Important Seminar: Getting Out of the Cities/Living Off the Land...

[Neil D]

Yeah....well.....Overage's are better....

[phkrause]

Yeah....well.....Overage's are better....

LOL

pk

[Guest]

Originally Posted By: Richard Holbrook

There is no Ellen White quote that says "all must get out of the cities." Still making things up eh? I'm wondering why it bothers you so much that some people may want to get out of the cities.

Getting out of the cities is an important part of the message for the end times. What good does it do to have the information and ignore it - suffering the consequences as if we had never been warned at all.

But my question is - how "far" outside the cities? You can find a lot of "country" and even farmland - fairly close to cities -- within 30 to 50 minutes of a large city in many cases.

This is not the "time of trouble" so we are not headed to the hills so to speak. Which means that living outside the cities but near enough to still be involved in evangelism that reaches people in nearby suburbs of the city - is doable.

in Christ,

Bob

Amen Bob!

[Guest]

Originally Posted By: pkrause

Hey come on guys, Richard is doing something he feels is a good thing! What's wrong with that. Everyone has a right to do what they feel is a calling for them.

Yeah, but when a thread first comes out, and a person posts quotes designed to cause people guilt, due to the unspoken message that says "you're guilty for not doing what the Messenger of God says", then yeah, the backlash is gonna come.

And Richard got the backlash because someone had a negative experience with "the calling" and did some digging thru the SOP and found out what it REALLY said. He grew from the experience... And Richard took offense because someone else really understood what EGW was talkin' about and posted rebuttles....

The next layer of rounds we see is others coming in thinking that Richard is supporting the SOP and not really looking at what's being said...Which only shows just how superficial our thinking truely is....

Thanks for the narration Neil. Too bad it couldn't have a bit more truth in it. I guess it's the thought that counts though.

[Guest]

Hey come on guys, Richard is doing something he feels is a good thing! What's wrong with that. Everyone has a right to do what they feel is a calling for them. Besides there is absolutely nothing wrong with moving to the country, or vice-sa-versa. I remember a friend who used to work with me at the College Press here at AUC. She worked with a group of people that lived in CT, that used to drive down to NYC every weekend. She eventually quit her job to work with them full time. They were a self supporting ministry. They all lived pretty much together and grew there own food,etc. She always thought that was her calling. I can see if it was a bad thing that we would thought was from the "devil" or something, but its not. So I see no reason to be sarcastic about it. That's my 2 cents worth, sorry if I offended anyone.

pk

Thanks pk. Finally somebody with some cents.

[Guest]

Ellen White wrote, "If we place ourselves under objectionable influences, can we expect God to work a miracle to undo the results of our wrong course? No, indeed. Get out of the cities as soon as possible, and purchase a little piece of land, where you can have a garden, where your children can watch the flowers growing, and learn from them lessons of simplicity and purity." See 2 SM 354-364.

Ellen White did counsel people to get out of the cities and into the country, but she didn't mean for them to rush out without knowing what they were going to do and how they would do it. It's a move that requires much consideration and planning. It seems that this is what the Seminar is designed to help people do, and to the extent that this is true, it is doing a wonderful work. God would certainly have families move from the cities and into the country, but it must be done right.

Ellen White's counsel: "... there are many who are stirred deeply to move out of Battle Creek. There is need, great need, of this work being done, and now. Those who have felt at last to make a move, let it not be in a rush, in an excitement, or in a rash manner, or in a way that hereafter they will deeply regret that they did move out..." 2 SM 361

I haven't seen anyone on the thread saying that people should not be careful and think through what they are doing. No one is counseling anyone to make a rash move to get out of the city. They are only telling the truth, which is that it is time to start considering getting out of the cities. Ellen White wrote many times that SDAs ought to move out of the cities as fast as possible-- that is, as fast as it can be done judiciously and wisely.

For anyone interested in what God wants us to do in this respect, please study the references to the topic found in the Comprehensive Index to the Writings of Ellen White, vol. 1, pages 619-620, under the heading, " 9. Relation of SDA families to [cities]." You will see that there is no indication whatever that God wants our families living in the cities. We all should move out as God opens the way. "Christian character is formed more easily in the country than amid the wickedness of city life" Evangelism 46.

Amen, and AMEN.

[John317]

Quote:

Neil D:

Overaged gave a very good detailed summery of EGW position...

Where is it? I have read the whole thread and did not see any "good detailed summary" of Ellen White's position.

When you tell people "please don't do this," it is appropriate to state clearly what you are asking them not to do.

[John317]

[Gerr]

Just tagging on.

One year of living in LA back in 1970 convinced me and my wife to take the counsel seriously to live in the country whenever possible. Then when we moved to SoCal from Central Cal in 1980, it was to a little town just 25 mi south of Riverside. It was very rural then. Over the course of 25 yrs, it became a bedroom community for San Diego Co., Orange, and LA co. It became so congested that we felt impressed it was time to move again. It was about the time the housing market went belly up that we decided to move. We believe it was nothing short of divine providence that the house sold after almost 1 1/2 yrs on the market. We were able to buy property here in NC where the houses are not too close together. Most of the lots are a shade under an acre. I planted some fruit trees last year. I had my first harvest of asparagus from the planting I made last spring. I should be having some strawberries soon. The blueberries are loaded with flowers. I'm still waiting for the grapevines to bud that I planted a few weeks ago. We have been sharing some of the salad greens with our neighbors. The broccoli are coming along well, and so are the tomatoes and peppers. Perhaps the reason HW Bush didn't like broccoli was that he never tasted one just off the garden!

Here are some of her counsels:

In preparation for the coming of our Lord, we are to do a large work in the great cities. We have a solemn testimony to bear in these great centers.--Words of Encouragement to Self-supporting Workers (Ph 113) 5 (1909). {LDE 118.1}

White, E. G. (1992; 2002). Last Day Events (118). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Whenever possible, it is the duty of parents to make homes in the country for their children.--AH 141 (1906).

White, E. G. (1992; 2002). Last Day Events (118). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

More and more, as time advances, our people will have to leave the cities. For years we have been instructed that our brethren and sisters, and especially families with children, should plan to leave the cities as the way opens before them to do so. Many will have to labor earnestly to help open the way. But until it is possible for them to leave, so long as they remain, they should be most active in doing missionary work, however limited their sphere of influence may be.--2SM 360 (1906). {LDE 118.5}

White, E. G. (1992; 2002). Last Day Events (118). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Precipitous Moves to the Country Not Advised

Let everyone take time to consider carefully and not be like the man in the parable who began to build and was not able to finish. Not a move should be made but that movement and all that it portends are carefully considered--everything weighed. . . . {LDE 120.2}

White, E. G. (1992; 2002). Last Day Events (120). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Let there be nothing done in a disorderly manner, that there shall be a great loss or sacrifice made upon property because of ardent, impulsive speeches which stir up an enthusiasm which is not after the order of God, that a victory that was essential to be gained, shall, for lack of level-headed moderation and proper contemplation and sound principles and purposes, be turned into a defeat.--2SM 362, 363 (1893). [WRITTEN DECEMBER 22, 1893, IN REPLY TO A LETTER FROM A LEADING WORKER IN BATTLE CREEK WHO HAD INFORMED MRS. WHITE THAT, IN RESPONSE TO HER URGING, "BETWEEN ONE AND TWO HUNDRED" WERE PREPARING TO LEAVE THE CITY FOR A RURAL LOCATION "AS SOON AS POSSIBLE." SEE SELECTED MESSAGES, BOOK 2, PP. 361-364.] {LDE 120.4}

White, E. G. (1992; 2002). Last Day Events (120). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

These seem like very sensible advice to me.

[Dr. Rich]

Great post Gerry! If not for EGW--how about to relieve stress?

[Guest]

How to grow your own food...

We're having a gardening seminar at our place in north Idaho May 31-June 5. Master gardener David Stottlemyer will be our instructor. Here's the link for more info...

http://backtoenoch.org/gardening-seminar.html

Take care,

Dave

[phkrause]

How to grow your own food...

We're having a gardening seminar at our place in north Idaho May 31-June 5. Master gardener David Stottlemyer will be our instructor. Here's the link for more info...

http://backtoenoch.org/gardening-seminar.html

Take care,

Dave

Sounds tasty to me.

I do hope they are going to grow Idaho potatoes.

pk