The enemy of Christ is intensely active. He seeks to take possession of human minds, that he may bring in division, discord, and a party spirit. He seeks to create division among the people of God, that they may be weakened, and that their influence for good on the world may be lessened.
He presents scientific propositions that are contrary to Christ's teaching, and contrary to the faith and the doctrines that have been outlined before us ever since the first proclamation of this message--doctrines that are sustained by the Scriptures. Our message is to be definitely proclaimed. We are to exalt the truths that were given to John on the Isle of Patmos, showing that the end is near.
The pope claims authority over the practice of many who do not recognize Christ as our only authority. He places himself in the position of God, and the weak and uninformed are kept from the knowledge that would reveal to them their privileges as children of God. We are to have no kings, no rulers, no popes among us. It is time for us diligently to heed the messages that have brought us out from the world.
In the past, the Lord's work has been carried on altogether too much in accordance with the dictation of human agencies.... A time of great perplexity and distress is not the time to be in a hurry to cut the knot of difficulty. In such a time are needed men of God-given ingenuity, tact, and patience. They are to work in such a way that they will "hurt not the oil and the wine."
God helping His people, the circle of kings who dared to take such great responsibilities shall never again exercise their unsanctified power in the so-called "regular lines." Too much power has been invested in unrevived, unreformed human agencies.
It has been a necessity to organize union conferences, that the General Conference shall not exercise dictation over all the separate conferences. The power vested in the [General] Conference is not to be centered in one man, or two men, or six men; there is to be a council of men over the separate divisions.... In the work of God no kingly authority is to be exercised by any human being, or by two or three.
No man's intelligence is to become such a controlling power that one man will have kingly authority in Battle Creek or in any other place. In no line of work is any one man to have power to turn the wheel. God forbids.
God would have you a thoroughly converted man. The work of conversion is to begin in your heart and to work outward in your life. You are no longer to exercise a kingly power, as you certainly have done in the past.
Let us be careful how we press our opinions upon those whom God has instructed. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." Brother Daniells, God would not have you suppose that you can exercise a kingly power over your brethren.
Items Requested for 1971 Week of Prayer Reading
God had a church when Adam and Eve and Abel accepted and hailed with joy the good news that Jesus was their Redeemer. These realized as fully then as we realize now the promise of the presence of God in their midst. Whenever Enoch found one or two who were willing to hear the message he had for them, Jesus joined with them in their worship of God. In Enoch's day there were some among the wicked inhabitants of earth who believed. The Lord never yet has left His faithful few without His presence nor the world without a witness.