Guidance by Chance Methods

You endeavor to reach correct decisions regard­ing religious duties, and to make decisions re­garding business enterprises, by the tossing up of a coin, and letting the position in which it falls decide what course you shall pursue. I am in­structed to say that we are not to give encourage­ment to any such methods. They are too common, too much like sleight-of-hand movements. They are not of the Lord, and those who depend upon them for direction will meet with failure and disappointment. Being nothing more than a mat­ter of chance, the influence of adopting such tests regarding duty is calculated to lead the mind to depend on chance and guesswork, when all our work and plans for work should be established on the sure foundation of the Word of God.

"The people of God can come to a correct un­derstanding of their duty only through sincere prayer and earnest seeking for the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. When they seek' aright for instruction concerning their course of action, these Strange and unreliable methods will not be accepted by them. They will then be saved from haphazard work, and from the confusion that is ever the re­sult of depending on human devisings...

"To our people I will say, Let none be led from the sound, sensible principles that God has laid down for the guidance of His people, to depend for direction on any such device as the tossing up of a coin. Such a course is well pleasing to the enemy of souls ; for he works to control the coin, and through its agency works out his plans. Let none be so easily deceived as to place confidence in any such tests. Let none belittle their experience by resorting to cheap devices for direc­tion in important matters connected with the work of God.

"The Lord works in no haphazard way. Seek Him most earnestly in prayer. He will impress the mind, and will give tongue and utterance. The people of God are to be educated not to trust in human inventions and uncertain tests as a means of learning God's will concerning them. Satan and his agencies are always ready to step into any opening to be found that will lead souls away from the pure principles of the Word of God. The people who are led and taught of God will give no place to devisings for which there is not a Thus saith the Lord.

"Let all who claim to be preparing^- for the com­ing of the Lord humbly seek Him for a knowledge of His will, and for a spirit that is willing to walk in all the light He sends. As a people we have had much instruction regarding our duty to depend upon God for wisdom and counsel. Let us go to the Word of God for instruction. 'Search the Scriptures,' the Saviour said: 'for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.' We need to humble our hearts and purify our souls daily, learning at all times to walk by the faith of the Son of God.

^-My brethren and sisters, leave all minor tests that you may be tempted to make, and test your spirit by the witness of the Word of God. Study that Word, that you may know the character and will of God. It is positively essential that every believer make the truths of the Bible his guide and safeguard. To every young man and woman, and to those of advanced years, I testify that the study of the Word is the only safeguard for the soul who would remain steadfast unto the end."—Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 17, pp. 25-29.