S60; The Shepherd’s Rod, Volume 1

The 144,000 of Revelation 7 — Call For Reformation
By V.T. Houteff; Mart 20, 2018 on Tuesday;

Furnish Straw No More

“And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the taskmasters of the people went out and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: Yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.” Ex. 5:6, 7, 10, 11. {SR1: 81.2}

Pharaoh will not furnish straw: That is, he will not render any help, but the people must produce the same amount of bricks. In the beginning of this organization (Seventh-day Adventists), the denominational institutions, sanitariums, and hospitals were built for the purpose of caring for our own people (members of the church). After the cause of the patient had been diagnosed, the cause being made known, with instruction, some aid or treatments were to be given. This help was to be rendered whether they were able to pay much, little, or nothing. Such is the work of the good Samaritan. {SR1: 81.3}

“In former numbers of Testimonies for the Church I have spoken of the importance of the Seventh-day Adventists establishing an institution for the benefit of the sick, especially for the suffering and sick among us. I have spoken of the ability of our own people, in point of means, to do this; and have urged that, in view of the importance of this branch of the great work of preparation to meet the Lord…. {SR1: 81.4}

“When I saw those who managed and directed, running into the dangers shown me, of which I had warned them in public, and also in private conversation and letters, a terrible burden came upon me. That which had been shown me as a place where the suffering sick among us could be helped, was one where sacrifice, hospitality, faith, and piety should be the ruling principles. But when unqualified calls were made for large sums of money, with the statement that stock taken would pay large percent; when the brethren who occupied positions in the institution seemed more than willing to take large wages than those were satisfied with who filled other and equally important stations in the great cause of truth and reform; when I learned, with pain, that, in order to make the institution popular with those not of our faith, and to secure their patronage, a spirit of compromise was rapidly gaining ground at the Institute, manifested in the use of Mr., Miss, and Mrs., instead of Bro. and Sister, and in popular amusements, in which all could engage in a sort of comparatively innocent frolic;–when I saw these things, I said, This is not that which was shown me as a institution for the sick, which would share the signal blessing of God. This is another thing. And yet calculations for more extensive buildings were made, and calls for large sums of money were urged. As it was then managed, I could but regard the Institute, on the whole, as a curse…. {SR1: 81.5}

“Several who came to Battle Creek humble, devoted, confiding Christians, went away almost infidels. The general influence of these things was creating prejudice against the health reform in very many of the most humble, the most devoted, and the best of our brethren, and was destroying faith in my Testimonies and in the present truth… {SR1: 82.1}

“The brethren who have stood at the head of this work have appealed to our people for means on the ground that the health reform is a part of the great work connected with the third angel’s message. In this they have been right. It is a branch of the great, charitable, liberal, sacrificing, benevolent work of God. Then why should these brethren say, ‘Stock in the Health Institute will pay a large per cent,’ ‘it is a good investment,’ ‘a paying thing’? Why not as well talk of stock in the Publishing Association paying a large per cent? If these are two branches of the same great closing work of preparation for the coming of the Son of man, why not? Or why not make them both matters of liberality? The pen and the voice that appealed to the friends of the cause in behalf of the publishing fund, held out no such inducements.” Volume 1, pages 633-636. {SR1: 82.2}

How do our institutions now measure with this straight testimony? Can we say they are charitable, liberal, sacrificing, benevolent institutions? Listen to the enormous profits they make. Presentment is here made of the annual report of St. Helena Sanitarium, as it appeared in the Pacific Union Recorder of April 25, 1929. “The notes payable at the end of 1925, were $60,044 (the cents are not here given). In 1926, they had been reduced to $49,031; in 1927, to $36,321; and at the close of 1928, they were down to $26,415. In three years they were reduced from $60,000 to $33,629. Resources, fixed and current, at the close of 1928, $371,105. The liabilities $45,809. There is a decrease in the liabilities of nearly $5,000. Cash on hand at the close of 1928, $10,749. Present worth, $325,296….The gross income, $456,258. The net income, $437,284. The average daily attendance of patients was 85 plus, and the income from patients direct, $261,363. The net gain $10,439.39.” {SR1: 83.1}

How could it be possible for an institution to do any charitable work at all, and yet earn $111,988 above its present worth in one single year? Note: Present worth, $325,296. Net income, $437,284 in 1928. But this is not the worst. Our brethren have gone so blind that they think these enormous profits give them a wonderful credit for their wise management, and boast over it, and say that the sanitarium is facing sunshine. Truly our God knew what He was saying when He said the Laodiceans are blind, wretched, and miserable, and poor, and naked, though they think they are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. See the contrast of boasting between the Laodiceans, and other institutions of whom some often think the devil is their leader. Following is the annual report of a mission in Los Angeles for the corresponding year 1928: These items being given free of charge to the needy. “The annual report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1928, shows 527,481 meals served; 137,287 lodgings furnished; laundry service, 53,334 pieces; barber service, 20,394; baths, 12,339; garments distributed, 32,541; 1791 shoes repaired; employment secured for 9,204 individuals; medical aid given to 3,117; while the chapel report shows that during the year 15,340 persons professed salvation in the daily meetings which are continuous from 11 A.M. to 11 P.M., and are conducted by groups from the churches of all denominations.” (Copied from a Los Angeles newspaper.) {SR1: 83.2}

Is the devil become more charitable than Christ? Why have we gone to sleep? Is it dollars and cents that the Lord wants? Are these things not destroying the confidence of the public in the people of God? Are these things adding or detracting from the fruit of our labor? Are we representing God and carrying the third angel’s message to a dying world? Is Christ our pattern and example? Why have we allowed the devil to deceive us? Is not this a call to arouse the people of God to a Christlike service? How long shall we stay asleep? It is bad enough for God’s people to turn down one who is not in the faith from receiving the benefits of God at the hand of His people, but it is a thousand times worse to turn down one of Israel, he who would sacrifice and cast his lot with the people of God, faithful in tithe-paying and offerings as the Lord has prospered. If God should permit poverty to overtake such a one with sickness or old age, what do we do with them? Do we send them away and tell them, God bless thee? Is the country hospital for God’s people, and God’s hospitals for money-making? Is the county farm for God’s people, there with the ungodly, and with the unclean on their table as we believe from a religious standpoint, amidst profanity, swine, and tobacco? Is this the kind of place for the child of God, and the temple of the Holy Ghost according to our faith? What kind of answer will we give Him when He comes? Will we hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” as we read in Matt. 25:35, 36? “For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Shall this saying be ours, or will we find ourselves at the left hand with the terrible curse as in Matt. 25:41-43, 46: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal.” {SR1: 84.1}

Quoting Volume 1, page 639: “As early as 1850 this brother became a Sabbath-keeper, and from that date he contributed liberally to the several enterprises that have been undertaken to advance the cause, till he became reduced in property. Yet when the urgent, unqualified call came for the Institute, he took stock to the amount of one hundred dollars. At the meeting at ——- he introduced the case of his wife, who is very feeble, and who can be helped, but must be helped soon, if ever. He also stated his circumstances, and said that if he could command the one hundred dollars then in the Institute, he could send his wife there to be treated; but as it was, he could not. We replied that he should never have invested a dollar in the Institute, that there was a wrong in the matter which we could not help; and there the matter dropped. I do not hesitate to say that this sister should be treated, a few weeks at least, at the Institute free of charge. Her husband is able to do but little more than to pay her fare to and from Battle Creek.” Do we have such cases as these at the present time? Do we deal with these people like some farmer deals with his horse? He takes good care of the horse while it is young and doing his work, but when the animal gets old and feeble, he then drives it out in the open field in the winter weather, just at the time the poor horse needs the best of care. Are we not like this hard-hearted farmer who starves his horse in the winter weather, with the frost on the back of the worn-out animal, to save a few bundles of straw? Cruel, is it not? It is left to the reader to answer the question. {SR1: 85.1} Thanks my LORD JESUS & Thanks Prophet E.G.White the 3^rd massage of 3^rd Angel Rev.14:9 & Prophet V.T.Houteff the 4^th massage of 4^th Angel Rev.18:1 !

Symbol 147; 258; 369; 138; 1+8+3+1=13=1+3= 4; 47+38=85=8+5=13=1+3= 4; 25+69=94=9+4=13=1+3= 4; 444=12=3 is GOD the FATHER & GOD the SON & GOD the HOLY SPIRIT