Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Lt 123, 1886

Brother Rice

Steamer Melnor en route to Copenhagen, Denmark

July 16, 1886

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother Rice:

I have been much worried in regard to the spiritual condition of the church in St. Helena. I am in the night season addressing them most earnestly. I thought I was in meeting, and you, my brother, were speaking. Your discourse as far as subject was concerned was good, but you were spiritless, your subject long and tedious, and many of the congregation were asleep. I felt urged by the Spirit of the Lord to say some plain things, Bro. Rice. Said I, “Do you know that the trumpet must give a certain sound? Can you not discern that your discourses do not interest and feed the people? Can you not see that the truth is powerless as you proclaim it? You preach altogether too much, and you are lulling the people to sleep with your lifeless discourses that have not the unction of the Holy Spirit. Are you awake yourself? You are doing the people harm rather than good. You must be careful how you make the truth unpalatable by your dry and tedious prayers and lengthy discourses. Learn to come straight to the point when you preach. [Preach] one-half as long as usual, then stop. Do not make your discourse over one-half hour long, and then you will not weary the people.” 4LtMs, Lt 123, 1886, par. 1

I dreamed the spiritual interest at the Retreat was very low. There should be a decided effort made to make the meetings of the highest interest. [Ends here, apparently unfinished and never sent.] 4LtMs, Lt 123, 1886, par. 2