Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
The Messengers*
The Lord has often given me a view of the situation and
wants of the scattered jewels who have not yet come to the light of the present
truth, and has shown that the messengers should speed their way to them as fast
as possible, to give them the light. Many all around us only need to have their
prejudices removed and the evidences of our present position spread out before
them from the Word, and they will joyfully receive the present truth. The messengers
should watch for souls as they that must give account. Theirs must be a life of
toil and anguish of spirit, while the weight of the precious but often-wounded
cause of Christ rests upon them. They will have to lay aside worldly interests
and comforts and make it their first object to do all in their power to advance
the cause of present truth and save perishing souls. {EW 61.1}
They will also have a rich reward. In their crowns of
rejoicing those who are rescued by them and finally saved will shine as stars
forever and ever. And to all eternity they will enjoy the satisfaction of
having done what they could in presenting the truth in its purity and beauty,
so that souls fell in love with it, were sanctified through it, and availed
themselves of the inestimable privilege of being made rich, and being washed in
the blood of the Lamb and redeemed unto God. {EW 61.2}
I saw that the shepherds should consult those in whom they
have reason to have confidence, those who have been in all the messages, and
are firm in all the present truth, before they advocate new points of
importance, which they may think the Bible sustains. Then the shepherds will be
perfectly united and the [62] union of the shepherds will be
felt by the church. Such a course I saw would prevent unhappy divisions, and
then there would be no danger of the precious flock being divided and the sheep
scattered without a shepherd. {EW 61.3}
I also saw that God had messengers that He would use in His
cause, but they were not ready. They were too light and trifling to exert a
good influence over the flock and did not feel the weight of the cause and the
worth of souls as God's messengers must feel in order to effect good. Said the
angel, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Be ye clean that
bear the vessels of the Lord." They can accomplish but little good
unless they are wholly given up to God and feel the importance and solemnity of
the last message of mercy that is now being given to the scattered flock. Some
who are not called of God are very willing to go with the message. But if they
felt the weight of the cause and the responsibilities of such a station, they
would feel to shrink back and say with the apostle, "Who is sufficient for
these things?" One reason why they are so willing to go is that God has
not laid upon them the weight of the cause. Not all who proclaimed the first
and the second angel's message are to give the third, even after they fully
embrace it, for some have been in so many errors and delusions that they can
but just save their own souls, and if they undertake to guide others, they will
be the means of overthrowing them. But I saw that some who have formerly run
deep into fanaticism would be the first now to run before God sends them,
before they are purified from their past errors; having error mixed with the
truth, they would feed the flock of God with it, and if they were suffered to
go on, the flock would become sickly, and distraction and death would follow. I
saw that they would have to be sifted and sifted, until they were freed from
all their [63] errors, or they could never enter the kingdom.
The messengers could not have that confidence in the judgment and discernment
of those who have been in errors and fanaticism that they could have in those
who have been in the truth and not in extravagant errors. Many, also, are too
apt to urge out into the field some who have but just professed the present
truth, who have much to learn and much to do before they can be right in the
sight of God themselves, much less point out the way to others. {EW 62.1}
I saw the necessity of the messengers, especially, watching
and checking all fanaticism wherever they might see it rise. Satan is pressing
in on every side, and unless we watch for him, and have our eyes open to his
devices and snares, and have on the whole armor of God, the fiery darts of the
wicked will hit us. There are many precious truths contained in the Word of
God, but it is "present truth" that the flock needs now. I
have seen the danger of the messengers running off from the important points of
present truth, to dwell upon subjects that are not calculated to unite the
flock and sanctify the soul. Satan will here take every possible advantage to
injure the cause. {EW
63.1}
But such subjects as the sanctuary, in connection with the
2300 days, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are perfectly
calculated to explain the past Advent movement and show what our present
position is, establish the faith of the doubting, and give certainty to the
glorious future. These, I have frequently seen, were the principal subjects on
which the messengers should dwell. {EW 63.2}
If the chosen messengers of the Lord should wait for every
obstacle to be moved out of their way, many never would go to search for the
scattered sheep. Satan will present many objections in order to keep them from
duty. But they will have to go out by faith, trusting [64] in Him
who has called them to His work, and He will open the way before them, as far
as it will be for their good and His glory. Jesus, the great teacher and
pattern, had not where to lay His head. His life was one of toil, sorrow, and
suffering; He then gave Himself for us. Those who, in Christ's stead, beseech
souls to be reconciled to God, and who hope to reign with Christ in glory, must
expect to be partakers of His sufferings here. "They that sow in tears
shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed,
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Psalm 126:5, 6. {EW 63.3}
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