Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Lt 78, 1900

Haysmer, Brother and Sister

Maitland, New South Wales, Australia

January 20, 1900

Portions of this letter are published in TDG 28.

Dear Brother and Sister Haysmer:

I am now at the mission with your daughter, Mrs. Wilson. We are very closely united in heart. Nothing of an unpleasant nature ever came between us. Sister Wilson and her husband were among our very dearest loved ones, and now that Brother Wilson sleeps in Jesus, we are drawn more closely to his wife. I feel as deep an interest in her as if she were my own child. She is faithful and true as steel to principle. She accomplishes much good in winning souls to Christ. I have gratitude in my heart for such workers as Brother and Sister Wilson have been, and now that he is gone, Sister Wilson will not sit down and brood over her loss. For some time she felt very sad, but I told her that she must not give up to these feelings; she must not carry the grave of her husband with her in her looks or in her words. 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 1

Under the message of the third angel, some of the faithful will die in the Lord. This matter was opened to John in holy vision. As he beheld the commandment-keeping people of God, he exclaimed, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” [Revelation 14:12, 13.] 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 2

Then, even if we would, we have no right to call them back from the dead, to share our perils, our burdens, and our conflicts. The heavenly messengers commissioned that John should write, “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.” [Verse 13.] We will take this side of the question, and not mourn over those pronounced decidedly blessed. I thank the Lord that our brother whom we all loved in the Lord, gave proof at every step that he held fast the hope firmly unto the end. “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” [Revelation 3:11.] 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 3

We are certainly living amid the closing scenes of this earth’s history. I feel that now we are to be exceedingly careful what influence we should exert. The loyal angels took a deep, rejoicing interest in the creation of our world, and in the creation of man; but Satan took no pleasure in the creation of Adam and Eve. Because of his beauty Satan became exalted, and jealous of Jesus Christ, until he, with all his sympathizers, were cast out of heaven. Then he began to work to gain Adam and Eve as his property. He misrepresented the character of God by falsely accusing Him. Adam believed the lie of the deceiver, and thus placed himself under the banner of the prince of darkness. 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 4

Satan’s work today is that of a deceiver and a accuser. The Lord declares him to be an accuser of the brethren day and night. By long practice Satan has become well skilled in his trade of faultfinding, and will educate every man whom he can use to unite with him in this work. By him many are being deceived, and are moving blindfolded into paths of Satan’s opening. The central power of the earth is a demon. His throne is in the midst of the world where should have been seen the throne of God. He has been patronized by the church, for the church has been conformed to the world, and is living in transgression of the holy law of God. 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 5

Christ gave Himself to ransom man from the power of the destroyer. By becoming the Sin-bearer He broke the power of Satan. He says, I will become the center of the redeemed world. “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (Because the world had chosen Satan’s side of the question.) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; ... and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth. ... And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” [John 1:10-12, 14, 16.] 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 6

All holy agencies, saith God, will I set in operation to oppose the armies of the invisible foe, to destroy his power. The eternal agency of the Holy Spirit shall rescue man from the effects of sin, and restore in him the image of God. It is the duty of all the Protestant world to become leagued with Jesus Christ whom they profess to accept as their Redeemer and Saviour. 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 7

The Lord will not let His human treasure with Christ, its Head, go into the enemy’s rank without every effort made in their behalf. Their only hope is to do the commandments of God. This is the gospel which has been sounding down along the lines to our time. To all Christ sends the invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] For ages this invitation, Come, all ye who are weary and heavy laden, has been ringing in clear tones above the world’s confusion and trouble. God will not give man up to his own way and will, to be lost, without a determined effort to recover him. The aim of Christ’s ministry, the scope of His far-reaching mercy and power, is without bounds. 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 8

Christ came to reveal God. He said, “He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.” [John 14:9.] Oh, that man would look and believe! God is in Christ; for He is the express image of His person. Here is eternal righteousness. Nowhere is God more manifest than in the teachings, and in the life of Jesus Christ. 15LtMs, Lt 78, 1900, par. 9