Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 6 (1889-1890)

Lt 36a, 1890

Washburn, J. S.

Battle Creek, Michigan

September 18, 1890

This letter is published in entirety in 1888 708-713.

Dear Brother Washburn:

I received your letter this morning, and will reply at once. The article in the paper was in answer to your letter. I wrote it as a private letter long before it appeared in the Review; but as I read it to a few of our brethren, they urged me to put it in the paper, that others might be benefited by it, and I consented. The delay I could not interpret, but think by mistake my workers did not get the correct idea that there was to be no delay in the printing of the matter. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 1

In regard to our visiting Washington, we will do so if the Lord permits. It will be a test of my strength on this journey, rather a trial trip. Since my dangerous illness in California, I have not spoken in Battle Creek. I feel no burden to speak in my weakness where so much has been said by me. When reined up by the Spirit of the Lord, I have been upheld, and His power has rested upon me. At times, I seemed to have superhuman energy to bear a straightforward testimony, such as I bore at Ottawa. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 2

In twenty-one days during the ministerial institute I spoke twenty-one times, and the power and Spirit of God was upon me day and night. My spirit had no rest. But when I had spoken for the last time, I felt my duty was discharged. I had no more to say in the church or to my ministering brethren in meetings. Since I returned from California, I have not been in the tabernacle. For weeks I could not have spoken, for my heart was in so weak a condition I could only speak a few words and hardly complete a sentence before my breathing powers failed me. I spoke once in Ceresco and once in Bedford in this feeble condition. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 3

Then I left Battle Creek for Petoskey. I spoke there every Sabbath for eight weeks, except one Sabbath, besides those evenings. I had great freedom. The blessing of the Lord rested upon me and the hearers. Twice I spoke at Harbor Point, fourteen miles from Petoskey. I have spoken once in the Sanitarium, last Sunday night, with much freedom. I attend meetings in the small churches, but feel that I have no strength to labor with the church who have had my testimony so abundantly, and yet have set themselves against my message and have not been moved to change their position of resistance, notwithstanding all the Lord has given me to say in demonstration of the Spirit and power. I have no hope that they could be helped by anything I should say further. They have resisted the appeals of the Spirit of God. I have no hope that the Lord has a reserve power to break down their resistance. I leave them in the hands of God, and unless the Lord places upon me a decided burden to speak words in the tabernacle, I shall not attempt to say anything until those who have acted a part to hedge up my way shall clear my path. If they have not recognized the Spirit of the Lord in the messages I have borne, they will recognize it less now, for I have not strength to contend with the spirit of resistance, the doubts and unbelief which have barricaded their souls that they could not use when good cometh. I have far greater liberty in speaking to unbelievers, they are interested. They feel impressed by the Spirit of God, and say, It seems those words are spoken under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. O, it is the hardest place in the world to speak where great light has come to men in responsible positions. They have been enlightened, but have chosen darkness rather than light. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 4

I have great sorrow of heart over the hardness of heart that has been leavening our churches, and is especially seen in those who have had great light. Their blindness of mind is correspondingly great as the light was great that shone upon them. What will be the end of this stubborn unbelief we have yet to learn. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 5

I am thankful that the Lord is working in Washington. I hope that you will keep under the direct rays of the Sun of Righteousness, that the bright beams from the face of Jesus Christ may shine with brightness upon your heart, and that you may reflect their bright rays to others. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 6

I am pained as I see so much prejudice and Phariseeism. O, that our ministering brethren would broaden, and not be so narrow and shortsighted! Many souls will come from other denominational churches and at the eleventh hour will obey all the truth, because they have not set themselves in array against heaven’s light, but lived up to all the light they had, while those who have had great light, large privileges and opportunities and have failed to live in the light and walk in the light, will drop out by the way. Their light will shine less and less until their lamps will go out, for the want of the oil of grace in their vessels with their lamps. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 7

Dear brother, walk humbly with God. The less you estimate self, the more will you estimate Jesus. I wish we could all ever bear in mind the value the Lord places upon men. He would have them ever ready to cooperate with Him and be prepared to see greater things than these. He is saying, Follow Me, and I will conduct you into higher departments of truth. In the books of God’s providence each individual of the subjects of grace has a page, and He knows them all by name. Not one is absent from the mind of God! Written in the book, in the page assigned to him, is contained every particular of his history, even to the numbering of the hairs of his head. The Lord wants me and you, my brother, to approach nearer Him in contemplating His character, His goodness, His love. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 8

From light to light, God is leading His people. He liveth in light unapproachable, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of holy, happy beings, everyone of them waiting to do His bidding. They are not inactive, but in communication with other worlds in all God’s vast dominion. This little world is but an atom of the Lord’s dominion. Through various agencies, divine and human, He is seeking to save. He is actually stooping from His throne and observing the movements of every living being, and in His books are recorded every transaction; and through heavenly agencies He is lifting up the oppressed and pointing the way before every soul—the way to reach the mansions above. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 9

If men would cooperate with God, light from His throne would be penetrating all the high ways and by ways of life. All things are possible to those who are connected with the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 10

Who can anticipate the gifts of infinite Love. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] God’s love for the world was not manifest because He sent His Son, but because He loved the world He sent His Son into the world that divinity clothed with humanity might touch humanity, while divinity lay hold of infinity. Though sin had produced a gulf between man and his God, divine benevolence provided a plan to bridge that gulf. And what material did He use? A part of Himself. The brightness of the Father’s glory came to a world all seared and marred with the curse, and in His own divine character, in His own divine body, bridged the gulf and opened a channel of communication between God and man. The windows of heaven were opened, and the showers of heavenly grace in healing streams came to our benighted world. O what love, what matchless, inexpressible love! 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 11

Had God given us less, we could not have been saved. But He gave to our world so abundantly that it could not be said that He could love us more. Then how foolish is the position taken that there is to be a second probation after the first is exhausted. God has exhausted His benevolence in the extensiveness of His grand plan in pouring out all heaven to man in one great gift. Only in comprehending the value of this offering can we comprehend infinity. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 12

O, the breadth and height and depth of the love of God! Who of finite beings can comprehend it? He would do a work, a great work, that in the fullness of the offering He would leave no possible excuse for man to be apprehensive that his guilt is too great for the offering to ransom him. God claims the whole of the affections of man, the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole mind, the whole strength. He lays claim to all that there is of man, because He has poured out the whole treasure of heaven by giving us His all at once, reserving back nothing greater that heaven can do. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 13

My brother, sink self in Jesus. Lift Him up, contemplate His character, grow into His character. The character of Christ is His glory. We are to grow more and more into His divine likeness, to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. When I commence writing on this subject, I go on and on, and try to get beyond the outer edge, but I fail. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 14

When we shall reach the mansions above, Jesus will Himself lead the white-robed ones, made white in the blood [of the Lamb] to the Father. Therefore “are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat: for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” [Revelation 7:15-17.] 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 15

Let us praise God. Let us magnify His holy name. Let us humble self and exalt Jesus, for He is to be praised. Cling fast to Jesus. Relax not your hold for one moment. In Him is your strength. He will not leave you if you put your trust in Him. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 16

Much love to your wife, and may you walk together, and keep the way of the Lord, is the prayer of 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 17

Your sister in the faith. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 18

Dear Brother:

I wrote these lines under difficulties, a dress-maker calling me off, visitors calling; and I hardly know whether to send it. I will, however, for my copyist is afflicted with inflammation of the eyes, and I will have to leave today for Ceresco, where I speak Sabbath and perhaps Sunday. Excuse all mistakes. 6LtMs, Lt 36a, 1890, par. 19