Review and Herald for 1970
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111 September 17, 1970 11111 vol. 147 No. 42 WaP" eviesv REVIEW AND HERALD • GENERAL CHURCH PAPER OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS By C. L. TORREY I _411._xxx 4VERY business concern finds it essential to take try home fitted for pleasure, comfort, and relaxation. an inventory at least once a year. The actual But he did not have health, and this he could not F worth cannot be known until this is done. buy. During the years he had not taken care of his I have just finished taking mine, and to my amaze- health, so he said. Instead he was busy amassing a ment I find that I can now be placed in the list of fortune. In this he had been successful. Now, he had millionaires. Indeed, I am really a multimillionaire. come to the end of life. What could he do with all To make this discovery after years in service inspires of his money and other assets? He could not take me. them with him. A relative of mine whom I hadn't seen for many When I was treating him one day he said, "Mr. years, once held the opinion that I must be very Torrey, you have wonderful health," to which I as- rich. I do not know on what she based her opinion, sented. He added, "If I had your health and physique, but she said she had gotten her information from a I would give a million dollars—yes, I would give reliable source. At that time, since I had been in two million dollars. In fact, I'd give all that I have mission service and had received a very small salary, to regain my health." I doubt that I had $1,000. Satan knew the value man places upon life when Here is my inventory: he said, "All that a man hath will he give for his My health. When I was a boy of 12 I contracted life" (Job 2:4). typhoid fever and nearly died. I was delirious for So my health is worth at least one million dollars. three weeks. No one expected me to live, and the My hope. My hope is one of my most important doctor said there was no hope. I lived. and valuable assets. I can add several million dollars I realize that during the years I haven't taken care to my net worth for the hope I have in my heart of my health as I should have. Health is one of the and the reality of it and the certainty of its ultimate greatest and most valuable of possessions, but it is realization. My hope is in the coming of the Lord never properly valued until it is gone. of glory to take me to the home He has prepared When I was a young man I worked as a hydro- for me. therapy attendant at Battle Creek Sanitarium. One My home in the New Jerusalem will be a dream of the patients I treated was seriously ill. According in architecture. The street in front of my home will to the doctor, he had not long to live. The patient be pure gold (Rev. 21:21). was a multimillionaire and he had all the material I expect to have a country home as well, which things his heart could desire. He had a wonderful I will have the great pleasure of building. I am not city home with costly furnishings, including Persian a builder now, but I plan to learn there. The home carpets, paintings, and furniture. He had expensive will be mine forever. automobiles and many servants. He also had a coun- I want to plant a vineyard (Isa. 65:21, 22) and 2 REVIEW AND HERALD, September 17, 1970 trees and work about amid nature. And to think I In 1950 I met the principal of our Marienhoehe Col- will never grow weary or old is beyond my imagina- lege in Germany. He had been captured during tion! World War II and had worked for three or four I will have the joy of visiting other planets where years in the mines of the enemy, far from his home- people have lived without sin. Seeing the work of land. When he fell seriously ill he was released to Satan on the planet earth, his fiery temptations and find his way back to his wife and family at Darmstadt. persecution, and the death of the saints of God, my He said it was a terrible journey with practically no heart has gone out in deepest sympathy to God's food to eat on the entire trip. He finally arrived in saints. As I stand before these dear beings, my face Berlin and telephoned his wife. She had supposed will be radiant with joy and aglow with God's love. him dead and could hardly believe her own ears. A song will burst from my lips, praising God for His He arrived home a broken man, but she nursed him mighty power that saved me from the wiles of Satan back to health. and his emissaries. He said that one cannot fully understand what freedom means until he is deprived of it. I am sure Talking With Adam we do not realize the value of our freedom. It is I look forward in happy anticipation to talking worth everything! I have seen thousands of refu- with Adam, who lived for 930 years. Concerning him, gees in my travels. They came to freedom with only Ellen G. White says: "As Adam came forth from the clothes they had on their back. the hand of his Creator he was of noble height and I thank God I am free to go and come and to of beautiful symmetry. He was more than twice as worship God as I wish. So I am worth another million tall as men now living upon the earth, and was dollars, for I. would not choose slavery in exchange well proportioned. His features were perfect and for a million dollars or any amount of money. beautiful. Eve was not quite as tall as Adam. Her Almost as valuable as the liberty I possess is free- head reached a little above his shoulders. She, too, dom from the chains that do not hold me. was noble, perfect in symmetry, and very beautiful." Freedom from dope. I have heard people say, "I —The Story of Redemption, p. 21. would give anything if I could stop using dope, but I will feel like a dwarf standing beside him looking try as I may, I just can't stop. My whole being cries up into his face. I want to ask him about the time out for it. Unless I get it, I will die." Watch, if vou he and Eve spent in their Garden home and of their will, the addict who is deprived of his dope, and experiences after they left Eden. you will see him suffering the agonies of death. It is I also want to talk to Enoch, that man of God who the worst experience one can imagine to watch these walked and worked with God for 365 years, and suffering people. Once they are addicted, they must whose "heart was upon eternal treasures. He had have their dope. They will go to any lengths to get it. looked upon the celestial city. He had seen the King Yes, it is worth a million dollars or any amount of in His glory in the midst of Zion. His mind, his money to escape this horrible experience. I can add heart, his conversation, were in heaven. The greater at least another million dollars to my net worth. the existing iniquity, the more earnest was his long- Freedom from tobacco. The manager of the San ing for the home of God. While still on earth, he Francisco Civic Auditorium told me of his jangled dwelt, by faith, in the realm of light. For three nerves and poor health. I suggested that he stop centuries he had walked with God. And now smoking. He asked me to pray for him. When I the portals opened, the walk with God, so long pur- visited him three months later, he said, "Mr. Torrey, sued on earth, continued, and he passed through the I have stopped smoking. I am glad I did, for I feel gates of the Holy City—the first from among men so much better. Before I stopped I felt half sick all to enter there."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 87. day long. On street cars I refused to give my seat There I will be able to learn without effort and to women who had to stand, saying to myself, 'I am retain all that I study. I will be able to spend eter- sure she feels better than I do.' Now I get up in the nity in learning the things I have always wanted to morning all aglow, eat a hearty breakfast, and with know. a song in my heart I go to the office. My family is "All the treasures of the universe will be open to happy also, and our home is changed to one of song the study of God's children. With unutterable de- instead of words that should never be spoken. Now light we shall enter into the joy and the wisdom of I give my seat to any woman who has to stand on the unfallen beings. We shall share the treasures gained street car." (This was in the days when gentlemen through ages upon ages spent in contemplation of routinely offered standing women their seats.) God's handiwork.