Diary Fragments, August to September 1904
NP
August 5 - September 5, 1904
This manuscript is published in entirety in 21MR 421-424.
Friday, August 5, 1904
Washington, D. C.
I cannot sleep after twelve o’clock. I am pressed as a cart beneath sheaves. I cannot sleep. My heart is pained for the condition of our churches and the great work of preparation that is to be done in the churches. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 1
August 26, 1904
Melrose Sanitarium, Mass.
This day I thank the Lord He has given me strength to bear my message under the large tent one mile from the sanitarium. The seats were all occupied. There was singing accompanied with music, and the music was distinct in sound and made a good impression upon the people. Then I spoke one hour and the Lord strengthened me, for which I praise His holy name. I presented the first chapter of First Peter, and the people listened with much interest. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 2
Sunday, August 28, 1904
Melrose, Mass.
I speak to the people that shall assemble in the tent-meeting in Melrose. My mind is deeply exercised this morning. I have had matters presented to me to give to our people. An urgent request came to me from a man who desired to discuss with me in regard to the round world, to him a very important matter. My answer was, I have a message to this people in regard to the life they must live in this world, to prepare them for future life which measures with the life of God. We have nought to do with the question whether this world is round or flat. [The important thing] is to serve God with full purpose of a renewed heart, sanctified and made holy by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 3
Every issue will be brought in in various places by some persons who are not worked by the Spirit of God. Last night the Lord gave me words to speak to the people. Satan has a multitude of questions to bring in through various minds and ingenuity as all-important. Take the Word plainly stating the truth for 1904, and the messenger that was sent of God had a message the same as the people need now. He was John the Baptist. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 4
August 30, 1904
Melrose, Mass.
I thank my heavenly Father that I have slept more than for several nights. I thank the Lord that my faculties are preserved. God is the Lord and greatly to be praised. I shall speak today and on the morrow in this place. May the Lord bless and sanctify me and make me strong to do His will. I ask for health that I amy use the powers He has given me to His name’s glory. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 5
September 1, 1904
Sanitarium, Melrose, Mass.
I thank my heavenly Father this morning for the strength and grace He has given me. Good is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. The Lord God is merciful and of tender compassion. I have a message to bear to the people. Come out from the world and be ye separate. How then shall we become as Christ has declared, a light unto the world? In the customs and ambitious practices of the world we have no part. In their selfish ideas we take no part. But in this very coming out, in separating from their idolatrous practices, we are witnessing to the truth. In the world and yet not of the world. It is our work as Christians to manifest to the world a power of true godliness. We are to obey the injunction of Christ to deny ourselves, to take up the cross, and follow Him. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 6
September 4, 1904
Middletown, Conn.
We had a tent full Sabbath, and all listened with interest to the words spoken. Our brethren were fearful that Sunday we should have but few out to hear, and I thought they might be disappointed in this matter; but the disappointment was the other way. The large tent was full, and some were on the outside. The Lord gave me strength to hold the congregation. I spoke earnestly from (John 3), first part of the chapter. The Lord gave me a message upon temperance and the Lord Jesus, the great Gift in behalf of man. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [Verse 16.] 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 7
I brought in Satan’s temptations of Christ in the wilderness and then spoke a short time upon temperance and the self-indulgent practice of using tobacco; but they sat through it all, and I gave the message with great plainness of speech. I was strengthened. The tent seats were filled, and chairs and seats had to be brought from neighboring houses to accommodate the people. I am so thankful that I could speak to so many. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 8
I would be glad to follow this meeting through to its close, but we must leave tomorrow if we fill our appointments in Battle Creek. I was strengthened today and felt no weariness. I believe it was my duty to speak to the people. All listened with apparent interest. How it will be in the weekdays we cannot say, but I shall advise that they keep Jesus uplifted daily before the people. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 9
Jesus is always the same in His human tenderness combined with His divinity; always touched with the feeling of our infirmities, using His divine, ministering attributes to do us good; always encouraging, guiding, leading us on step by step. He is unchangeable. What He is to us today, a faithful High Priest touched with the feeling of our infirmities, this He will be tomorrow, and tomorrow for ever more. He is a Guide to lead, a Teacher to instruct, a Friend to counsel, a Donor to bestow His blessings upon His church in response to their faith. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 10
Said Jesus to His believing disciples, “Abide in Me.” [John 15:4.] This means continual faith on the part of the believer. “Abide in Me.” This means, listen to the instruction of Christ. We must do His will. Christ makes us at home with Him, and we enjoy the favors of His home, enjoy His peace. All human frictions, all ill-temper, all irritation cease in His home. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 11
I am very glad for the encouragement of this large tent full of interested hearers. Meetings have been held here some little time, and today the tent was full and we praise the Lord. There were people of the first class. I took up the questions of tobacco and of liquor-drinking. I showed them how, by using tobacco and liquor, they were destroying their God-given faculties so that they could not reason from cause to effect. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 12
September 4 [5?], 1904
Middletown, Conn.
I could not obtain sleep until after nine o’clock. My mind was active. How could we now overcome the backsets that we have had to hedge up our way? 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 13
*****
This place, Middletown, my husband and myself entered with my eldest child, born in 1847. We were welcomed by Brother Chamberlain and remained as their guests some weeks. Brother Ralph was a faithful young man, a Christian who was trying to do a work in explaining the Scripture to those who would become interested. One man was bitterly opposed, and his wife received the truth and was an earnest believer, keeping the Sabbath. This provoked him; and when Brother Ralph came to his house, he met him and ordered him out and kicked him off the steps. He took this abuse patiently and said, “I shall pray for you and your wife, for she is a child of God.” He was soon ill and confined to his bed with consumption. All who knew him had come to love this humble child of God. Many appreciated him. My husband and I visited him and had precious seasons of prayer. Brother Chamberlain had great confidence in him. We soon were convinced he would not live. He was dying. But whenever he could speak he expressed his great burden to open the Scriptures to the people in Middletown. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 14
Quite a number were keeping the Sabbath, and meetings were held in a private house. Brother Chamberlain’s house was large and could accommodate quite a large number, and our meetings were interesting. We were all so sad to give up our young Brother Ralph. He died, and his words were precious. The one who had treated the Lord’s servant roughly, kicking him down several steps, came to see him and asked his forgiveness. We all felt indeed this was a great thing for him to do, for he was a proud man. Brother Ralph told him he freely forgave him and urged him to obey the truth and meet him in heaven. He was a happy man, quoting Scripture, enforcing the truth of Christ’s coming and the Sabbath. He died in the triumph of faith. The sunbeams of Christ seemed to light up his countenance, and he would speak words full of thanksgiving. From this time—after his death—the truth seemed to advance. We soon were invited to Rocky Hill, nine miles in the country, and we made this our home. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 15
I must relate in writing that I had conversation with Brother Nicola in reference to the case of Dr. Kellogg. 19LtMs, Ms 145, 1904, par. 16