Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 5 (1887-1888)

Lt 63, 1888

Lucas, Brother

Minneapolis, Minnesota

October 15, 1888

Previously unpublished.

Brother Lucas:

As I see your face in the congregation some things come forcibly to my mind which the Lord has presented before me. Your past record, what have you done about it? Have you stepped into the ministry without making past wrongs right? Have you by humble confession cleansed the soul temple? How stands your record in the books of heaven? God does not accept a polluted sacrifice. You have a work to do that none other can do for you, and if you do not see and sense the work that you ought to do, then your heart and conscience is not in that condition that you can be a blessing to others, and you need to be converted. 5LtMs, Lt 63, 1888, par. 1

I am so grateful that it is not too late for wrongs to be righted. If your sins remain unconfessed, they will remain unpardoned, to stand to your account in the day of final account, and what can you answer to the Lord in the day of the execution of the judgment? You attempted to be a guide to others when your own soul was stained with sins unconfessed and unrepented of. Will Christ place upon you His robe of righteousness to cover the deformities of your character? Never. There are deeds of dishonesty in your life since you professed to be a Christian. These deeds are registered against you, and unless you repent of them they will stand against you, and your name will be blotted out of the book of life. 5LtMs, Lt 63, 1888, par. 2

You have a work to do for yourself before the Lord can use you as His instrument to do His work. You are full of pride and self-sufficiency and destitute of the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. 5LtMs, Lt 63, 1888, par. 3

Will you go from this meeting just as you are? Will you not here make thorough work? Will you not see that the words of Jesus are applicable to you: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful in much”? [Luke 16:10.] The sacred and common are altogether too much on a level with you. Christ seemed to say of you, were He in our assemblies, “Ye know not the Scriptures, or the power of God.” [Mark 12:24.] 5LtMs, Lt 63, 1888, par. 4

May the Lord give you courage to make straight your errors in the past is my prayer. 5LtMs, Lt 63, 1888, par. 5

I wish this returned to me. 5LtMs, Lt 63, 1888, par. 6