But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. Matthew 23:8.

Some days ago I received copies of a number of testimonials written for Brother N_____ by different men in official positions. I read these testimonials. In the night season a representation passed before me. Brother and Sister N_____ were looking over these testimonials. As they were talking together, there stood by their side, not the One who appeared to Brother N_____ on a certain occasion—the Messenger of heaven—but an evil messenger, who insinuated into Brother N_____’s mind the belief that his brethren wanted to get control of his property, and to put him and his wife out of the work…. The messenger said that they had been turned out in their old age in order that these brethren might carry on the work they had begun. Sister N_____ accepted this statement. Many false reports were received as truth. Next, Brother N_____ was represented to me as writing letters containing these false reports….

Then the scene changed. I heard words of counsel addressed to Brother N_____ by his brethren, but he was not willing to receive help from those who had always been his sincere friends. It was represented to me that Brother and Sister N_____ were both deceived by the enemy. They had become subject to his temptations, and were deceiving themselves to their own hurt. One stood by the side of the tempted ones, and said, “Have you lost sight of Him who said, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28-30)? Will you, by envy and evil surmising, spoil the good work that has been done?”

My brother and sister, you now have the word of counsel from the Messenger of God. You are in danger, by yielding to jealousy, of counterworking the good work you have done. Stop right where you are. The Lord has helped you. He has worked in your behalf….

Addressing you, the Lord’s messenger said, “Cease to heed the suggestions of the enemy. Be led by the Lord. Walk in the way of His providence. Do not betray the work into the enemy’s hands by yielding to his evil suggestions. Look to Jesus…. In no case turn from your brethren, who have been your true friends….”—Letter 61, April 17, 1902, to a couple who had pioneered work in the Southern States.

From The Upward Look – Page 121

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:12, 13.

[During the] hours of the night, while others are sleeping, I am praying that the responsible work committed to my trust may be so unselfishly and faithfully done that God will approve. The anxiety is not with me what others may think or what others may do, but What shall I do to glorify God? and Will my work bear the inspection of God? Is every high look removed from me? Is my heart in harmony with Jesus, the humble Man of Calvary? I am weeping and praying and working, trying my motives and feelings in the light of eternity, and if I am saved at last, it will be through the matchless love of my Redeemer.

Oh, how great has been that love that would endure such self-denial, such self-sacrifice for me! All we can do will be little enough, and we may well say we are unprofitable servants. Just as surely as we exalt ourselves and take the highest seat, God will humble us in some way very trying to human nature….

My husband, we must cultivate the spirit of Christ. There are many who profess the truth who need its sanctifying influence upon their hearts. Upright dealing and an exalted profession may characterize the life, but a want of true kindness, nobility of soul, conciliatory deportment, will neutralize all the good they are capable of doing. A sour, censorious religion finds no example in the religion of Christ….

Kind words, pleasant looks, and unselfish courtesy we must cultivate, for it will invest our character with a charm that will secure us respect and increase our usefulness tenfold more than were we otherwise in words and deportment….

An account we will have to render to God by and by, and we do not want to be ashamed of it because it bears the stamp of inconsistencies of impulse, of selfishness. We want to have an eye single to God’s glory, and our soul temple cleansed of selfishness, … and we assimilated to His divine image. Let us grow in grace. Cling with faith to Jesus Christ and we shall be upheld by His power.—Letter 22, April 16, 1880, to James White, her husband, who had just retired as General Conference president.

From The Upward Look – Page 120

Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Hebrews 3:7, 8.

A man for whom the Lord has done so much should honor Him in every word and act. All his transactions should be pure, considerate, and just. He should not do or say anything that he will be loath to meet when he stands before the Judge of all the earth….

Throughout every department of His work God will vindicate His honor, His righteousness. Will you not stop right where you are, and consider diligently your ways? The Lord cannot endorse your spirit or your course of action. His hand is on the lever. Your plans are not His plans…. Now is your time to repent. Lose not the opportunity….

My brother, do not feel that it is below your dignity to make a decided change. You must place yourself at the feet of Christ as a learner, else you will surely fail of obtaining the overcomer’s reward. Lay off your commanding, kingly authority, and become one of God’s little children. Until you are willing to study and obey God’s will, you will be overcome by temptations and led to do strange things, which will disqualify you for filling a position of influence.

Will you not repent and be converted? Will you not act every moment with the realization that you are under the divine scrutiny? Will you not make God your companion in all your work? His holiness, His justice, His truth, should purify your words and actions.

You need to stop and consider that there is a God. He has spoken good in your behalf, and He will be much displeased if you deal unjustly with His heritage. He calls upon you to turn to Him with full purpose of heart. Pray, for your soul’s sake, pray; for you have been so many times self-deceived and led by deceptive influences that you are tempted to regard with favor those who will flatter and extol you, and with disfavor those who would point out your errors and dangers.

Many times you have almost gone over to the wrong side, but before the throne has stood your Saviour, the prints of the nails in His hands, interceding in your behalf. Pray for yourself, in the name of Christ. Pray earnestly, fervently, sincerely. I hope that your life may be spared, and that you may give yourself wholly to repentance. Come to the Lord, and surrender all to Him. You must, or you will be taken captive by the enemy.

I can … but write these words, for One [who is] of the highest authority has made this appeal to you.—Letter 55, April 15, 1903, to Dr. J. H. Kellogg, who was in danger of going off into pantheism.

From The Upward Look – Page 119

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:4.

Some years ago, while rowing on Lake Goguac [in Michigan] with my husband, we saw a beautiful lily, I asked my husband to get it for me, and to pluck it with as long a stem as he could. He did so, and I examined it. In the stem was a channel through which flowed the nourishment best suited to the development of the lily. This nourishment it took, refusing the vileness with which it was surrounded. It had a connection with the sand far below the surface, and from there drew the sustenance which caused it to develop … its loveliness.

Christ says, “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 all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Matthew 6:28, 29). No artist can produce the beautiful tints which God gives to the flowers. “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?” (verse 30).

Nature is our lesson book. Christ used the objects of nature to impress truth on the minds of His hearers…. “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? … 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” (verses 31-34).

Let us do all we can to show our children that there is a heaven to win and a hell to shun. Let us teach them to strive for everlasting life…. Bring your children up in the admonition of the Lord, and you have fitted them to work in the church, you have fitted them to go forth into missionary fields, you have fitted them to shine in the courts of the Lord.

Parents, do not try to follow the ever-changing fashions of the degenerate age. It does not pay. At the last day God will ask you, “What have you done with My flock, My beautiful flock?” How will you answer Him if you have betrayed your trust? For Christ’s sake I beseech of you to guard your children. Do not be cross or hasty. Give them happy things to think of….

Strive with all the power God has given you to gain the crown of everlasting life, that you may cast it at the feet of the Redeemer, and touching the golden harp, fill all heaven with rich music.—Manuscript 31, April 14, 1901, “The Christian Life.”

From The Upward Look – Page 118

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Isaiah 35:3, 4.

Who will now put on the white robe of Christ’s righteousness, which is without spot or wrinkle, so that Satan cannot in derision point to their filthy garments? Keep the soul clean and pure. You have no time to gather up the mistakes of others. Attend to your own mistakes, and make the erring ashamed by your kindly, sympathetic interest in them. A Christian is keenly sensitive to the needs of others, because he realizes that they are Christ’s property. He is ever on the watch for opportunities to help them.

Envy, evil surmising, backbiting, and faultfinding—let these not be named amongst Christ’s disciples. These things are the cause of the present feebleness of the church. We have a perfect pattern, even the life of Christ. It is to be our eager desire to do as He has done, to live as He lived, that others, seeing our good works, may be led to glorify God. The Lord’s blessing will rest upon us as we seek to bless others by doing the work that Christ came to this world to teach us how to do.

God gave His only begotten Son to die for a race of rebels, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Why should we not walk and work in the way that God has marked out? Why should anyone please the enemy by tearing down another’s work, using the powers God has given him to kill hope and drive souls into discouragement? In every church there are young men and young women who need the help of a strong, compassionate handclasp; of a loving, Christlike interest that will not let them go. Let there be an end to bickering over little things. Let unkind speeches go as a hateful, unprofitable thing. Cease to speak words that do no good, and come close to those who have erred. Take hold of them, and draw them to Christ. Tell Satan that he cannot have them, for they are the Saviour’s property….

“I came not to condemn, but to save,” Christ declared. Angels are sent from the heavenly courts, not to destroy, but to watch over and guard imperiled souls, to save the lost, to bring the straying back to the fold. Have you, then, no words from a pitying heart to speak to the lost and straying? Will you let them perish, or will you reach out to them a helping hand? Right around you there are souls that are in danger of perishing. Will you not work for them and pray with them? Will you not draw them to the Saviour with the cords of love? Cease your reproaches, and speak words that will inspire them with faith and courage.—Manuscript 36, April 13, 1904, “The New Life in Christ.”

From The Upward Look – Page 117