20
The Retirement Years
I greatly desire that the old soldiers, grown gray in the Master’s
service, shall continue to bear their testimony right to the point, that
those younger in the faith may understand that the messages which the
Lord gave us in the past are very important at this stage of the earth’s
history. Our past experience has not lost one jot of its force. I thank
the Lord for every jot and tittle of the Sacred Word. I would not draw
back from the hard parts of our experience.
You must not work beyond your strength. I suppose that in the
future our experience will be varied; but I think that you and I, in
growing old in the service of Christ, in doing His will, are obtaining
an experience of the highest value and most intense interest.
The judgments of the Lord are in the land. We must work with
wholehearted fidelity, putting the whole being into what we do to help
others move forward and upward. Let us press the battle to the gates.
Let us be ever ready to speak words of encouragement to the halting
[25]
and the weary. We can walk safely only as we walk with Christ. Let
nothing dampen your courage. Help those with whom you come in
contact to work with fidelity.
I hope that in the future I may meet you at some of our gatherings.
You and I are among the oldest of those living who have long kept the
faith. If we should not live to see our Lord’s appearing, yet, having
done our appointed work, we shall lay off our armor with sanctified
dignity. Let us do our best, and let us do it in faith and hope. My
heart is filled with gratitude to the Lord for sparing my life for so long.
My right hand can still trace subjects of Bible truth without trembling.
Tell all that Sister White’s hand still traces words of instruction for
the people. I am completing another book on Old Testament history
[Prophets and Kings].
May the Lord bless you and keep you in hope and courage.—
Selected Messages 2:229, 230
(
Letter 130, 1910
).
Guard Memory of Pioneers
As those who took up the work at the beginning of the message
have advanced by self-denial and self-sacrifice, God has given them
His blessing. They have had much to learn, they have made mistakes,
they have needed continual guidance and counsel; but they have had
reason for constant gratitude, because the work has gone forward in