of God as the Creator is also the sign of Him as the

Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the

power that re-creates the soul in His own likeness.
To those who keep holy the Sabbath day it is the
sign of sanctification. True sanctification is
harmony with God, oneness with Him in character.
It is received through obedience to those
principles that are the transcript of His character.
And the Sabbath is the sign of obedience. He who
from the heart obeys the fourth commandment
will obey the whole law. He is sanctified through
obedience. {6T 350.1}
To us as to Israel the Sabbath is given for a
perpetual covenant. To those who reverence His
holy day the Sabbath is a sign that God recognizes
them as His chosen people. It is a pledge that He
will fulfill to them His covenant. Every soul who
accepts the sign of Gods government places
himself under the divine, everlasting covenant. He
fastens himself to the golden chain of obedience,
every link of which is a promise. {6T 350.2}
The fourth commandment alone of all the ten
contains the seal of the great Lawgiver, the Creator
of the heavens and the earth. Those who obey this
commandment take upon themselves His name,
and all the blessings it involves are theirs. The
Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron
and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall
bless the children of Israel saying unto them, {6T
350.3}
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and
give thee peace.
And they shall put My Name upon the children of
Israel;
And I will bless them. Numbers 6:22-27. {6T
351.1}
Through Moses was given also the promise: The
Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto
Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt
keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and
walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall
see that thou art called by the name of the Lord....
And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the
tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt
not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the
commandments of the Lord thy God, which I

The Observance of the Sabbath

Great blessings are enfolded in the observance of
the Sabbath, and God desires that the Sabbath day
shall be to us a day of joy. There was joy at the
institution of the Sabbath. God looked with
satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All things
that He had made He pronounced very good.
Genesis 1:31. Heaven and earth were filled with
rejoicing. The morning stars sang together, and
all the sons of God shouted for joy. Job 38:7.
Though sin has entered the world to mar His
perfect work, God still gives to us the Sabbath as a
witness that One omnipotent, infinite in goodness
and mercy, created all things. Our heavenly Father
desires through the observance of the Sabbath to
preserve among men a knowledge of Himself. He
desires that the Sabbath shall direct our minds to
Him as the true and living God, and that through
knowing Him we may have life and peace. {6T
349.1}
When the Lord delivered His people Israel from
Egypt and committed to them His law, He taught
them that by the observance of the Sabbath they
were to be distinguished from idolaters. It was this
that made the distinction between those who
acknowledge the sovereignty of God and those who
refuse to accept Him as their Creator and King. It
is a sign between Me and the children of Israel
forever, the Lord said. Wherefore the children of
Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the
Sabbath throughout their generations, for a
perpetual covenant. Exodus 31:17, 16. {6T 349.2}
As the Sabbath was the sign that distinguished
Israel when they came out of Egypt to enter the
earthly Canaan, so it is the sign that now
distinguishes Gods people as they come out from
the world to enter the heavenly rest. The Sabbath
is a sign of the relationship existing between God
and His people, a sign that they honor His law. It
distinguishes between His loyal subjects and
transgressors. {6T 349.3}
From the pillar of cloud Christ declared
concerning the Sabbath: Verily My Sabbaths ye
shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you
throughout your generations; that ye may know
that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Exodus
31:13. The Sabbath given to the world as the sign
1

command thee this day, to observe and to do

them. Deuteronomy 28:9-13. {6T 351.2}
The psalmist, speaking by the Holy Spirit, says: {6T
351.3}
O, come, let us sing unto the Lord:
Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our
salvation....
For the Lord is a great God,
And a great King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth:
The strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, and He made it:
And His hands formed the dry land.
O come let us worship and bow down:
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God.
It is He that hath made us, and we are His;
We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
{6T 351.4}
Psalm 95:1-7; 100:3, R.V.
These promises given to Israel are also for Gods
people today. They are the messages which the
Sabbath brings to us. {6T 351.5}

with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the

mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Verses 12-14.
{6T 351.6}
The Sabbath question is to be the issue in the great
final conflict in which all the world will act a part.
Men have honored Satans principles above the
principles that rule in the heavens. They have
accepted the spurious sabbath, which Satan has
exalted as the sign of his authority. But God has set
His seal upon His royal requirement. Each sabbath
institution bears the name of its author, an
ineffaceable mark that shows the authority of each.
It is our work to lead the people to understand this.
We are to show them that it is of vital consequence
whether they bear the mark of Gods kingdom or
the mark of the kingdom of rebellion, for they
acknowledge themselves subjects of the kingdom
whose mark they bear. God has called us to uplift
the standard of His downtrodden Sabbath. How
important, then, that our example in
Sabbathkeeping should be right. {6T 352.1}
In establishing new churches, ministers should
give careful instruction as to the proper
observance of the Sabbath. We must be guarded,
lest the lax practices that prevail among
Sundaykeepers shall be followed by those who
profess to observe Gods holy rest day. The line of
demarcation is to be made clear and distinct
between those who bear the mark of Gods
kingdom and those who bear the sign of the
kingdom of rebellion. {6T 353.1}
Far more sacredness is attached to the Sabbath
than is given it by many professed Sabbathkeepers.
The Lord has been greatly dishonored by those
who have not kept the Sabbath according to the
commandment, either in the letter or in the spirit.
He calls for a reform in the observance of the
Sabbath. {6T 353.2}

Reform in Sabbath Observance

The Sabbath is a golden clasp that unites God and
His people. But the Sabbath command has been
broken. Gods holy day has been desecrated. The
Sabbath has been torn from its place by the man of
sin, and a common working day has been exalted
in its stead. A breach has been made in the law,
and this breach is to be repaired. The true Sabbath
is to be exalted to its rightful position as Gods rest
day. In the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah is
outlined the work which Gods people are to do.
They are to magnify the law and make it honorable,
to build up the old waste places, and to raise up
the foundations of many generations. To those
who do this work God says: Thou shalt be called,
The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to
dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the
Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day;
and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord,
honorable; and shalt honor Him, not doing thine
own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight
thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride
upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee

Preparation for the Sabbath

At the very beginning of the fourth commandment
the Lord said: Remember. He knew that amid the
multitude of cares and perplexities man would be
tempted to excuse himself from meeting the full
requirement of the law, or would forget its sacred
importance. Therefore He said: Remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8. {6T
353.3}
2

While preparation for the Sabbath is to be made all

through the week, Friday is to be the special
preparation day. Through Moses the Lord said to
the children of Israel: Tomorrow is the rest of the
holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye
will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and
that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept
until the morning. And the people went about,
and gathered it [the manna], and ground it in mills,
or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and
made cakes of it. Exodus 16:23; Numbers 11:8.
There was something to be done in preparing the
heaven-sent bread for the children of Israel. The
Lord told them that this work must be done on
Friday, the preparation day. This was a test to
them. God desired to see whether or not they
would keep the Sabbath holy. {6T 354.4}
This direction from the lips of Jehovah is for our
instruction. The Bible is a perfect guide, and if its
pages are prayerfully studied by hearts willing to
understand, none need err upon this question. {6T
355.1}
Many need instruction as to how they should
appear in the assembly for worship on the Sabbath.
They are not to enter the presence of God in the
common clothing worn during the week. All should
have a special Sabbath suit, to be worn when
attending service in Gods house. While we should
not conform to worldly fashions, we are not to be
indifferent in regard to our outward appearance.
We are to be neat and trim, though without
adornment. The children of God should be pure
within and without. {6T 355.2}
On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be
completed. See that all the clothing is in readiness
and that all the cooking is done. Let the boots be
blacked and the baths be taken. It is possible to do
this. If you make it a rule you can do it. The
Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of
garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure
seeking, or to any other worldly employment.
Before the setting of the sun let all secular work be
laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight.
Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your
children, and let them share in your preparation to
keep the Sabbath according to the commandment.
{6T 355.3}
We should jealously guard the edges of the
Sabbath. Remember that every moment is

All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in

mind and be making preparation to keep it
according to the commandment. We are not
merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter.
We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all
the transactions of life. All who regard the Sabbath
as a sign between them and God, showing that He
is the God who sanctifies them, will represent the
principles of His government. They will bring into
daily practice the laws of His kingdom. Daily it will
be their prayer that the sanctification of the
Sabbath may rest upon them. Every day they will
have the companionship of Christ and will
exemplify the perfection of His character. Every
day their light will shine forth to others in good
works. {6T 353.4}
In all that pertains to the success of Gods work,
the very first victories are to be won in the home
life. Here the preparation for the Sabbath must
begin. Throughout the week let parents remember
that their home is to be a school in which their
children shall be prepared for the courts above. Let
their words be right words. No words which their
children should not hear are to escape their lips.
Let the spirit be kept free from irritation. Parents,
during the week live as in the sight of a holy God,
who has given you children to train for Him. Train
for Him the little church in your home, that on the
Sabbath all may be prepared to worship in the
Lords sanctuary. Each morning and evening
present your children to God as His blood-bought
heritage. Teach them that it is their highest duty
and privilege to love and serve God. {6T 354.1}
Parents should be particular to make the worship
of God an object lesson for their children. Passages
of Scripture should be more often on their lips,
especially those passages that prepare the heart
for religious service. The precious words might
well be often repeated: My soul, wait thou only
upon God; for my expectation is from Him. Psalm
62:5. {6T 354.2}
When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the
temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the
spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working
days will be left for the Sabbath. During the week
our energies will not be so exhausted in temporal
labor that on the day when the Lord rested and
was refreshed we shall be too weary to engage in
His service. {6T 354.3}
3

consecrated, holy time. Whenever it is possible,

employers should give their workers the hours
from Friday noon until the beginning of the
Sabbath. Give them time for preparation, that they
may welcome the Lords day with quietness of
mind. By such a course you will suffer no loss even
in temporal things. {6T 356.1}
There is another work that should receive
attention on the preparation day. On this day all
differences between brethren, whether in the
family or in the church, should be put away. Let all
bitterness and wrath and malice be expelled from
the soul. In a humble spirit, confess your faults
one to another, and pray one for another, that ye
may be healed. James 5:16. {6T 356.2}
Before the Sabbath begins, the mind as well as the
body should be withdrawn from worldly business.
God has set His Sabbath at the end of the six
working days, that men may stop and consider
what they have gained during the week in
preparation for the pure kingdom which admits no
transgressor. We should each Sabbath reckon with
our souls to see whether the week that has ended
has brought spiritual gain or loss. {6T 356.3}
It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath
holy unto the Lord. God says: Them that honor
Me I will honor. 1 Samuel 2:30. {6T 356.4}

other days. Instead of this the food should be more

simple, and less should be eaten, in order that the
mind may be clear and vigorous to comprehend
spiritual things. Overeating befogs the brain. The
most precious words may be heard and not
appreciated, because the mind is confused by an
improper diet. By overeating on the Sabbath, many
have done more than they think to dishonor God.
{6T 357.2}
While cooking upon the Sabbath should be avoided,
it is not necessary to eat cold food. In cold weather
let the food prepared the day before be heated.
And let the meals, though simple, be palatable and
attractive. Provide something that will be regarded
as a treat, something the family do not have every
day. {6T 357.3}
At family worship let the children take a part. Let
all bring their Bibles and each read a verse or two.
Then let some familiar hymn be sung, followed by
prayer. For this, Christ has given a model. The
Lords Prayer was not intended to be repeated
merely as a form, but it is an illustration of what
our prayers should besimple, earnest, and
comprehensive. In a simple petition tell the Lord
your needs and express gratitude for His mercies.
Thus you invite Jesus as a welcome guest into your
home and heart. In the family long prayers
concerning remote objects are not in place. They
make the hour of prayer a weariness, when it
should be regarded as a privilege and blessing.
Make the season one of interest and joy. {6T 357.4}
The Sabbath school and the meeting for worship
occupy only a part of the Sabbath. The portion
remaining to the family may be made the most
sacred and precious season of all the Sabbath
hours. Much of this time parents should spend
with their children. In many families the younger
children are left to themselves to find
entertainment as best they can. Left alone, the
children soon become restless and begin to play or
engage in some kind of mischief. Thus the Sabbath
has to them no sacred significance. {6T 358.1}
In pleasant weather let parents walk with their
children in the fields and groves. Amid the
beautiful things of nature tell them the reason for
the institution of the Sabbath. Describe to them
Gods great work of creation. Tell them that when
the earth came from His hand, it was holy and
beautiful. Every flower, every shrub, every tree,

The Sabbath in the Home

Before the setting of the sun let the members of
the family assemble to read Gods word, to sing
and pray. There is need of reform here, for many
have been remiss. We need to confess to God and
to one another. We should begin anew to make
special arrangements that every member of the
family may be prepared to honor the day which
God has blessed and sanctified. {6T 356.5}
Let not the precious hours of the Sabbath be
wasted in bed. On Sabbath morning the family
should be astir early. If they rise late, there is
confusion and bustle in preparing for breakfast and
Sabbath school. There is hurrying, jostling, and
impatience. Thus unholy feelings come into the
home. The Sabbath, thus desecrated, becomes a
weariness, and its coming is dreaded rather than
loved. {6T 357.1}
We should not provide for the Sabbath a more
liberal supply or a greater variety of food than for
4

but as long as they live the instruction given in

childhood and youth will be a blessing. {6T 359.3}

answered the purpose of its Creator. Everything

upon which the eye rested was lovely and filled the
mind with thoughts of the love of God. Every
sound was music in harmony with the voice of God.
Show that it was sin which marred Gods perfect
work; that thorns and thistles, sorrow and pain and
death, are all the result of disobedience to God. Bid
them see how the earth, though marred with the
curse of sin, still reveals Gods goodness. The green
fields, the lofty trees, the glad sunshine, the clouds,
the dew, the solemn stillness of the night, the glory
of the starry heavens, and the moon in its beauty
all bear witness of the Creator. Not a drop of rain
falls, not a ray of light is shed on our unthankful
world, but it testifies to the forbearance and love of
God. {6T 358.2}
Tell them of the way of salvation; how God so
loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. Let the
sweet story of Bethlehem be repeated. Present
before the children Jesus, as a child obedient to His
parents, as a youth faithful and industrious,
helping to support the family. Thus you can teach
them that the Saviour knows the trials, perplexities,
and temptations, the hopes and joys, of the young,
and that He can give them sympathy and help.
From time to time read with them the interesting
stories in Bible history. Question as to what they
have learned in the Sabbath school, and study with
them the next Sabbaths lesson. {6T 358.3}
As the sun goes down, let the voice of prayer and
the hymn of praise mark the close of the sacred
hours and invite Gods presence through the cares
of the week of labor. {6T 359.1}
Thus parents can make the Sabbath, as it should be,
the most joyful day of the week. They can lead
their children to regard it as a delight, the day of
days, the holy of the Lord, honorable. {6T 359.2}
I counsel you, my brethren and sisters: Remember
the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. If you desire your
children to observe the Sabbath according to the
commandment, you must teach them by both
precept and example. The deep engraving of truth
in the heart is never wholly effaced. It may be
obscured, but can never be obliterated. The
impressions made in early life will be seen in
afteryears. Circumstances may occur to separate
the children from their parents and their home,

Traveling on the Sabbath

If we desire the blessing promised to the obedient,
we must observe the Sabbath more strictly. I fear
that we often travel on this day when it might be
avoided. In harmony with the light which the Lord
has given in regard to the observance of the
Sabbath, we should be more careful about
traveling on the boats or cars on this day. In these
matters we should set a right example before our
children and youth. In order to reach the churches
that need our help, and to give them the message
that God desires them to hear, it may be necessary
for us to travel on the Sabbath; but so far as
possible we should secure our tickets and make all
necessary arrangements on some other day. When
starting on a journey we should make every
possible effort to plan so as to avoid reaching our
destination on the Sabbath. {6T 359.4}
When compelled to travel on the Sabbath we
should try to avoid the company of those who
would draw our attention to worldly things. We
should keep our minds stayed upon God and
commune with Him. Whenever there is
opportunity we should speak to others in regard to
the truth. We should always be ready to relieve
suffering and to help those in need. In such cases
God desires that the knowledge and wisdom He
has given us should be put to use. But we should
not talk about matters of business or engage in any
common, worldly conversation. At all times and in
all places God requires us to prove our loyalty to
Him by honoring the Sabbath. {6T 360.1}

Sabbath Meetings
Christ has said: Where two or three are gathered
together in My name, there am I in the midst of
them. Matthew 18:20. Wherever there are as many
as two or three believers, let them meet together
on the Sabbath to claim the Lords promise. {6T
360.2}
The little companies assembled to worship God on
His holy day have a right to claim the rich blessing
of Jehovah. They should believe that the Lord Jesus
is an honored guest in their assemblies. Every true
worshiper who keeps holy the Sabbath should
5

Everyone should feel that he has a part to act in

making the Sabbath meetings interesting. You are
not to come together simply as a matter of form,
but for the interchange of thought, for the relation
of your daily experiences, for the expression of
thanksgiving, for the utterance of your sincere
desire for divine enlightenment, that you may
know God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent.
Communing together in regard to Christ will
strengthen the soul for lifes trials and conflicts.
Never think that you can be Christians and yet
withdraw yourselves within yourselves. Each one is
a part of the great web of humanity, and the
experience of each will be largely determined by
the experience of his associates. {6T 362.2}
We do not obtain a hundredth part of the blessing
we should obtain from assembling together to
worship God. Our perceptive faculties need
sharpening. Fellowship with one another should
make us glad. With such a hope as we have, why
are not our hearts all aglow with the love of God?
{6T 362.3}
We must carry to every religious gathering a
quickened spiritual consciousness that God and
His angels are there, co-operating with all true
worshipers. As you enter the place of worship, ask
the Lord to remove all evil from your heart. Bring
to His house only that which He can bless. Kneel
before God in His temple, and consecrate to Him
His own, which He has purchased with the blood of
Christ. Pray for the speaker or the leader of the
meeting. Pray that great blessing may come
through the one who is to hold forth the word of
life. Strive earnestly to lay hold of a blessing for
yourself. {6T 362.4}
God will bless all who thus prepare themselves for
His service. They will understand what it means to
have the assurance of the Spirit because they have
received Christ by faith. {6T 363.1}
The place of worship may be very humble, but it is
no less acknowledged by God. To those who
worship God in spirit and in truth and in the
beauty of holiness it will be as the gate of heaven.
The company of believers may be few in number,
but in Gods sight they are very precious. By the
cleaver of truth they have been taken as rough
stones from the quarry of the world and have been
brought into the workshop of God to be hewed and
shaped. But even in the rough they are precious in

claim the promise: That ye may know that I am

the Lord that doth sanctify you. Exodus 31:13. {6T
360.3}
The preaching at our Sabbath meetings should
generally be short. Opportunity should be given for
those who love God to express their gratitude and
adoration. {6T 361.1}
When the church is without a minister, someone
should be appointed as leader of the meeting. But
it is not necessary for him to preach a sermon or to
occupy a large part of the time of service. A short,
interesting Bible reading will often be of greater
benefit than a sermon. And this can be followed by
a meeting for prayer and testimony. {6T 361.2}
Those who occupy a leading position in the church
should not exhaust their physical and mental
strength through the week so that on the Sabbath
they are unable to bring the vivifying influence of
the gospel of Christ into the meeting. Do less
temporal, everyday labor, but do not rob God by
giving Him, on the Sabbath, service which He
cannot accept. You should not be as men who have
no spiritual life. The people need your help on the
Sabbath. Give them food from the word. Bring your
choicest gifts to God on His holy day. Let the
precious life of the soul be given to Him in
consecrated service. {6T 361.3}
Let none come to the place of worship to take a
nap. There should be no sleeping in the house of
God. You do not fall asleep when engaged in your
temporal business, because you have an interest in
your work. Shall we allow the service which
involves eternal interests to be placed on a lower
level than the temporal affairs of life? {6T 361.4}
When we do this we miss the blessing which the
Lord designs us to have. The Sabbath is not to be a
day of useless idleness. Both in the home and in
the church a spirit of service is to be manifested.
He who gave us six days for our temporal work has
blessed and sanctified the seventh day and set it
apart for Himself. On this day He will in a special
manner bless all who consecrate themselves to His
service. {6T 361.5}
All heaven is keeping the Sabbath, but not in a
listless, do-nothing way. On this day every energy
of the soul should be awake, for are we not to meet
with God and with Christ our Saviour? We may
behold Him by faith. He is longing to refresh and
bless every soul. {6T 362.1}
6

the glory of His name. He has done for His chosen

people that which should inspire every heart with
thanksgiving, and it grieves Him that so little
praise is offered. He desires to have a stronger
expression from His people, showing that they
know they have reason for joy and gladness. {6T
364.3}
The dealings of God with His people should be
often repeated. How frequently were the waymarks
set up by the Lord in His dealings with ancient
Israel! Lest they should forget the history of the
past, He commanded Moses to frame these events
into song, that parents might teach them to their
children. They were to gather up memorials and to
lay them up in sight. Special pains were taken to
preserve them, that when the children should
inquire concerning these things, the whole story
might be repeated. Thus the providential dealings
and the marked goodness and mercy of God in His
care and deliverance of His people were kept in
mind. We are exhorted to call to remembrance the
former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye
endured a great fight of afflictions. Hebrews 10:32.
For His people in this generation the Lord has
wrought as a wonder-working God. The past
history of the cause of God needs to be often
brought before the people, young and old. We need
often to recount Gods goodness and to praise Him
for His wonderful works. {6T 364.4}
While we are exhorted not to forsake the
assembling of ourselves together, these assemblies
are not to be merely for our own refreshing. We are
to be inspired with greater zeal to impart the
consolation we have received. It is our duty to be
very jealous for the glory of God and to bring no
evil report, even by the sadness of the countenance
or by ill-advised words, as if the requirements of
God were a restriction upon our liberty. Even in
this world of sorrow, disappointment, and sin the
Lord desires us to be cheerful, and strong in His
strength. The whole person is privileged to bear a
decided testimony in every line. In features, in
temper, in words, in character, we are to witness
that the service of God is good. Thus we proclaim
that the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the
soul. Psalm 19:7. {6T 365.1}
The bright and cheerful side of our religion will be
represented by all who are daily consecrated to
God. We should not dishonor God by the mournful

the sight of God. The ax, the hammer, and the

chisel of trial are in the hands of One who is
skillful; they are used, not to destroy, but to work
out the perfection of every soul. As precious stones,
polished after the similitude of a palace, God
designs us to find a place in the heavenly temple.
{6T 363.2}
Gods appointments and grants in our behalf are
without limit. The throne of grace is itself the
highest attraction because occupied by One who
permits us to call Him Father. But God did not
deem the principle of salvation complete while
invested only with His own love. By His
appointment He has placed at His altar an
Advocate clothed with our nature. As our
Intercessor, His office work is to introduce us to
God as His sons and daughters. Christ intercedes
in behalf of those who have received Him. To them
He gives power, by virtue of His own merits, to
become members of the royal family, children of
the heavenly King. And the Father demonstrates
His infinite love for Christ, who paid our ransom
with His blood, by receiving and welcoming
Christs friends as His friends. He is satisfied with
the atonement made. He is glorified by the
incarnation, the life, death, and mediation of His
Son. {6T 363.3}
No sooner does the child of God approach the
mercy seat than he becomes the client of the great
Advocate. At his first utterance of penitence and
appeal for pardon Christ espouses his case and
makes it His own, presenting the supplication
before the Father as His own request. {6T 364.1}
As Christ intercedes in our behalf, the Father lays
open all the treasures of His grace for our
appropriation, to be enjoyed and to be
communicated to others. Ask in My name, Christ
says; I do not say that I will pray the Father for
you; for the Father Himself loveth you, because
you have loved Me. Make use of My name. This will
give your prayers efficiency, and the Father will
give you the riches of His grace; wherefore, ask,
and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:24. {6T 364.2}
God desires His obedient children to claim His
blessing and to come before Him with praise and
thanksgiving. God is the Fountain of life and power.
He can make the wilderness a fruitful field for the
people that keep His commandments, for this is for
7

praises to Him who has called you out of darkness

into His marvelous light. Unto Him that loved us,
and washed us from our sins in His own blood let
the hearts adoration be given. Let the love of
Christ be the burden of the speakers utterance. Let
it be expressed in simple language in every song of
praise. Let the inspiration of the Spirit of God
dictate your prayers. As the word of life is spoken,
let your heartfelt response testify that you receive
the message as from heaven. This is very
old-fashioned, I know; but it will be a thank
offering to God for the bread of life given to the
hungry soul. This response to the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit will be a strength to your own soul
and an encouragement to others. It will give some
evidence that there are in Gods building living
stones that emit light. {6T 367.1}
While we review, not the dark chapters in our
experience, but the manifestations of Gods great
mercy and unfailing love, we shall praise far more
than complain. We shall talk of the loving
faithfulness of God as the true, tender,
compassionate shepherd of His flock, which He has
declared that none shall pluck out of His hand. The
language of the heart will not be selfish
murmuring and repining. Praise, like clear-flowing
streams, will come from Gods truly believing ones.
Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel,
and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in
heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth
that I desire beside Thee. Psalm 23:6; 73:24, 25.
{6T 367.2}
Why not awake the voice of our spiritual songs in
the travels of our pilgrimage? Why not come back
to our simplicity and life of fervor? The reason why
we are not more joyful is that we have lost our first
love. Let us then be zealous and repent, lest the
candlestick be moved out of its place. {6T 368.1}
The temple of God is opened in heaven, and the
threshold is flushed with the glory which is for
every church that will love God and keep His
commandments. We need to study, to meditate,
and to pray. Then we shall have spiritual eyesight
to discern the inner courts of the celestial temple.
We shall catch the themes of song and
thanksgiving of the heavenly choir round about
the throne. When Zion shall arise and shine, her

relation of trials that appear grievous. All trials

that are received as educators will produce joy. The
whole religious life will be uplifting, elevating,
ennobling, fragrant with good words and works.
The enemy is well pleased to have souls depressed,
downcast, mourning and groaning; he wants just
such impressions made as to the effect of our faith.
But God designs that the mind shall take no low
level. He desires every soul to triumph in the
keeping power of the Redeemer. The psalmist says:
Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the
Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the
glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the
beauty of holiness. I will extol Thee, O Lord; for
Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes
to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto
Thee, and Thou hast healed me.... Sing unto the
Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the
remembrance of His holiness. Psalm 29:1, 2;
30:1-4. {6T 365.2}
The church of God below is one with the church of
God above. Believers on the earth and the beings in
heaven who have never fallen constitute one
church. Every heavenly intelligence is interested in
the assemblies of the saints who on earth meet to
worship God. In the inner court of heaven they
listen to the testimony of the witnesses for Christ
in the outer court on earth, and the praise and
thanksgiving from the worshipers below is taken
up in the heavenly anthem, and praise and
rejoicing sound through the heavenly courts
because Christ has not died in vain for the fallen
sons of Adam. While angels drink from the
fountainhead, the saints on earth drink of the pure
streams flowing from the throne, the streams that
make glad the city of our God. Oh, that we could all
realize the nearness of heaven to earth! When the
earthborn children know it not, they have angels of
light as their companions. A silent witness guards
every soul that lives, seeking to draw that soul to
Christ. As long as there is hope, until men resist
the Holy Spirit to their eternal ruin, they are
guarded by heavenly intelligences. Let us all bear
in mind that in every assembly of the saints below
are angels of God, listening to the testimonies,
songs, and prayers. Let us remember that our
praises are supplemented by the choirs of the
angelic host above. {6T 366.1}
Then as you meet from Sabbath to Sabbath, sing
8

light will be most penetrating, and precious songs

of praise and thanksgiving will be heard in the
assemblies of the saints. Murmuring and
complaining over little disappointments and
difficulties will cease. As we apply the golden
eyesalve we shall see the glories beyond. Faith will
cut through the heavy shadow of Satan, and we
shall see our Advocate offering up the incense of
His own merits in our behalf. When we see this as
it is, as the Lord desires us to see it, we shall be
filled with a sense of the immensity and diversity
of the love of God. {6T 368.2}
God teaches that we should assemble in His house
to cultivate the attributes of perfect love. This will
fit the dwellers of earth for the mansions that
Christ has gone to prepare for all who love Him.
There they will assemble in the sanctuary from
Sabbath to Sabbath, from one new moon to
another, to unite in loftiest strains of song, in
praise and thanksgiving to Him who sits upon the
throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever. {6T
368.3}
~~~

all should be quietness. No loud-toned commands

should be heard at any time; but on the Sabbath
they are entirely out of place. This is Gods holy
day; the day that He has set apart to
commemorate His creative works; a day which He
has sanctified and hallowed.
In many families boots and shoes are
blacked and brushed, and stitches taken, all
because these little odds and ends were not done
on Friday. They did not Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy. It is dishonoring God to make
the Sabbath a feast day, a day of baking and
boiling, of blacking boots and performing work
that should be done the six working days. Do not
dishonor God by bringing down its sacredness to
the level of the common working days.
In the morning the family should gather
about the table quietly, and it would be well that if
on the Sabbath there should ever be a simple,
palatable meal, yet something that would be
considered a treat, something that they do not
have every day in the week. Then, before or after
the meal, should come the family worship. This
should be a service in which all the children should
take part. All should have their Bibles, each
reading a verse or two. Then a simple hymn should
be sung, followed not by a long and wearisome
prayer, but by a simple petition, telling the Lord in
the simplest manner their needs, and expressing
their gratitude for Gods mercies and blessings.
This invites Jesus as a welcome guest into your
house and heart. In the family, long prayers of
remote things are not in place, and make the hour
of prayer weariness, when it should be considered
a privilege and a blessing. Make the season one of
interest and joy; never let the children consider it a
burden.
On the Sabbath, parents should give all the
time they can to their children, thus making it a
delight. I have seen many families where father,
mother, and the older members of the household,
take themselves away from the younger children,
and leave them to amuse themselves as best they
can. After a while, the children become weary and
go out of doors, and engage in play or some kind of
mischief. Thus the Sabbath has no sacred
significance to them. In pleasant weather the
parents can take their children out for a walk in the
fields and forest, and talk to them of the lofty trees,

Lake Union Herald

April 14, 1909
Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep it
Holy
By Mrs. E. G. White
(Concluded.)
And he said unto them, This is that which the
Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the
holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye
will bake to d ay, and seethe that ye will seethe;
and that which remaineth over lay up for you
to be kept until the morning. ~ Exodus 16:23
Then search the Scriptures, parents. Be not
only hearers, but doers of the Word. Meet Gods
standard in the education of your children. Let
them see that you are preparing for the Sabbath on
the working days of the week. All preparation
should be made, every stitch taken, on the six
working days; all cooking for the Sabbath should
be done on the preparation day. It is possible to do
this, and if you make it a rule, you can do it. The
commandment is, Bake that which ye will bake
today, and seethe that ye will seethe, for tomorrow
is the rest of the holy Sabbath. That day is not to
be given to the cooking of food, or pleasure seeking,
or worldly employment. Explain your work and its
purpose to your children, and let them help
themselves and their parents in their preparation
to keep the Sabbath according to the
commandment. Lead your children to consider the
Sabbath a delight, the day of days, the holy of the
Lord, honorable. Do not allow yourself to spend
the precious hours of the Sabbath in your bed. The
heads of the house should be astir early.
On Friday, the clothing of the children
looked after during the week, should all be laid out
by their own hands under the direction of the
mother, so that they can dress quickly, without any
confusion or rushing about, and hasty speeches.
Dress; then come to the table without levity.
Boisterous noise and contention should not be
allowed any day of the week; but on the Sabbath
10

the shrubs and flowers, and teach them that God is

the Maker of all these things. Then teach them the
reasons for the Sabbath, that it is to commemorate
Gods created works. After working six days, He
rested the seventh, and blessed and hallowed the
day of His rest. Thus the most profitable
instruction can be given.
The sweet story of Bethlehem can be
repeated. Present before them Christ as the babe in
Bethlehem, a child obedient to His father and
mother, a youth industrious, helping to support
the family. Thus you can teach your children that
Christ was a child like themselves, and that He
knows the trials and perplexities, the temptations,
the weariness, the joys, and the happiness of youth.
Read the interesting stories in the Bible history.
Thus the day to them will be the best of the seven.
But if the parents loiter in bed on the Sabbath and
rise late, all is confusion and bustle to prepare for
breakfast and Sabbath-school, the day becomes
weariness, the Sabbath desecrated, no holy
feelings are inspired to come into the home. The
Sabbath-school becomes a dread. I counsel you, my
Sabbath-keeping brethren and sisters, to
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. You
must change greatly. Many of your habits and
practices on the Sabbath are displeasing to God. If
you would train your children to observe the
Sabbath according to the commandment, you must
do it by precept and example. The deep engraving
of truth in the heart is never wholly effaced. The
impressions made on the heart in early life are
seen in after years. They may be buried, but they
will seldom be obliterated. Teach your children
that the commandments of God must become the
rule of their lives. Circumstances may occur to
separate the children from their parents and from
their home, but the lessons of instruction given in
childhood and youth will be a blessing to them
throughout their lifetime.
It means eternal salvation to keep the
Sabbath holy unto the Lord. God says: Them that
honor Me I will honor. 1 Samuel 2:30. {6T 356.4}
~~~

11

cooking is done. Let the boots be blacked, and the

baths be taken. It is possible to do this. If you make
it a rule, you can do it. The Sabbath is not to be
given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking
of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other
worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun,
let all secular work be laid aside, and all secular
papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your
work and its purpose to your children, and let them
share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath
according to the commandment.4 {Child Guidance
528.2}
In many families [on Sabbath] boots and shoes are
blacked and brushed, and stitches are taken, all
because these little odds and ends were not done
on Friday. They did not remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy. ... {Child Guidance 528.3}
On Friday the clothing of the children is to be
looked after. During the week they should be all
laid out by their own hands under the direction of
the mother, so that they can dress quietly, without
any confusion or rushing about and hasty
speeches.5 {Child Guidance 528.4}
There is another work that should receive
attention on the preparation day. On this day all
differences between brethren, whether in the
family or in the church, should be put away.6
{Child Guidance 528.5}
The Sabbath Opens With the Family at
WorshipBefore the setting of the sun, let the
members of the family assemble to read Gods
Word, to sing and pray. There is need of reform
here, for many have been remiss. We need to
confess to God and to one another. We should
begin anew to make special arrangements that
every member of the family may be prepared to
honor the day which God has blessed and
sanctified.7 {Child Guidance 529.1}
Sabbath Hours Not Ours but GodsGod has
given us the whole of six days in which to do our
work, and has reserved only one to Himself. This
should be a day of blessing to usa day when we
should lay aside all our secular matters and center
our thoughts upon God and heaven.8 {Child
Guidance 529.2}
When the Sabbath commences, we should place a
guard upon ourselves, upon our acts and our words,
lest we rob God by appropriating to our own use
that time which is strictly the Lords. We should

Chapter 79SabbathThe Day of

Delight
Prevalent Disregard for the SabbathI have
been shown that very many of the parents who
profess to believe the solemn message for this time
have not trained their children for God. They have
not restrained themselves and have been irritated
with anyone who attempted to restrain them. They
have not by living faith daily bound their children
upon the altar of the Lord. Many of these youth
have been allowed to transgress the Fourth
Commandment, by seeking their own pleasure
upon Gods holy day. They have felt no
compunctions of conscience in going about the
streets on the Sabbath for their own amusement.
Many go where they please, and do what they
please; and their parents are so fearful of
displeasing them that, imitating the management
of Eli, they lay no commands upon them. {Child
Guidance 527.1}
These youth finally lose all respect for the Sabbath
and have no relish for religious meetings or for
sacred and eternal things.1 {Child Guidance 527.2}
Heed First Word of the Fourth
CommandmentRemember is placed at the
very first of the Fourth Commandment. Parents,
you need to remember the Sabbath day yourselves
to keep it holy. And if you do this, you are giving
the proper instruction to your children; they will
reverence Gods holy day.... Christian education is
needed in your homes. All through the week keep
the Lords holy Sabbath in view, for that day is to
be devoted to the service of God. It is a day when
the hands are to rest from worldly employment,
when the souls needs are to receive especial
attention.2 {Child Guidance 527.3}
When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the
temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the
spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working
days will be left for the Sabbath. During the week
our energies will not be so exhausted in temporal
labor that on the day when the Lord rested and
was refreshed, we shall be too weary to engage in
His service.3 {Child Guidance 528.1}
Make Frid ay the Preparation DayOn Friday let
the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See
that all the clothing is in readiness, and that all the
12

taken the baptismal vow have solemnly

consecrated themselves to the service of God; they
are under covenant obligation to place themselves
and their children where they may obtain all
possible incentives and encouragement in the
Christian life.12 {Child Guidance 530.3}
But while we worship God, we are not to consider
this a drudgery. The Sabbath of the Lord is to be
made a blessing to us and to our children. They are
to look upon the Sabbath as a day of delight, a day
which God has sanctified; and they will so consider
it if they are properly instructed.13 {Child
Guidance 531.1}
Wear Comely Garments for the House of
WorshipMany need instruction as to how they
should appear in the assembly for worship on the
Sabbath. They are not to enter the presence of God
in the common clothing worn during the week. All
should have a special Sabbath suit, to be worn
when attending service in Gods house. While we
should not conform to worldly fashions, we are not
to be indifferent in regard to our outward
appearance. We are to be neat and trim, though
without adornment. The children of God should be
pure within and without.14 {Child Guidance 531.2}
Explain Sabbath Sermon to the
ChildrenMinisters are engaged in a sacred,
solemn work, but upon those who hear rests just as
sacred a responsibility. They are to hear with a
determination to follow the instruction that all
must practice who gain eternal life. Each hearer
should strive to understand each presentation of
Bible truth as Gods message to him, to be received
by faith and put into practice in the daily life.
Parents should explain to their children the words
spoken from the pulpit, that they also may
understand and have that knowledge which if put
into practice brings abundant grace and peace.15
{Child Guidance 531.3}
Provide Special Treat for MealtimeWe should
not provide for the Sabbath a more liberal supply
or a greater variety of food than for other days.
Instead of this the food should be more simple,
and less should be eaten, in order that the mind
may be clear and vigorous to comprehend spiritual
things. Overeating befogs the brain. The most
precious words may be heard and not appreciated,
because the mind is confused by an improper diet.
By overeating on the Sabbath, many have done

not do ourselves, nor suffer our children to do, any

manner of our own work for a livelihood or
anything which could have been done on the six
working days. Friday is the day of preparation.
Time can then be devoted to making the necessary
preparation for the Sabbath and to thinking and
conversing about it. Nothing which will in the
sight of Heaven be regarded as a violation of the
holy Sabbath should be left unsaid or undone, to
be said or done upon the Sabbath. God requires not
only that we refrain from physical labor upon the
Sabbath, but that the mind be disciplined to dwell
upon sacred themes. The Fourth Commandment is
virtually transgressed by conversing upon worldly
things or by engaging in light and trifling
conversation. Talking upon anything or everything
which may come into the mind is speaking our own
words. Every deviation from right brings us into
bondage and condemnation.9 {Child Guidance
529.3}
Sabbath Time Too Precious to Sleep
AwayNone should permit themselves, through
the week, to become so absorbed in their temporal
interests, and so exhausted by their efforts for
worldly gain, that on the Sabbath they have no
strength or energy to give to the service of God. We
are robbing the Lord when we unfit ourselves to
worship Him upon His holy day. And we are
robbing ourselves as well; for we need the warmth
and glow of association, as well as the strength to
be gained from the wisdom and experience of
other Christians.10 {Child Guidance 530.1}
Let not the precious hours of the Sabbath be
wasted in bed. On Sabbath morning the family
should be astir early. If they rise late, there is
confusion and bustle in preparing for breakfast and
Sabbath school. There is hurrying, jostling, and
impatience. Thus unholy feelings come into the
home. The Sabbath, thus desecrated, becomes a
weariness, and its coming is dreaded rather than
loved.11 {Child Guidance 530.2}
Attend Public Worship With ChildrenFathers
and mothers should make it a rule that their
children attend public worship on the Sabbath, and
should enforce the rule by their own example. It is
our duty to command our children and our
household after us, as did Abraham. By example as
well as precept we should impress upon them the
importance of religious teaching. All who have
13

Out-of-doors With the ChildrenThe parents

may take their children outdoors to view God in
nature. They can be pointed to the blooming
flowers and the opening buds, the lofty trees and
beautiful spires of grass, and taught that God made
all these in six days and rested on the seventh day
and hallowed it. Thus the parents may bind up
their lessons of instruction to their children, so
that when these children look upon the things of
nature, they will call to mind the great Creator of
them all. Their thoughts will be carried up to
natures Godback to the creation of our world,
when the foundation of the Sabbath was laid, and
all the sons of God shouted for joy. Such are the
lessons to be impressed on the minds of our
children. {Child Guidance 533.3}
We are not to teach our children that they must
not be happy on the Sabbath, that it is wrong to
walk out-of-doors. Oh, no. Christ led His disciples
out by the lakeside on the Sabbath day and taught
them. His sermons on the Sabbath were not always
preached within enclosed walls.21 {Child Guidance
533.4}
Other Lessons From NatureObject
LessonsTeach the children to see Christ in
nature. Take them out into the open air, under the
noble trees, into the garden; and in all the
wonderful works of creation teach them to see an
expression of His love. Teach them that He made
the laws which govern all living things, that He has
made laws for us, and that these laws are for our
happiness and joy. Do not weary them with long
prayers and tedious exhortations, but through
natures object lessons teach them obedience to
the law of God.22 {Child Guidance 534.1}
Give True Concept of Gods CharacterHow can
children receive a more correct knowledge of God,
and their minds be better impressed, than in
spending a portion of their time out-of-doors, not
in play, but in company with their parents? Let
their young minds be associated with God in the
beautiful scenery of nature; let their attention be
called to the tokens of His love to man in His
created works, and they will be attracted and
interested. They will not be in danger of
associating the character of God with everything
that is stern and severe; but as they view the
beautiful things which He has created for the
happiness of man, they will be led to regard Him as

more than they think to dishonor God. {Child

Guidance 532.1}
While cooking upon the Sabbath should be avoided,
it is not necessary to eat cold food. In cold weather
let the food prepared the day before be heated.
And let the meals, though simple, be palatable and
attractive. Provide something that will be regarded
as a treat, something the family do not have every
day.16 {Child Guidance 532.2}
The Rest of the Day Is PreciousThe Sabbath
school and the meeting for worship occupy only a
part of the Sabbath. The portion remaining to the
family may be made the most sacred and precious
season of all the Sabbath hours. Much of this time
parents should spend with their children.17 {Child
Guidance 532.3}
Plan Suitable Read ing and ConversationThe
Sabbathoh!make it the sweetest, the most
blessed day of the week.... {Child Guidance 532.4}
Parents can and should give attention to their
children, reading to them the most attractive
portions of Bible history, educating them to
reverence the Sabbath day, keeping it according to
the commandment. This cannot be done if the
parents feel no burden to interest their children.
But they can make the Sabbath a delight if they
will take the proper course. The children can be
interested in good reading or in conversation
about the salvation of their souls. But they will
have to be educated and trained. The natural heart
does not love to think of God, of heaven, or of
heavenly things. There must be a continual
pressing back of the current of worldliness and
inclination to evil and a letting in of heavenly
light.18 {Child Guidance 532.5}
Not Ind ifferent to Childrens ActivitiesI have
found that on the Sabbath day many are
indifferent and do not know where their children
are or what they are doing.19 {Child Guidance
533.1}
Parents, above everything take care of your
children upon the Sabbath. Do not suffer them to
violate Gods holy day by playing in the house or
out-of-doors. You may just as well break the
Sabbath yourselves as to let your children do it,
and when you suffer your children to wander about
and suffer them to play upon the Sabbath, God
looks upon you as Sabbathbreakers.20 {Child
Guidance 533.2}
14

should do what they can to make the Sabbath a

delight, holy and honorable. They cannot do this
by seeking their own pleasure in sinful, forbidden
amusements. Yet they can do much to exalt the
Sabbath in their families and make it the most
interesting day of the week. We should devote time
to interesting our children. A change will have a
happy influence upon them. We can walk out with
them in the open air; we can sit with them in the
groves and in the bright sunshine, and give their
restless minds something to feed upon by
conversing with them upon the works of God, and
can inspire them with love and reverence by
calling their attention to the beautiful objects in
nature. {Child Guidance 536.1}
The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our
families that its weekly return will be hailed with
joy. In no better way can parents exalt and honor
the Sabbath than by devising means to impart
proper instruction to their families and interesting
them in spiritual things, giving them correct views
of the character of God and what He requires of us
in order to perfect Christian characters and attain
to eternal life. Parents, make the Sabbath a delight,
that your children may look forward to it and have
a welcome in their hearts for it.25 {Child Guidance
536.2}
A Fitting Climax in Prayer and SongAs the sun
goes down, let the voice of prayer and the hymn of
praise mark the close of the sacred hours, and
invite Gods presence through the cares of the
week of labor. {Child Guidance 536.3}
Thus parents can make the Sabbath, as it should be,
the most joyful day of the week. They can lead
their children to regard it as a delight, the day of
days, the holy of the Lord, honorable.26 {Child
Guidance 537.1}

a tender, loving Father. They will see that His

prohibitions and injunctions are not made merely
to show His power and authority, but that He has
the happiness of His children in view. As the
character of God puts on the aspect of love,
benevolence, beauty, and attraction, they are
drawn to love Him. You can direct their minds to
the lovely birds making the air musical with their
happy songs, to the spires of grass and the
gloriously tinted flowers in their perfection
perfuming the air. All these proclaim the love and
skill of the heavenly Artist and show forth the
glory of God. {Child Guidance 534.2}
Parents, why not make use of the precious lessons
which God has given us in the book of nature, to
give our children a correct idea of His character?
Those who sacrifice simplicity to fashion and shut
themselves away from the beauties of nature
cannot be spiritually minded. They cannot
understand the skill and power of God as revealed
in His created works; therefore their hearts do not
quicken and throb with new love and interest, and
they are not filled with awe and reverence as they
see God in nature.23 {Child Guidance 535.1}
A Day to Live the Life of EdenThe value of the
Sabbath as a means of education is beyond
estimate. Whatever of ours God claims from us, He
returns again, enriched, transfigured, with His own
glory.... {Child Guidance 535.2}
The Sabbath and the family were alike instituted in
Eden, and in Gods purpose they are indissolubly
linked together. On this day more than on any
other, it is possible for us to live the life of Eden. It
was Gods plan for the members of the family to be
associated in work and study, in worship and
recreation, the father as priest of his household,
and both father and mother as teachers and
companions of their children. But the results of sin,
having changed the conditions of life, to a great
degree prevent this association. Often the father
hardly sees the faces of his children throughout
the week. He is almost wholly deprived of
opportunity for companionship or instruction. But
Gods love has set a limit to the demands of toil.
Over the Sabbath He places His merciful hand. In
His own day He preserves for the family
opportunity for communion with Him, with nature,
and with one another.24 {Child Guidance 535.3}
Make the Sabbath a DelightAll who love God

~~~

15

The Review and Herald

that it may not be regarded with the least

carelessness or irreverence. When the Lord said,
Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath: bake
that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye
will seethe, he meant that Friday should be our
preparation day, in which we are to do all our
cooking. The Sabbath is not to be a day when
titbits shall be prepared or cooked. If it is really
essential to have beans on the Sabbath, let them be
cooked on Friday, and kept warm in the oven. They
need not be eaten cold unless preferred. But let no
remarks be made as though it were a very light
thing whether or not we regard the special
requirements of God in regard to the Sabbath. It is
not left for any man or woman to venture to
disregard one requirement of God.

June 8, 1897
Cooking on the Sabbath
By Mrs. E. G. White
(Concluded.)
After all the experiences of Israel and the pledges
of God to his people, we marvel at their hardness
and their unbelief. But the expression of the
feelings of one is contagious, and Satan stands by
to inspire other hearts with the very same spirit.
Their present inconvenience, their thoughts of
what might be, the hopeless, discouraging picture
of the desolate wilderness, they were inspired by
Satan to charge upon Moses and Aaron. They
accused their leaders of bringing them from the
slavery of Egypt to kill them and their children
with hunger. All their lives they had been
accustomed to walk by sight. Here they had every
evidence that they had an unseen Leader. He had
just given them a statute, assuring them how much
he would do for them if they would keep his
commandments. Now all these things happened
unto them for ensamples: and they are written for
our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world
are come. Please read this whole chapter.

I see no question in this matter as to what we shall

have on the Sabbath day. The food which we have
provided on the preparation day can be placed on
the table warm, especially in cold weather. In
traveling, persons eat cold lunches for days
together, and realize no inconvenience or harm.
We want palatable, healthful food every day of the
week; but upon the Sabbath, let your cook have her
day of rest, in the place of cooking for a family. Let
every provision be made on Friday. But do not let
the Sabbath be regarded as a day in which to get
something especially gratifying to eat. Educate
your children and every member of the family to
enjoy plain, simple food, and to be ready to receive
the blessing which the Lord of the Sabbath is
waiting to bestow upon all who are in an attitude
to receive it. He has this for every one who shows
his love for God in keeping holy the Sabbath day,
Gods great memorial of creation. Speak softly,
walk softly. Let not a word of lightness or trifling
come from your lips. This is Gods day. He has
blessed the seventh day, as his Sabbath, to be
sacredly observed.

And he said unto them, This is that which the

Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy
Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will
bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that
which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept
until the morning. The Lord had graciously
promised to relieve all their grievances. He desired
to give them a religious training under the eye of
God, that I may prove them, he said, whether
they will walk in my law, or no. The first lesson
taught them was that their constant dependence
for daily nourishment was upon God, and that by
him their wants would be abundantly supplied.

The Sabbath is not to be a gloomy day, a day of

unrest and uneasiness. Parents may take their
children outdoors, in the groves, in the flower
garden, and teach them that the Lord has given
them these beautiful things as an expression of his
love. Christ has said: Consider the lilies of the
field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in

Speak not lightly of the restrictions placed upon

Israel in Sinai regarding the cooking of manna.
The Lord has placed barriers around his Sabbath,
16

third day he rose from the dead, and proclaimed,

over the rent sepulcher of Joseph: I am the
resurrection, and the life. He ascended to his
Father, and today he is our advocate in the courts
of heaven.

all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,
which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little
faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What
shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or,
Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all
these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your
Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all
these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the
morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the
things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof.

We trace Christ all through the Old Testament and

the New. And, behold, I come quickly; and my
reward is with me, to give every man according as
his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that
they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city. For
without are dogs, and sorcerers, and
whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and
whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have
sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in
the churches. I am the root and the offspring of
David, and the bright and morning star. And the
Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely.

Let the mind be directed to the lessons of the book

of nature, and to natures God, who made the world
in six days, and rested on the seventh; wherefore
the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Do not make light of the Sabbath requirements;
and when it comes to eating on the Sabbath, those
who would feed on Christ, who would have the rich
blessing of God, will partake of a very simple diet
on that day.

Here we have the Alpha of Genesis and the Omega

of Revelation. The blessing is promised to all those
who keep the commandments of God, and who
co-operate with him in the proclamation of the
third angels message. I Jesus have sent mine
angel to testify unto you these things in the
churches. I am the root and the offspring of David,
and the bright and morning star. That which
Christ has spoken in the Old Testament is for all
the world. What he has said in reference to his
commandments is not yea and nay, but yea and
amen.

The thoughts are not to be educated to be full of

what we shall eat, and what we shall drink, and
wherewithal we shall be clothed. We need to
prepare for the Sabbath. The clothing that we shall
wear on that day is to be put in order. The boots
should not be left unblacked or unpolished until
the Sabbath. You dishonor God by doing this work
on that day. How easy it is to allow reckless neglect
of the preparation for the Sabbath!
Teach the children that God means just what he
says. The very same Jesus who has given us the
Sabbath, and has directed us how to keep it holy, is
the Alpha of Genesis, and carries us step by step
through the ages, through the incarnation,
through his offering of himself as a living sacrifice
for the redemption of a fallen world. He was tried,
but was not condemned, because there was
nothing to condemn. After the trial Pilate said, I
find no fault in him. Yet he gave himself up to be
murdered because his own nation was jealous of
him, and hated him. Christ died as a malefactor on
the cross of Calvary. He was laid in the grave. The

In this perilous period, when we see universal

contempt placed upon the law of God, when the
world is choosing between the holy Sabbath of the
fourth commandment and the spurious sabbath,
shall we say one word that will detract from the
words of the Lord of the Sabbath? The Lord God of
heaven knew what a deadening influence the
abounding iniquity would have upon the chosen
believers, what a paralyzing power it would be
against piety and true loyalty to God. In giving us
the statement of the occurrences which would
17

quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words

that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are
life.

mark the approach of the second advent of our

Lord and Saviour, Christ says, Because iniquity
shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. We
see this fulfilled to the letter. The experience of
many is becoming dwarfed and sickly and
wonderfully deformed. Everything that surrounds
us creates an atmosphere that is saturated with
unrighteousness. Even under the most faithful
surroundings, it is difficult to hold fast the
Christian profession of faith unto the end, to stand
decidedly and earnestly for the faith once
delivered to the saints. But it is most difficult to
keep true and loyal to Gods holy commandments,
when there are few in number to help and
encourage one another, and when many of these
are sickly and ready to die because they do not
honor God by keeping his commandments truly
and loyally.

The fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah is to be read,

studied, and practised. Is not this the fast that I
have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to
undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed
go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to
deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring
the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou
seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou
hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall
thy light break forth as the morning, and thine
health shall spring forth speedily: and thy
righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the
Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call,
and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he
shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the
midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the
finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out
thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted
soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy
darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall
guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in
drouth, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be
like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,
whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of
thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt
raise up the foundations of many generations; and
thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach,
The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away
thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure
on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the
holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him,
not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own
pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt
thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause
thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and
feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for
the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Much so-called Christianity passes for genuine,

faithful soundness, but it is because those who
profess it have no persecution to endure for the
truths sake. When the day comes when the law of
God is made void, and the church is sifted by the
fiery trials that are to try all that live upon the
earth, a great proportion of those who are
supposed to be genuine will give heed to seducing
spirits, and will turn traitors and betray sacred
trusts. They will prove our very worst persecutors.
Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after
them; and many will give heed to seducing spirits.
Those who have lived on the flesh and blood of the
Son of Godhis holy wordwill be strengthened,
rooted, and grounded in the faith. They will see
increased evidence why they should prize and obey
the word of God. With David, they will say, They
have made void thy law. Therefore love I thy
commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
While others count them dross, they will arise to
defend the faith. All who study their convenience,
their pleasure, their enjoyment, will not stand in
their trial. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh
my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up
at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and
my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh,
and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in
him. Precious words! It is the spirit that

Let no one yield to temptation and become less

fervent in his attachment to Gods law because of
the contempt placed upon it; for that is the very
thing that should make us pray with all our heart,
and soul, and voice, It is time for thee, Lord, to
work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore,
because of the universal contempt, I will not turn
18

traitor when God will be most glorified and most

honored by my loyalty.
What! shall Seventh day Adventists relax their
devotedness when all their capabilities and powers
should be placed on the Lords side; when an
unflinching testimony, noble and uplifting, should
come from their lips? Therefore I love thy
commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
When the law of God is most derided and brought
into the most contempt, then it is time for every
true follower of Christ, for those whose hearts have
been given to God, and who are fixed to obey God,
to stand unflinchingly for the faith once delivered
to the saints. Then shall ye return, and discern
between the righteous and the wicked, between
him that serveth God and him that serveth him
not. It is time to fight when champions are most
needed.
Those who make light of the third angels message
do so because they know little of Daniel or the
Revelation. They have not read these prophecies
with a determination to find out the meaning by
prayer, by study, and by fasting. If they had had the
experience of Daniel or of John, they would know
that the third angels message will go forth unto
perfect victory. Those who proclaim that message
because they see and believe it, will understand
that very much is comprehended by it. The third
angel is represented as flying through the heavens
with a banner on which is inscribed, The
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. All
who will gather warmth from the coldness of
others, courage from their defections, and loyalty
from their treason, will triumph with the third
angels message.
~~~

19

The Signs of the Times

Parents, your own home is the first field in which

you are called to labor. The precious plants in the
home garden demand your first care. To you it is
appointed to watch for souls as they that must give
account. Carefully consider your work, its nature,
its bearing, and its results. Line upon line, precept
upon precept, here a little and there a little you
must instruct, warn, and counsel, ever
remembering that your looks, words, and actions,
have a direct bearing upon the future course of
your dear ones. Your work is not to paint a form of
beauty upon canvas, or to chisel it from marble;
but to impress upon a human soul the image of the
Divine.

May 25, 1882

Home TrainingIts Importance and
Results
By Mrs. E. G. White
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their
youth; that our daughters may be as corner-stones,
polished after the similitude of a palace. It should
be the object of every parent to secure to his
children a well-balanced, symmetrical character.
This is a work of no small magnitude and
importance. It will require earnest thought and
prayer, no less than patient, persevering effort. A
right foundation must be laid, a framework, strong
and firm, erected, and then day by day the work of
building, polishing, perfecting, must go forward.

Mothers, will you not dispense with useless,

unimportant labor for that which must perish with
the using? Will you not seek to draw near to God,
that his wisdom may guide and his grace assist you,
in a work which will be as enduring as eternity?
Aim to make your children perfect in character.
Remember that such only can see God.

Upon the mother rests, to a great degree, the

responsibility of the early training of her children.
Did mothers but realize the importance of their
mission, they would be much in secret prayer,
presenting their children to Jesus, imploring his
blessing upon them, and pleading for wisdom to
discharge aright their sacred duties. Let the
mother improve every opportunity to mold and
fashion the disposition and habits of her children.
Let her watch carefully the development of
character, repressing traits that are too prominent,
encouraging those that are deficient. Let her make
her own life a pure and noble example to her
precious charge.

I speak the more freely and earnestly, because I

know that many parents are neglecting their
God-given work. They are themselves far from
purity and holiness. They do not see the defects of
their children as they would if their own eyes were
beholding and admiring the perfection of Christs
character.
For Christs sake, for the sake of your children, seek
to conform your own life to the divine standard.
Let nothing come in between you and your God. Be
earnest, be patient and persevering, instant in
season, out of season. Give your children
intellectual culture, and moral training. Let their
young hearts be fortified, with firm, pure principles.
While you have the opportunity, lay the
foundation for a noble manhood and womanhood.
Your labor will be rewarded a thousand fold.

The mother should enter upon her work with

courage and energy, relying constantly upon divine
aid in all her efforts. She should never rest satisfied
until she sees in her children a gradual elevation of
character, until they have a higher object in life
than merely to seek their own pleasure. Children
should be taught at home to exert every faculty of
mind or body. Thus they gain an understanding of
their own capabilities, and at the same time
strengthen and develop every power by calling it
into action.

You must make the Bible your guide, if you would

bring up your children in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord. Let the life and character
of Christ be presented as the pattern for them to
copy. If they err, read to them what the Lord has
said concerning similar sins. There is need of
constant care and diligence in this work. One
20

forgetting self in their kind attentions to others.

This is the fruit which grows upon the Christian
tree.

wrong trait tolerated by parents, uncorrected by

teachers, may cause the whole character to become
deformed and unbalanced. Teach the children that
they must have a new heart; that new tastes must
be created, new motives inspired. They must have
help from Christ; they must become acquainted
with the character of God as revealed in his word.

Few realize the influence of the little things of life,

upon the development of character. Mothers, cease
to spend your time and strength for that which is
merely attractive to the eye, but which does not
minister to comfort or real happiness, and you will
cut off a large share of the cares and worries that
make you nervous and irritable, impolite and
unchristian. The precious moments heretofore
given to needless labor should be devoted to
beautifying the souls of your children, teaching
them how they may obtain the inward adorning,
that meek and quiet spirit which God accounts of
great price.

Family prayer receives too little interest and

attention. In many cases, the morning and evening
worship is little more than a mere form, a dull,
monotonous repetition of set phrases in which the
spirit of gratitude or the sense of need finds no
expression. The Lord accepts not such service. But
the petitions of a humble heart and contrite spirit
he will not despise. The opening of our hearts to
our Heavenly Father, the acknowledgment of our
entire dependence, the expression of our wants,
the homage of grateful love,this is true prayer.
When we come pleading the merits of Christs
blood, and trusting with implicit faith his promises,
we shall secure the blessing of the Lord.

If real politeness were practiced by all the

followers of Christ, if obedience to the golden rule
were made one of the corner-stones of Christian
character, we would see fewer church-trials, less
hardness and animosity between brethren. There
would be no harsh, thoughtless words, no strife for
the highest place. Gods people will be tested.
Every one will be exposed to the fierce fire of trial
and temptation. If we would not be consumed as
dross, we must have the love of Godthe gold that
has been triedabiding in us. Now is the time to
soften and subdue our rough, harsh traits of
character. We must cherish kindness, forbearance,
Christian integrity. Ungenerous criticism, hard
speeches, questioning the motives of another, or
magnifying his faults, open the door to Satans
temptations, and lead many away from God. The
Holy Scriptures give us a safe and profitable rule
for thought and conversation. Whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things
are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if
there be any praise, think on these things. If we
would have our children practice kindness,
courtesy, and love, we ourselves must set them the
example.

Redeem the precious hours worse than wasted in

talking of your troubles, or gossiping over the
faults of others. Seek earnestly to God for help, and
you will become strong in his strength. You may
have Christ as a guest in your home. Be not
satisfied merely to bear the name of Christians. Be
in truth followers of Jesus. Let your hearts be
warmed with his love. Make him your friend, your
helper, your counselor.
The most valuable rules for social and family
intercourse, are to be found in the Bible. There is
not only the best and purest standard of morality,
but the most valuable code of politeness. Our
Saviours sermon on the mount contains
instruction of priceless worth to old and young. It
should be often read in the family circle, and its
precious teachings exemplified in the daily life.
The golden rule, Whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them, as well as
the apostolic injunction, In honor preferring one
another, should be made the law of the family.
Those who cherish the spirit of Christ, will
manifest politeness at home, a spirit of
benevolence, even in little things. They will be
constantly seeking to make all around them happy,

Charity suffereth long, and is kind. It thinketh

no evil,another fruit borne on the tree of love.
Our souls must be stayed upon God, imbued with
21

Another class stand pale and trembling, trusting in

Christ, and yet oppressed with a sense of their own
unworthiness. They hear with tears of joy and
gratitude the Masters commendation. The days of
incessant toil, of burden-bearing, and of fear and
anguish, are forgotten, as that voice, sweeter than
the music of angel harps, pronounces the words,
Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye
into the joy of your Lord. There stand the host of
the redeemed, the palm branch of victory in their
hand, the crown upon their head. These are the
ones who by faithful, earnest labor, have obtained
a fitness for Heaven. The life-work performed on
earth is acknowledged in the heavenly courts as a
work well done.

his Spirit, if we learn these sacred lessons. Said the

apostle, Gird up the loins of your mind. If the
thoughts are rightly disciplined, it will be a far less
difficult task to control the feelings. Looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, will give
us courage, hope and constancy. Shall we not obey
the teachings of Gods word? Shall we not make it
our guide and counselor? Shall we not devote time
and thought to its perusal? How can Christians
neglect the book in which God has revealed his will
to men? Our children need help to understand the
Scriptures. They should become acquainted with
the life and character of Jesus, that they may love
him, and choose to obey him.
Parents and guardians must themselves maintain
purity of heart and life, if they would have their
children pure. They must give the needed
instruction, and in addition to this, they must
exercise unceasing watchfulness. Every day new
thoughts are awakened in the minds of the young,
new impressions made upon their hearts. The
associations they form, the books they read, the
habits they cherishall must be guarded. The
interests of your children, for this life and the next,
are at stake.

With joy unutterable, parents see the crown, the

robe, the harp, given to their children. The days of
hope and fear are ended. The seed sown with tears
and prayers may have seemed to be sown in vain,
but their harvest is reaped with joy at last. Their
children have been redeemed.
Fathers, mothers, shall the voices of your children
swell the song of gladness in that day?

What now you do, you know not,

But shall hereafter know,
When the seeds your hands are sowing,
To a ripened harvest grow.

May 25, 1882

At the Southern Camp-Meeting

When you stand before the great white throne,

then your work will appear as it is. The books are
opened, the record of every life made known. Many
in that vast company are unprepared for the
revelations made. Upon the ears of some, the
words will fall with startling distinctness,
Weighed in the balance, and found wanting. To
many parents the Judge will say in that day, You
had my word, plainly setting forth your duty. Why
have you not obeyed its teachings? Knew ye not
that it was the voice of God? Did I not bid you
search the Scriptures, that you might not go astray?
You have not only ruined your own souls, but by
your pretensions to godliness you have misled
many others. You have no part with me. Depart,
depart!

Accompanied by W. C. White and Sister Mary A.

Davis, I reached the grounds, Thursday, May 4, at
10 P. M. We found a neat, commodious tent,
conveniently fitted up for us during our stay on the
ground.
At the 9 oclock meeting on Friday morning, I tried
to present before our people the importance of the
occasion. This holy convocation affords a precious
opportunity to draw near to God. We should
improve this privilege to search our own hearts, to
compare our life and character with the divine law,
and see what would hinder the Spirit of God from
abiding with us. We should begin the meeting
aright, that God may impart to us his blessing. We
must carefully shun any violation of the Sabbath,
22

we should eat temperately of plain, wholesome

food. Those who have been accustomed to eat
three meals would experience benefit from taking
only two meals of simple food, prepared in a
simple manner. If we had bread and water only, we
should receive it with thankfulness; but we are not
yet compelled to confine ourselves to this
restricted diet. I am convinced, however, that very
many would find it a great advantage to partake of
a much plainer diet on the Sabbath than on the
working days of the week.

making all needful preparation on Friday. We are

not to consult our own pleasure or convenience,
but to consider how we can best honor our Creator.
One day in the week God claims as his own; he has
set it apart for religious worship, and has
commanded man, In it thou shalt not do any
work. He will not grant his blessing to those who
willfully trample upon his holy day. If thou turn
away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy
pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a
delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt
honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding
thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words,
then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I
will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the
earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy
father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

The violation of the fourth commandment is not

confined to the preparation of food. Many
carelessly put off blacking their boots, and shaving,
until after the beginning of the Sabbath. This
should not be. If any neglect to do such work on a
working day, they should have respect enough for
Gods holy time to let their beards remain
unshaven, their boots rough and brown, until the
Sabbath is past. This might help their memory, and
make them more careful to do their own work on
the six working days.

The Lord gave the children of Israel explicit

instructions prohibiting unnecessary labor upon
the Sabbath. Tomorrow is the rest of the holy
Sabbath unto the Lord. Bake that which ye will
bake today, and seethe that which ye will seethe.
Carelessness in the observance of the Sabbath has
crept in among us as a people. Many have sought
to please themselves rather than to honor God. If
we would enjoy the blessing of the Lord, the
Sabbath-day must be kept holy. All cooking should
be done on Friday. On the camp-ground, when the
mornings are cool, hot water or hot gruel should be
provided. In winter, at our homes, the food
previously cooked should be warmed before it is
eaten. In warm weather this is unnecessary. Divine
mercy has directed that the sick and suffering
should be cared for; the labor required to do this is
a work of necessity, and no violation of the
Sabbath.

At every camp-meeting, instruction should be

given on all these points. How can we expect the
special blessing of God, unless we shun with
abhorrence the smallest sin. We should choose to
suffer inconvenience, loss, or privation, rather than
disregard the instructions of the Lord. Our lack of
spirituality has been caused by our own course. We
have gradually and insensibly chosen to please
ourselves instead of seeking to honor God.
Christian perfection consists in the complete
harmony of our will with the will of our Creator.
The inhabitants of Heaven find, in obeying the will
of God, their joy and blessedness.
Let every family of Seventh-day Adventists honor
God by a strict regard for his law. The children
should be taught to respect the Sabbath. On the
day of preparation, clothing should be put in
proper repair, shoes polished, baths taken. Then
around the family altar all should wait to welcome
Gods holy day, as they would watch for the coming
of a dear friend.

At our annual gatherings we assemble to seek the

Lord, to humble ourselves before him, to search
diligently our own hearts, and to learn whether we
are in the faith. How inconsistent for us, on such
an occasion, to make eating and drinking our chief
business. The one day in seven, which God has
sanctified, should be observed in accordance with
the commandment.

To the praise of God, I would say that my words

upon this point met a response in the hearts of the

If we would preserve health and clearness of mind,

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that the Lord was sustaining me. The everlasting

arms were my support. When standing before the
people, I was conscious of a strength not my own. I
was but the instrument; God spoke to the people
through clay. The burden which had weighed me
down, was removed. Peace, like a river, flowed into
my soul. I was cheerful, yea, joyful, in God. Thus
has the Lord in mercy often helped me in time past,
as I have labored for the salvation of souls. Peace
and joy continued with me through the meeting.
My wakeful hours at night were spent in
communion with God. I felt that a risen Saviour
pleads in our behalf, at the right hand of the Father.
Because Jesus lives, we live also; he in us, and we
in him.

people. Our restaurant table was well furnished,

yet free from extravagance. On Friday, all needful
preparation was made, so that the least work was
performed on the Sabbath that I have seen at
camp-meeting for many years. The plain,
wholesome food was eaten with a relish. Only two
meals a day were prepared at the restaurant, and
those in charge had an opportunity to attend
nearly all, if not all, the meetings.
For two mornings I observed that while the five
oclock meetings were in session, our sisters were
busily engaged in preparing breakfast, but after
this I was gratified to see that nearly all were
present in the tent. These meetings were intensely
interesting. There was no great excitement, but a
steady advance in spiritual strength. The people
were hungry for the bread of life. I have never
attended a meeting where there seemed to be a
stronger desire to learn, and to profit by the
instruction received, than at this meeting. Oh, how
much easier to labor where the people put forth
earnest efforts to help themselves! Most
encouraging testimonies were borne. I received
precious blessings as I sought to present some
practical points of truth in a few minutes talk. And
it was encouraging to learn from the testimonies
borne, that our brethren and sisters gathered up
these gleams of light, and purposed to make the
best use of them.

On the Sabbath, we invited all those to come

forward who desired to reach a higher standard in
their religious life, and also those who desired, for
the first time, to give their hearts to Jesus. A large
part of our number at once responded, and we had
a season of confession, prayer, and humiliation,
before God. This meeting was timely; it seemed to
break the spell of coldness and worldliness, and,
from this point, there was steady advancement.
I was strengthened to speak to the people ten
times during the meeting, besides several short
talks of from fifteen to forty minutes, in the social
gatherings. In addition to this, I wrote not less
than one hundred pages, during the ten days we
were upon the ground.

Our meetings were a great blessing to myself as

well as to the people. So deep was the affliction
experienced in the loss of my husband, that I have
felt I had received my death-wound. And as I saw
our people drifting away from God, into the
current of worldliness and pleasure-loving, and
neglecting the light which God has permitted to
shine upon them, it caused me far deeper grief
than the death of my children and my husband. I
had no rest day nor night.

Of many interesting features of the meeting, I have

not space here to write. The Bible-classes were
productive of much good, in directing the minds of
our people to the contemplation of Scripture truth.
The meetings held specially for the youth and
children, were among the best of the series. At all
these yearly gatherings, special attention should
be given to the spiritual interests of the young.
Earnest labor should be put forth in their behalf.

I longed for peace. I longed for the burden to be

lifted from me. I had in faithful testimony reproved,
warned, and counseled. I could do no more. I was
powerless to correct the existing evils. I had feared
to attend the southern camp-meeting; I hardly
dared test my strength by the labor which I should
be called to perform; but from the first day I felt

On the last Sunday, I spoke in the five oclock

morning prayer-meeting upon the importance of
cherishing faith. We must not allow our minds to
be led into the channel of unbelief. If we talk of our
doubts, we shall always find doubts to express. If
we talk faith, we shall have faith, hope, and
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he possesses. Our dress, our conversation, our

house, our associates, all bear testimony to the
world with greater force than words can have.
Faith is made perfect by works,but faith without
works is dead. We profess to be giving to the world
the last message of mercy. Is our daily life in
harmony with our profession?

courage, in the Lord.

Sunday afternoon, I spoke to a good congregation
on the subject of temperance, and in the evening
continued the same subject, before a larger
company. The Lord gave me strength and freedom.
To his name be all the glory. After the exertion of
this day, we slept about two hours, and then arose
to prepare for our homeward journey, leaving the
camp-ground at three oclock, Monday morning.

A form of godliness is popular in the world. A

profession of Christianity costs little. There are but
few who choose the way of self-denial, the way of
the cross. A few, only, with the apostle, bear about
in their bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus,
desiring to know nothing but Christ, and him
crucified. But Gods blessing will attend the
faithful few. He will make them channels of light
to the world.

I returned from this meeting with improved health,

increased courage, and renewed hope, and with the
peace of Christ abiding in my heart. As I look back
at my condition of health a few weeks since, and
then see what the Lord has wrought for me, I can
hardly find language to express my gratitude to
God. In every emergency he has sustained me. I
fear that my faith has not always been as strong as
it should have been. The waves of affliction had
almost gone over my head. But the Lord has again
revealed himself in power to me, and I will cast all
my care upon him who careth for me. To me this
camp-meeting has been one of the best I ever
attended.

Those who conduct our camp-meetings should

from the very beginning of each meeting, teach
others how to work. This is wise generalship. The
labor should not be permitted to come wholly
upon the ministers, for this will deprive the people
of the education which they need. They should feel
that a responsibility rests upon them to engage in
the meetings in the tents. There is work that all
can do, and should do to help others, and in doing
thus they help themselves. The reason why so
many are dying spiritually is that they are slothful
servants, do-nothings. Would they go to work, they
would increase in spiritual strength.

Dear brethren and sisters who shall assemble in

our camp-meetings, Jesus will do great things for
us, if we will faithfully perform our duty. We must
yield our will to the will of God. We must honor the
Lord by obeying all his commandments, even in
what we term little things. The truth, like its
divine Author, is unchangeable in its requirements,
the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is not in
harmony with the traditions of men, it does not
conform to their opinions. The truth has ever
brought a separation between Gods people and
the world. But if our position in former years, as a
peculiar people, was approved of God, how does he
regard our present position? Have we gained in
spirituality since we departed from our early
simplicity? Ye are living epistles, known and read
of all men. It was our Saviours mission to purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works. To his disciples he says, Ye are the light of
the world. And the apostle Paul declares, We are
a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.

The work before us is great. Probation is soon to

close. The wrath of God is about to be poured upon
the earth. The sweet voice of mercy will soon cease
to be heard. Every servant of the True Shepherd
will realize the perils of this time, and will labor
earnestly to bring souls to Christ. We must not
depend on theory. The most conclusive arguments
are not sufficient in themselves. Our only hope is
to reach the people through God. The Bible is the
sure word of prophecy, whereunto we do well that
we take heed; but those who labor in word and
doctrine must have a vital connection with God, a
deep and living experience. While clear and
convincing arguments appeal to the understanding,
the Spirit of God abiding in the heart of the
minister, must speak to the hearts of those who
hear.

Every person will reveal in his life all the faith that
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As a rule, ministers are too formal. We must show

the people that we are in earnest, not merely in the
desk, but out of the desk; that we fully and
solemnly believe the truths we preach. If we wish
them to feel, we must feel ourselves. Some
ministers are adopting the customs of other
churches, copying their habits and manner of labor.
With many, pulpit preaching is mechanical, a mere
trade. They do not kindle their taper at the divine
altar. They do not have the unction from on high.
The shepherds of the flock should be earnest,
vigilant, and active now; the end is nearer than
when we first believed. The people have a right to
ask, Watchman, what of the night? Satan would
have them sleep until the time for the salvation of
sinners is past. Let the trumpet give a certain
sound.
Let not our camp-meetings be occasions for
visiting and feasting. They should be occasions of
heart-searching, deep humiliation, earnest,
agonizing prayer. The judgments of God are about
to fall upon the unsheltered head of the sinner. We
have no time now to seek worldly honor, no time
to exalt self, to indulge pride or ambition. Our
God shall come, and shall not keep silence. A fire
shall devour before him, and it shall be very
tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the
heavens from above, and to the earth that he may
judge his people. How shall we stand in that day
when heaven and earth shall hear the voice of God
calling to judgment?
When each thought, and word, and motive, is
revealed as it stands registered in the books of
Heaven, when every soul shall be tried by the one
perfect standard, the law of God, how will our case
stand? When God makes inquisition for the blood
of souls, when the undershepherds gather with
their flocks around the great white throne, where
will those stand with whom we have been
associated, whom we have influenced? In that day,
may it be seen that we have done well the work
committed to our hands. May our voices swell the
glad chorus.
E. G. White.
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