Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 53, 1896

Johnson, Brother

Sunnyside, Cooranbong, Australia

June 29, 1896

Portions of this letter are published in Ev 499.

Dear Brother Johnson:

I received a letter from a sister in Stockholm, in regard to sister Ekman, stating her case to be still comfortless. I send this letter to you, asking you to translate it, and send it to her. I hope it may be blessed to her good. I also send you copies of letters which I have written to one in a condition of similar discouragement. These you are at liberty to translate for the benefit of our afflicted sister. I am deeply sorry for this dear soul, and I believe that she will be delivered from the temptations of Satan. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 1

“Who is among you that feareth the Lord? that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” [Isaiah 50:10.] 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 2

“Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever.” [2 Chronicles 20:20, 21.] 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 3

These are the words of God. If there was much more praising the Lord, and far less doleful recitations of discouragements, many more victories would be achieved. These words are for our encouragement. We are not to talk darkness and doubt. This was a singular way of going to battle against the enemy’s army—praising the Lord with singing, and exalting the Lord God of Israel. This was their battle song. They praised the beauty of holiness. Do you not think that if more of this was done now, hope and courage and faith would be strengthened? Would not this strengthen the hands of the valiant soldiers who today are standing in defense of truth? Would not the voice uttering the praises of God uplift? The inspiration of the Holy Spirit proceeding from God leads us to say, “Praise ye the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever.” [Verse 21.] 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 4

“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord.” Then what shall we do when brought into strait places, when the warfare shall become decided, as it now is in many places, to oppress the people of God? Shall we not seek the Lord most earnestly? Should there not be unity of purpose, our prayers going forth from unfeigned lips? “And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord; even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.” [Verses 3, 4.] Read the prayer of Jehoshaphat. The entire chapter is one we need to study. In this chapter there is light and courage. But there are no words of encouragement to those who are unbelieving and refuse the message of God for His people. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 5

“Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets; so shall ye prosper.” [Verse 20.] There is no time now to refuse to hear the messages of warning and encouragement which God sends to His servants. There is no time now to sow the seeds of doubt and criticism, and [to] murmur and complain. We must encourage faith, having full and entire trust in God. In the place of complaining, praise God, the beauty of holiness, and say, Praise God; for His mercy endureth for ever. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 6

From the light which the Lord has given me, there is not all that faith exercised among our people in the churches in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark that there should be. There is need of much larger faith, far less talking of unbelief, far less murmuring and complaining, and far greater humbling of the soul before God. The least expression of doubt is a seed sown. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 7

In the name of the Lord I bear you a message. In the place of sullen unbelief, in the place of weakening the faith of others by leavening them with unbelief, let the words of the king Jehoshaphat be heard as if spoken to you. “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” [Verse 20.] Praise the beauty of holiness, as you meet opposition and falsehood and error of every stripe and type, let not lying reports find a lodgment in [the] minds of those who have the precious light of truth. Lift up your hearts in thanksgiving. Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth for ever. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 8

If you talk unbelief, you will have unbelief, plenty of it. Sowing unbelief, the murmuring against the Lord, is murmuring against His servants. All who do this are preparing a harvest they will not care to garner. All the darkness possible, I am pained to say, will be pressed in upon the people of God. This darkness will come through human agents who claim to believe the truth. The very ones who have had light and evidence have not cherished this light, and have no heart to receive the evidence. They gather darkness about their souls, and dwell in darkness. They make doubt and unbelief the atmosphere surrounding their souls. But the time has come for those who are deceived by these agents to turn their faces away from the darkness to the light. I have words for you. Turn ye away from every deceptive, falsifying influence, and face the light. Talk light; come into actual, personal contact with Jesus Christ, that you may surround yourself with an influence that is uplifting and reviving. While some men and women love to talk disagreeable unbelief, let those who [are] in the service of Christ come to the source and center of light. Then they will not live apart from Christ, and lead others to the enemy’s ground. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 9

Christ is love, not hatred and variance, but love. Life and truth dwell in this atmosphere. Think the thoughts and do the acts of Christ. Express the feelings of Christ, which will be a communication of Himself. It is the working of His Holy Spirit, and the innermost soul is drawn out after Christ, and lays hold, and becomes possessed of the Spirit of Christ. Then we work in Christ. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 10

I beseech you, and all our ministering brethren, to talk faith. Put away doubts yourselves, and be representatives of Christ to others. Talk faith. Believe His prophets, receive His light from his servants. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 11

I send you this because I am warned of danger and darkness. A dark cloud is settling over all who do not believe. Turn your faces to the Sun of Righteousness, and praise the Lord. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 12

In much love. 11LtMs, Lt 53, 1896, par. 13