Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Ellen G. White
1979
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Foreword
A different plan has been adopted in assembling the materials for this E. G. White devotional book. Rather than gathering selections on a central theme, we have chosen, somewhat at random, appropriate inspirational messages written or presented orally by Ellen White on every calendar day of the year. The writings, usually an unbroken unit, have been chosen from forty-six of the seventy years of Ellen Whites ministry. Selecting the items from letters of counsel and encouragement and sermons and articles has afforded an opportunity for choice presentations on a wide range of helpful topics. This procedure has opened up some interesting and often unusual insights into the ministry of Gods special messenger. For example, we note her frequent habit of writing important counsel early in the morning while the rest of the household slept. It was so in 1905. The New Year was just one hour old when Ellen White arose that Sunday morning, and made her way to her writing room to start the days activities. Of this she wrote: It is a cool morning. Built my re. Bowed before the Lord in prayer. I have so many things burdening my mind. I asked the Lord Jesus to direct me, to guide me. What shall I trace with my Pen this morning? ... I need the great guide to control my mind. What shall I trace with the pen rst? ...Oh, how much I feel that I need the guidance of the Holy Spirit.Manuscript 173, 1905. She was in her comfortable writing room on the eastern end of the second oor at Elmshaven, well known to many Seventh-day Adventists. That morning the Holy Spirit led her mind rst to the students of Oakwood college, for whom she wrote a four-page message of encouragement. In the years before this her writing had been done in a variety of settings such as her sunnyside home at Cooranbong in Australia; her apartment on the second oor of the central publishing house in basel, switzerland; her healdsburg home close to the college in Northern California; and her home at Battle Creek. In early years at Battle Creek when her home was small and often lled with children and visitors, she wrote in the corner of the library at the Review and Herald ofce. Travel by train, boat, or horse and buggy did not prevent her from writing. At the close of this book a short historical outline of her activities and travels will provide a general setting for a number of the readings. Early in her work Ellen White chose to include personal counsels in her published books, because the warning and instruction that applied to one person often contained principles and advice that might well apply to another ii
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(see Testimonies for the Church 5:658, 659). She was not given light for each individual who might be in need of counsel. In 1905, at the age of 77, as she was nearing the close of her lifetime of heavy correspondence, she wrote, I am endeavoring by the help of God to write letters that will be a help, not merely to those to whom they are addressed, but to many others who need them.Letter 79, 1905. Such letters might be devoted entirely to an important message to the person addressed, or, if to an acquaintance, might contain some newsy items, as well as spiritual truths based on the many visions given to her through the years. Selections from the thousands of such letters in the Ellen G. White les make up much of this volume. Some are letters to presidents of the General Conference, some were written to local conference executives. One is a letter to a harassed mother. Others are letters to sanitarium managers, to physicians, to individuals under heavy temptations, to young people, and to saints in their golden years. There are letters to businessmen and to editors of the Review and Herald. Some were written to her own sons, who, like any Seventh-day Adventist, stood in need of counsel and encouragement. A number of letters were to women workers and wives of workers. General manuscripts, penned to meet various situations, were drawn upon in this collection, as were her extensive daily writings and diaries. These abound in spiritual lessons, encouragement, and counsel. Hundreds of sermons were reported stenographically and are on le as E. G. White manuscripts. All of these manuscripts provide rich sources for the readings in this volume For variety, a few excerpts are taken from her periodical articles that appeared in the weekly issues of the Review and Herald and Signs of the Times over a period of more than sixty years. A source reference appears with each reading, giving its le reference as well as the name, position, and location of the individual addressed. For sermons and manuscripts, the title together with the year and date of writing are provided. These credit lines provide the setting for the devotional message. If the person addressed held different positions through the years, he is identied by the one he held at the time Ellen White wrote to him. If a message chosen by Ellen White for publication was highly personal or condential, she was careful to protect the identity of the person addressed. With her practice in mind, we have omitted a few names in this book. In all other instances, however, we have included the names and places because they contribute to a better understanding of the counsel given. This information provides sidelights otherwise not known, and helps to make this devotional volume a treasure of counsel for persons of all ages.
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Certain names appear frequentlyDr. J. H. Kellogg, medical superintendent of the Battle Creek Sanitarium; Elders G. I. Butler and A. G. Daniells, presidents of the General Conference; G. B. Starr, evangelist and sanitarium chaplain; J. A. Burden, sanitarium manager in Australia and California; and W. C. White, who assisted his mother and lled a number of important leadership positions in the Church. Several letters are addressed to her other son, Edson White, or to Edson and Emma White after their marriage in 1870. Some choice messages of counsel to newlyweds were written to Edson and Emma in their early married life. Edsons career took him through publishing house management, song writing and publication, Sabbath school leadership, and nally pioneer missionary work among the blacks in the Southern States. In three or four instances, paragraphs have been rearranged so that the selection ends on a positive tone. Otherwise, the paragraphs appear as they were rst written by Ellen White. It is our prayer that This Day With God will help you to face each day with increased gratitude for Gods grace and with renewed determination to live in harmony with his will so that we may all stand with the redeemed on the sea of glass in heaven. The Trustees of the Ellen G. White Estate [9]
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Ambassadors, February 12
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20. In the plan of restoring in men the divine image, it was provided that the Holy Spirit should move upon human minds, and be as the presence of Christ, a molding agency upon human character. Receiving the truth, men become also recipients of the grace of Christ, and devote their sanctied human ability to the work in which Christ was engagedmen become laborers together with God. It is to make men agents for God, that divine truth is brought home to their understanding. But I would inquire of the church, Have you answered this purpose? Have you fullled the design of God in diffusing the light of divine truth, in scattering abroad the precious jewels of truth? What must be the thoughts of the angels of God as they look upon the church of Christ, and see how slow is the action of those who profess to be the followers of Christ, to impart the light of truth to the world which lies in moral darkness? Heavenly intelligences know that the cross is the great center of attraction. They know that it is through the cross that fallen man is to receive the atonement, and to be brought into unity with God. The councils of heaven are looking upon you who claim to have accepted Christ as your personal Saviour, to see you make known the salvation of God to those who sit in darkness. They are looking to see you making known the signicance of the dispensation of the Holy Spirit; how that through the working of this divine agency the minds of men, corrupted and deled by sin, may become disenchanted with the lies and presentations of Satan, and turn to Christ as their only hope, their personal Saviour. Christ says: I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain (John 15:16). As Christs ambassador, I would entreat of all who read these lines to take heed while it is called today. If ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Hebrews 3:15; 4:7). Without waiting a moment, inquire, What am I to Christ? and what is Christ to me? What is my work? What is the character of the fruit I bear?The Review and Herald, February 12, 1895.
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Harvesttime, June 10
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Romans 13:11, 12. We form a part of the great web of humanity, and a mutual inuence passes from one to another, not only in the church but the family in heaven and the family on earth blend, in order that Christ may become a power in the world. All the jewels of truth given to patriarchs and prophets, which have been accumulating from age to age, and from generation to generation, are to be gathered up, as hereditary trusts. The sacred inuences of present and past generations make a strong and powerful agency for God, able to stand, not against esh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Gods people of today have all the privileges and opportunities of former generations and increased light to make them more powerful in the work of God than the people of preceding generations have been. These advantages demand corresponding returns. In harmony with our heavenly treasures are to be our efforts to open the way before others. The Lord is at hand. Heavenly intelligences united with sanctied inuences of earth are to proclaim the third angels message and sound the warning, The end of all things is at hand. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry (Hebrews 10:37). A people are to be prepared to stand in the day of the Lord, and having done all, to stand. Those who crowd together in cities and villages are making a serious mistake. Those who thus neglect to extend their inuence, by circulating wider and wider, reaching to the uttermost parts of the world are neglecting to stand at their post of duty.... In His prayer for His disciples shortly before His ascension, Christ said, Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me (John 17:20, 21). Oh, that these blessed words may be written by the nger of God upon every heart.Manuscript 7, June 10, 1891, Christian Service in the Living Church.
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Unity, December 26
I therefore...beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3. Read the prayer that Christ offered for His people just before His trial and crucixion. Christ in His human nature suffered disappointment and trials. When I read in the Bible of how many refused to believe that Christ was the Son of God, sadness lls my heart. We read that even His own brethren refused to believe in Him. We must present an unbroken front in union and in faith. We must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His grace.... It is through disunion that the enemy comes in and sows his seed. We need the truth on every point. We need less of our own words and more of the Word of God. We are near the close of time, and we cannot afford to make a mistake. Truth will bear away the victory. We must love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous (1 Peter 3:8). We must practice Christian politeness. A soft answer to cruel thrusts turns away wrath.... Christ is wounded by the differences that are so easily created and brought to the front. Turn to the seventeenth chapter of John, and read the prayer of Christ, His entreaty that His disciples may be one as He is one with the Father. We greatly dishonor God when we regard it as a light matter to make our differences apparent. This is sure to weaken our own souls and the souls of others.... When we bring in our own ideas and opinions, we mislead others. Attach importance to a plain Thus saith the Lord, and then you will be laborers together with Christ. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (Ephesians 5:1, 2). What grand and comprehensive truths are shining from the Word of God, molding hearts and minds after Christs order. In the night season I heard these words spoken to companies, by the divine Teacher: Blend your plans. Let there be no variance among you. ... I would say to you, my brother, Look up. Talk faith and hope. Do not look at the dark side. Let praise and songs of hope be in your heart and on your lips.Letter 398, December 26, 1906, to Dr. and Mrs. D. H. Kress. 381
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