,适合在天庭与祂同住。{PC 253.1}
(印章)
怀爱伦
Dear Brother and Sister Burden,
It is just daylight, and I am seated on my couch, beginning a letter to you. Our meeting here began a day or two ago, and I think there will be a good attendance of our people. On Sabbath the brethren and sisters at Mountain View turned out well. On Sabbath morning at half past ten I spoke to a large number in the big tent.?{PC 250.3}
I have an intense desire that this meeting shall be the very kind of meeting that the Lord desires us to have. I hope much for the revival of the Spirit of the Lord.?{PC 250.4}
I have consented to remain here till the close of the camp meeting - one week from Monday. We shall then return to our home at St. Helena.?{PC 250.5}
There are many matters to be considered, and we all need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I pray that a right impression may be made on the minds of those present at the meeting.?{PC 250.6}
The school question will receive careful attention, and we hope that matters may be so adjusted that future work in educational lines will be of a more advanced and satisfactory character. The Lord can do much through the teachers and students of our schools, if they will carry the work steadily forward and upward.?{PC 250.7}
I shall be pleased to hear from you at any time. I sincerely hope that the brethren in Southern California will unite in pressing forward the school work and the sanitarium work.?{PC 251.1}
In regard to Sister Burden continuing to hold her place as bookkeeper, I think that if she would take the exercise that she should, the evils I have feared might be avoided. She should not confine herself too closely. She can be a real help in teaching others how to keep books. This is a line of education that is greatly needed, and in no case should it be neglected. But Sister Burden should be left entirely free to take up the work that she chooses. She can help with her experience in many ways. She can give valuable counsel in regard to many matters that will come up for discussion.?{PC 251.2}
I have a great desire that you may both be greatly blessed in your work in the new sanitarium. I hope that Brother Reaser will move understandingly in reference to the sanitariums already in operation, and also in regard to the new sanitarium. I pray that the Lord may provide suitable people to connect with this institution, people who will be a genuine strength to the institution.?{PC 251.3}
Do not be discouraged if in any wise there is some cutting across of your plans, and if you are somewhat hindered. But I hope that we shall never again have to meet the hindrance that we have met in the past because of the way in which things have been conducted on some lines in Southern California. I have seen the holdback principles followed, and I have seen the displeasure of the Lord because of this. If the same spirit is manifested, I shall not consent to keep silent as I have done.?{PC 251.4}
It is the most awful thing a man can do to dethrone God from his heart, refusing to take the Bible as his counselor. The man who does this debases whatever he has connection with. Christ does not abide in his heart. The law of God is to him an empty form. He may be supposed to be a Christian, but he debases whatever he touches.?{PC 251.5}
The gospel of Christ has been dishonored by being handled with sin-stained hands. Professed Christians act and speak in a way that is no honor to God. What men and women need now is thorough conversion. Every part of their intelligence should go out to meet Christ, and every part of their spiritual nature should yearn for more of Him. The Father seeketh such to worship him - those who worship Him in spirit and truth and in the beauty of holiness. Let us separate from the contaminating influences of the world, and hold communication with the Saviour. Let us bring ourselves, in thought, word, and deed, into conformity with the will of Christ. The Redeemer is seeking for those whose highest aim is to serve and glorify God.?{PC 251.6}
The message that the Lord has given me for the church?in Los Angeles is, Through faith and diligent service you are to become one with Christ. You are to eat His flesh and drink His blood, making His words a part of the daily life. The great Teacher will accept only the purest integrity, the most distinct representation of His words and His Spirit. Spiritual-mindedness must not be allowed to become a strange thing among us. We are to become more and more nearly conformed to Christ. The joy of the Lord, the praise of God, is to be on our lips and in our hearts. The character is to be transformed from the mist and cloud of uncertainty into the radiance of the light proceeding from heaven. The world is to be eclipsed by the contemplation of heavenly things.?{PC 251.7}
I ask the believers in Los Angeles to seek for a deeper, higher experience in the things of God. The Father seeketh such to worship Him. Arise, and brace your souls for action. Take an extensive survey of the work that is to be done. Read your Bibles with an increasing determination to have a larger experience in the things of God. Stand in the light of the Sun of Righteousness.?{PC 252.1}
What could induce the pure, sinless Son of God to tabernacle with men in a world filled with crime and strife and wickedness? He did this that He might better reach the lost and perishing. He suffered, being tempted. Proportionate to the perfection of His holiness, was the strength of the temptation. Because of the depravity so revolting to His purity, His residence in the world was a perpetual sorrow. On every hand He saw men and women destroying themselves by yielding to perverted appetite and passion.?{PC 252.2}
Christ gave His life for the life of the world. He came to this earth in the likeness of man, to present before human beings an example of the character that all must form in order to be saved. He came to bring them power to overcome all the temptations of the enemy.?{PC 252.3}
O that every soul might be awakened, and led to become a subject of the heavenly kingdom, surrendering all to Christ. The word of God gives us no encouragement that a sinner is pardoned in order that he may continue in sin. He is pardoned on condition that he receives Christ, confessing and repenting of his sin, and becoming renewed. Many who pass under the name of Christian are not converted. Conversion means renovation. The sinner must enter into the renovating process for himself. He must come to Jesus. He must give up the wrong habits in which he has indulged. He must bring his unsubdued, unchristlike tendencies under the control of Christ, else he cannot be made a laborer together with God. Christ works, and the sinner works. The life of Christ becomes the life of the human agent. It is through the renewing power of the divine Spirit that man is fashioned into a perfect man in Christ.?{PC 252.4}
By the character that he is forming, every man is?deciding his future destiny. In the books of heaven is made the record. There the character is photographed. There is seen a picture of the unclothed soul.?{PC 252.5}
The promise is given, “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” It is the striving souls who receive the assistance of heaven and partake of its elements. It is by test and trial that the followers of Christ are fitted to dwell with Him in the heavenly courts.?{PC 253.1}
(Stamped)
Ellen G. White -