Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 1 (1844 - 1868)

Lt 10, 1861

Daigneau, Brother and Sister [John M.]

Battle Creek, Michigan

October 18, 1861

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother and Sister D:

According to your request I will write you what has been shown me in regard to you. I was shown you were in darkness, especially Brother John. I saw Brother John perusing letters containing arguments against our position in regard to the Sabbath. I saw our wily foe directing the mind of Brother John in a channel to suit himself. A great change came over Brother John. At one time his countenance was bright and hopeful. He was rejoicing in the truth. Then a change came over him. He was doubting present truth and was just about ready to yield and let go his hold of truth. I was surprised at this sight for I had not had the least suspicion of Brother John’s critical condition. 1LtMs, Lt 10, 1861, par. 1

Then the past was more fully presented before me with its dangers and wrongs. I was shown that when your mother embraced the truth her judgment was convinced. I saw that she was converted to the truth and loved it, but unfortunately for her she could not understand very well what was said in meetings. At first the blessing of God rested upon her as she took up the cross to obey unpopular truth, and that which without the blessing of God would be difficult for her to understand was made plain by the Spirit of God. But when she commenced to go into darkness and have doubts in regard to the truth, she could not be fed and understand or feel the force of the instructions given in the meetings. She was jealous of different ones and murmured against them, found fault with them. She was a very close, penurious, calculating woman, and loved this world. 1LtMs, Lt 10, 1861, par. 2

Jerry was a great hindrance to her. His judgment was convinced that we had the truth but he sought to stifle conviction by watching for evil in believers in present truth and accusing them of things that they were not guilty of. These accusations weighed much with your mother and had weight with you. 1LtMs, Lt 10, 1861, par. 3

About all that in reality stood in the way of your brother’s believing the truth was his close covetousness and unbounded love of this world. There was no place for the truth in his heart, on account of this selfish and covetous disposition. 1LtMs, Lt 10, 1861, par. 4

Your mother’s close, penurious disposition crowded out of her heart all love for the truth, and her lack of conversing understandingly with the people of God placed her where she could not be helped by them. 1LtMs, Lt 10, 1861, par. 5

Brother John, I saw that it was much better for you to be separated from your parents and from Jerry. Your mother has taken it upon herself closely to watch your wife and to find fault with her to you, which had more weight upon your mind than it should and caused your wife much unhappiness. Your mother has thought her extravagant because there was not all that closeness and selfishness manifested by your wife that she carried out. I saw that in some things your wife did not manifest all the economy that she should in her circumstances. She spends too much labor to prepare food for the appetite of visitors. Treat your company courteously and well. It is wrong to go beyond your means to gratify anyone. 1LtMs, Lt 10, 1861, par. 6

I was shown the bad influence that the counsel and the trials connected with it had on your mind and on the mind of Lucetta. Had you been present then, your mind would have been relieved, but the counsel and the lack of freedom with us, and our remaining from meetings, caused you to be tempted and made you doubt. These unjust trials brought upon us had a very bad influence upon those who knew not the cause or reason of these trials. You were terribly shaken there and have not recovered. Had there been all that diligence and exertion on the part of Uriah and Harriet to labor for those who had been thrown into perplexity and doubt on account of the trials they caused, you would have been led to the light before now. 1LtMs, Lt 10, 1861, par. 7