Sermon/Remarks at Mountain View, California
Mountain View, California
January 22, 1905
Previously unpublished.
Mark 1:1-4. We are going to have this experience repeated. It is to be in every place where there is a city and where there is a town. It has to be in every place, colored as well as white. Somehow the enemy seems to work so that everyone shall be disheartened from taking hold of the colored work, but I do not mean it shall be. I shall bear my testimony just as long as I have a breath of life in my body in regard to that. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 1
But I want to read on. Verses 5-8. That is what we need. Not merely to rest upon our baptism, that we have had, as sufficient, but we want the Holy Ghost just as much. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 2
Verses 9-11. O what an occasion that was for the people that were looking for Christ and expecting Him! Verse 12. “And immediately the Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness.” Verses 14-17. Now that is their calling. And straightway—instead of going to the priests and the rulers—straightway they forsook their nets and followed Him. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 3
Verses 19-24. Notwithstanding the Satan was opposing them, the Spirit of Christ was at work. There came that message that would acknowledge Him as the Son of God. “And Jesus rebuked him, saying,” verses 25-29. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 4
And here it is stated that He healed the mother of Simon. Now He says, verses 35-38. After He had given His message, He did not hang over them. He let that message do its work, but He went right on to other places, that He might publish the message; and this is what we want. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 5
Verses 39-44. Do you know why He did not want them to tell? Priests and rulers would have been right after Him to hedge up His way in every way possible. And they did try. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 6
Verse 45. Now I wanted to say, brethren and sisters, something as I spoke to you on Sabbath. It is no use for us to feel that we are doing all that God wants us to do, because I know we are not. I know it its kept before me night and day, and I have not slept a wink after two o’clock, and I have got up at half past three—I thought I would try to sleep—and have been writing, writing. This is the only way that I can relieve my mind. I want to tell you that we are not doing one-thousandth part, as a people, of what we should do. You have not begun to be awake. You have not begun to rise to the necessities of the case where the people are that have never had the truth. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 7
In regard to what has been said, as he has mentioned it, it is duty for me to say something about this. I have a book that is coming out that gives the whole history of my letters to him [Edson White] and the work that was done, that the people shall have it. Because it is this very thing that should be done that is not being done in many respects. There are the whites all around everywhere, there are the cities, there are the villages, and all these things, I am bearing a message that our people are to be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 8
Now, I want to know if our people are seeking the Lord with that earnestness and decision. When they receive the Holy Ghost they will be taught of God, and we shall not have any of this misunderstanding that we have tried to strip from the people for so long, and do as we have been doing since we came over here from Australia. The colored people must have help. But I have wrenched myself every way I can, and I cannot see what I can do, only to bear my testimony in the name of the Lord God of Israel. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 9
And I want to say we have a great interest now pending at Washington. We expect there that this question of the law is coming up, and every soul of you needs to be in prayer that you may beseech the Lord with all the powers of your being. Get ready first; get the Spirit of God first, and be pleading for yourself that God will let the Holy Spirit come upon you, and then you will begin to understand that you have prayers to offer for those in Washington. It now is pending whether a law is passed to forbid any working on Sunday. This is the devil’s movement. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 10
And I want to say that we want very much more of a union and connection with God, and if we have it we shall be so moved by the Spirit of God that when we see the work and hear so much about it, we will go just as those disciples went. Christ said to them, Leave your nets, leave your ships, and follow Me. Now they were not called to go to a place like Battle Creek, and stay there five years to get ready. God is not in that business at all. He wants that every one who has a knowledge of the truth should start out and go to work under some ministers if they have not the experience. They should go out among the people and go from house to house. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 11
Now I see that Brother Corliss is looking very anxious. He would be glad to do all this work, but if God has given you the privilege, Brother Corliss, go out where you may feel an interest to go out, God will help you. I want to say, brethren and sisters, we want the healing power of God under the Holy Spirit’s influence. We need the healing power of God. I know those that have been working hard all their lives, like Elder Loughborough, have a little home, and he almost wanted to make an apology for it. I find Brother Corliss living in a barn, until he can get means to get a little house. We do not oppose that, Brother Corliss. We do not oppose Brother Loughborough for being here. They are the old hands that have helped with their means and with their physical strength and with their mental powers, and we want to say to you, “Let not your heart be troubled—may be also.” John 14:1-3. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 12
Now I want to say that I feel like guarding the old hands in the work. There are a good many things I feel like guarding. I have had it laid open that I was to see that the aged ministers were respected. I wish to give my testimony to the point that we must esteem them very highly for their works’ sake. Now I want to tell you that this is repeated to me over and over and over again. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 13
There is not a zeal and earnestness. If the power of the Holy Spirit was upon you, you could no more be so content with unwarned neighbors all around you. I cannot see a man or woman in the street, but what I think, O, do they know the Lord is coming? As I ride on the cars through the cities I think: Have they been warned, has the light been shining into these cities that they shall have the truth? I think, if those fishermen could be called right from their fishing boats and set to work, the very same Jesus Christ calls, the very same teacher calls you to go. “Go,” He says, “teach them all that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:19, 20.] 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 14
If there were many more going out and finding places where they could work for the southern people, it would be to your advantage. I know how the first work was commenced. They would come and there would not be room, and little children would be lying right on the platform, while the characters were being made on the blackboard, and they were trying to copy it off. Little children in the school of all ages, old people, they would do their washing, then they would go a mile or two to get to the meeting, that they might hear what was said of the Bible. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 15
We are half dead. Now what was Christ’s message? He tells us that He had somewhat against them because they had left their first love. And then He tells them again that they are sick and ready to die. “I have not found thy works perfect before God.” [Revelation 3:2.] 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 16
Now, my brethren and sisters, I would not have come here, I would not have felt it was my duty to leave my home, but I said, “I shall go even if it rains.” They all said, “You must wait and see if it is going to be fair.” “No,” said I, “if it rains it rains, and if I have a message I will bear it.” And this is the message that I bear. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 17
I believe every soul of us has a responsibility to encourage the men that are trying to work in the colored field, because I have seen it, and I understand it. And I want to say, before ever I saw Huntsville, in the night season there was a people all around in Huntsville. There is an institution right close by Huntsville where there is a colored school—the state normal school for colored teachers. There they are supported, they are sustained. They have people to look after them. But when I went to Huntsville—before I go away, if I can, I will read you something about it. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 18
I want to tell you it is time that we were converted. When my son was in such distress to know what to do, a messenger came into my room. My head was bowed down upon the table and I was in great distress. The messenger came and put his hand upon my head and said, I have a message for you. And that message was to say to the people in the South to put a little receptacle—that was the name—put it in every house where it can be put. Ask the fathers and mothers to educate their children to self-denial instead of spending for candies and those things, to put their money in this little receptacle. And in doing that, said he, the Spirit of Jesus Christ will be operating upon the heart of that child, and upon the heart of the mother, and the mother and the father and every one that is in the house can give to that receptacle, and those that come into the house, believers or unbelievers, tell them what it means, and ask them if they do not want to contribute for the Southern field. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 19
Let me tell you all America is under obligation to the colored people in the South. The whole of America everywhere in every place is responsible for these colored people, that they did not take them just as soon as they were released from slavery. If only they had done it! We are years behind. If only they had taken hold of the work—I do not know how to express it. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 20
He delivered Israel. You see how hard it was for them to be delivered. The whole of Egypt had to be destroyed. The prosperity of the whole of Egypt had to be destroyed in order to get them out. When they had got them out, Pharaoh said, “Go quick,” because the firstborn were dead. “Go as quick as you can, but leave your flocks and your herds behind.” “No,” said Moses, “we will take every head of cattle, and every sheep, and we will take them along with us,” and he had to consent. [See Exodus 10:24-26; 12:31, 32.] 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 21
Then they went. Now God was leading them. How was it? They thought they had made a terrible mistake. There was the pillar of cloud leading. There they came right in between the mountains, and there was nothing but inaccessible mountains and the Red Sea, and what were they going to do? O, they began to mourn and they laid themselves on the ground, and they were in agony. “We cannot go up these mountains, and it is the Red Sea.” God said to Moses, “Go forward.” [Exodus 14:15.] “Why,” said he, “the people are ready to kill me.” Said He, “Go forward.” They had not gotten to the Red Sea then. They heard the tramp of horses and chariots, and they saw the king and his armies, and they were following hard after, and there was the Red Sea and there were the mountains. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 22
Now, the Lord just worked with that pillar of cloud. He would go first behind, and then He would go before. He came between the Israelites and the Egyptians, so that the army could not see the children of Israel. And then the light became so great that they could not discern where they were going. But they went right to the Red Sea and the rod of God was laid upon it, and the path was made plain, and the Israel of God marched over on dry land. And there stood Moses and the minstrels singing and glorifying God, and there was Pharaoh’s army that was destroyed. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 23
Do you think that God designed that the colored people should be left in a worse position than when they were in slavery? In slavery, their masters had an object to see that they had enough to eat, and to see that their bodily health was kept in a right condition. But nobody owns them now, and if they have anything to eat, it must be just as little as possible. They are just as much slaves, only in a great deal worse condition. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 24
As it has been opened to me, great care has to be used. I have written to my son over and over. Great care, so as not to act imprudently, and let everything be known that you are going to do. You have got to keep your councils to yourselves, and you have got to work just as carefully as you can. It is the hardest field that there is in this world, and if ever a field should be sustained, it is the southern work. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 25
I began to say that before ever I saw Huntsville, I was taken to a large farm, and there were trees. There was a large peach tree orchard and other trees all in the most flourishing condition, and there was a school for colored people and everything seemed to be nice and pleasant, and I felt so grateful for this. Well, when I began to talk to our brethren about it, they said, There is nothing like that at Huntsville. I was perfectly astonished. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 26
And when I went there and saw what there was, and asked for a bath, they said there was nothing there to get a bath. Haven’t you a tub? We haven’t a tub on the place. Only we have sawed a barrel in two and when we wash we use that barrel. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 27
Well, everything was in a dilapidated condition. There is where they have got a few together to have a school. “Why,” said I, “this is not the place at all that is presented to me.” I was so astonished. I looked around. Said I, “Carry me over the farm.” They had gone a few steps and the harness came to pieces. Then they had to stop to fix the old harness. Then we went round and looked at things. O how my heart ached! “Why,” said I, “this land must be cultivated.” And I began to think where the place was that I had seen. But from the representation they give me now, they are on the road, they are on the way so that that representation will be perfect. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 28
They say that from the peach trees there the peaches have been developed and have been sold, the very best kind. But I told them to cultivate the land. Cultivate the land. And we got different hands to take hold of it, those who had the tact and ability to handle the colored people, and they will make that land blossom like the rose, as you may see. It won’t be roses, it will be something that will be self-supporting. I wanted to say that that was presented to me before I went there. I have my testimony here, and you shall have it in time. 20LtMs, Ms 189, 1905, par. 29