Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 2 (1869 - 1875)

Lt 23, 1875

White, J. E.; White, Emma

Battle Creek, Michigan

July 13, 1875

Portions of this letter are published in UL 208; 2Bio 475.

Dear Edson and Emma:

I have just written eight pages to Willie before my breakfast. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 1

We are both in very good health and cheerful in the Lord. We try to do all the labor we can and leave the result with God. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 2

You see by our letters [that] we are having good success in our camp meetings. The Lord does indeed go with us and strengthens us for our labor. We feel very grateful for His merciful kindness to us. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 3

We are very glad to receive letters from you. Your last we received at Sparta and it did our hearts good to read it. Be assured we will appreciate any effort you may make of advancement in the divine life and in seeking to be useful. My greatest desire is that you may be a polished instrument in the hands of God to be used to His glory. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 4

I hope you will not think you can go forward in your own strength, relying upon your own judgment. Seek wisdom from above. Be true, be noble in purpose. Be elevated in life, and may the God of peace sanctify you wholly, soul, body, and spirit. Do not cease searching and studying and getting at the very bottom of things. God will help you in all your earnest efforts, my dear children. If you both consecrate yourselves unselfishly to God and to His work, He will accept you. You will not have the reward here, but you must look for the reward by and by when the “Well done” is spoken by the Master. [Matthew 25:21.] 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 5

Oh, my children, cling to the Mighty One with all your powers. Never let go. Walk humbly and do not trust yourself but trust wholly in God. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 6

Emma, dear child, grow in grace and in the knowledge of the divine will. Learn to be self-denying, self-forgetful, but seek to see continually how much good you may do and lay for yourself a good foundation against the time to come, that you may lay hold on eternal life. Endeavor to work deep. Do not work merely upon the surface. Work to the depths, and keep working [and] progressing. Search your own hearts critically and make thorough work for eternity. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 7

We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end. He that endureth to the end, shall be saved. A faithful continuance in well doing shall give us the reward at last. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 8

All who enter heaven must be brought to the test and tried as gold in the fire, even in this world. Our greatest danger will be in a carnal security. God help you, my children, to never boast in self. Unless you both watch unto prayer, you will fail at last. Never fancy it a brave life to live at ease. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 9

At the post office. No letters. Disappointed. We hoped to hear from some one or two of you. Have heard nothing for several days except from Elder Loughborough. I wish to thank him for his faithfulness. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 10

Be sure, my son, dig deep, lay the foundation sure. Do not want [for] thoroughness in your efforts to seek God. Do not seek to cover up or gloss over one sin, but search deep. Guard against moving from impulse and calling it religious zeal. Surrounding influence may affect the feelings of many. The good example of others may have weight for a season, but if the heart is not renewed, if it is not thoroughly converted, it will return naturally to its own element. Watch, my dear children, against self-deception. Selfish ends may want to creep [in] and insinuate themselves into the best actions, but give no place to the devil. Stir up your souls with daily fears of sin. Connect with heaven and angels will minister unto you. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 11

As you attend to labor, in word and doctrine, be humble, my dear boy, be humble. I would not discourage you. Oh, no; no, indeed, for I believe this is the will of God concerning you. But I would not have you engage in this most solemn work with an unconsecrated heart and life. I tremble for you, while I rejoice that you are to some little degree answering the purpose of your existence. Do not neglect secret prayer. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 12

You know not to what you may attain in wisdom and true knowledge if you fasten your hold from above. Cling to Jesus, your Redeemer. He has given you continual evidences of His love in that He has given you adversity time and again. If we cannot bear these lighter trials, if a little lift of prosperity or adversity discover in us falseness, pride and selfishness in the heart, if we yield to discouragement and to sin, if the scoffs and frowns of wicked men afflict us and take away our courage and hope, and we faint in the day of adversity, O, how shall we stand when He appeareth? His coming is like the refiner’s fire and like the fuller’s soap. What shall we do when He comes whose “fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor”? [Matthew 3:12.] He will try every man’s work as by fire and search the secrets of every heart. True grace can bear the trial. An upright soul will want to know his true standing before God. If therefore we shun the trials, if we are unwilling to search ourselves or to be searched by the Lord, we may know [that] we have cherished sins and that we shall fail of heaven. Vain confidence will not endure the trying of God. But, my son, dig deep, go to the bottom of things. Cherish principle and true sincerity. May you have help to walk tremblingly before God and to be very jealous of yourself. Seek for a deep and earnest work. Gather the divine rays of light from glory, then can you be used as God’s instrument to let your light shine forth to others. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 13

We pray for you often. We believe the Lord is helping and blessing you. Aim high. Seek for more dignity—that which is of heavenly birth. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 14

Mother.

I write a recipe here for wine or canned fruit. Put your grape juice into crocks, have an airtight box made like our dry goods boxes, have rocks or lath put in the box. Put fruit in cans with cans open and also have no covers on the crock. Have a small door made which can be closed tight when wished. Introduce with this door a spoon with a grain of sulphur about as large as a kernel of wheat. Let it burn and shut the door tight to keep the sulphur smoke in. Let this remain about four hours and you have fruit and wine which will not work or spoil. Dr. Pottenger paid a high price for this recipe and gave it to me. Try it. The wine tastes, after one year, as fresh as when just taken from the grape. This is a recipe you had better try. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 15

You father starts tomorrow to see if he can get the press for Pacific Coast. I shall accompany him. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 16

We have so much to do we can scarcely get time to write. Much love to all. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 17

If you have anything you want looked after, state it now if you can. 2LtMs, Lt 23, 1875, par. 18

Mother.