Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Lt 20, 1891

Smith, Uriah

Battle Creek, Michigan

January 6, 1891

This letter is published in entirety in 1888 846-849.

Dear Brother Smith,

Since your visit and our conversation, I decided to place this in your hands to read yourself, and if necessary I may read it before a select number. I have a copy of the same. After I was so greatly burdened the Tuesday night, the same night I returned from Washington, I felt that I must trace upon paper my true feelings and the things which the Lord revealed to me. You may desire to know these things. 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 1

When you visited me yesterday and proposed such a meeting to take place I was glad, because I thought that will result in good. But when you stated that you had not had feelings against Eld. Waggoner, and Eld. A. T. Jones, I was surprised. Perhaps you thought thus, but how could you think thus is a mystery to me. The feelings cherished by yourself and Elder Butler were not only despising the message, but the messengers. But the blindness of mind has come by warring against the light which the Lord designed to come to His people. 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 2

You write that you have said that you would not have controversy with Sr. White. Better, far better, have had this controversy openly than under cover, for this controversy has been, and there has not been harmony between us, since the Minneapolis meeting. You have been exceedingly stubborn, and this stubbornness has been as described in the Word of God, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” “Behold, to obey is better than to sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” [1 Samuel 15:23, 22.] 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 3

This stubbornness, my dear brother, can be brought under control only by your falling upon the Rock and being broken. It is a terrible snare to you. It makes you unwilling to confess your wrongs, and every wrong passed over without humble confession will [leave] you and Elder Butler, and every soul who pursues the same course, in blindness of mind and hardness of heart. The Spirit of God is grieved and Satan triumphs. It is not because we do not have evidence, but that your own will rises against God’s will, and it is God who has a controversy with you. He will remove the candlestick out of its place except you repent. 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 4

The long standing in the way of the work of God as you have done is not that you have not had light and evidence, but your stubborn will, like steel, would not give up your will and your way to God’s will and God’s way. You made the statement in the first meeting we held in the room Brother Jones occupied that you did not oppose Bro. A. T. Jones speaking in the Tabernacle on the religious Sunday movement. Will you consider this matter, because Brethren Prescott, Amadon, and Sisley brought a united testimony on this matter which called forth from me about a fifteen-minutes’ talk as pointed and earnest as I ever made in my life. I answered, Well, if Elder Smith takes that position, God will surely remove him out of the way, for God has not given him the authority to say what shall come into the Tabernacle, from our own people, and what shall not. But if he holds that position, we will secure a hall in the city and the words God has given Bro. Jones to speak, the people shall have them. 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 5

Dear Bro. Smith, please do make a surrender to God this time. Make no reserve, and then you will receive the blessing of God. Then peace will come to your soul. You are standing, and have been standing, in opposition to the work of God for the past two years. You have done more than any man living to cast doubt and unbelief on the testimonies of the Spirit of God. Now I beseech of you, break and lift the stumbling block. 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 6

I was shown at Minneapolis that the Lord would come in to their families and would visit, for the things that there transpired, with affliction and death unless they stood firm between God and His people. You remember I said in the Tabernacle before Elder Butler, yourself, and those present, I had things to say to Elder Butler, but ye cannot bear them now. It was this: his stubbornness and unbelief was sinful, and God would bring His afflicting hand heavily upon him if he did not repent and have another spirit; and if he still held his perversity and stubbornness, He would come nearer still to him in affliction. And this He would do to the ones to whom He had given light, and they had closed their eyes and ears and confederated together to make of none effect the warnings and messages of light and truth for His people. 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 7

I have greatly feared for you, my brother. I fear still. I beg of you for Christ’s sake make thorough work for I know the displeasure of the Lord is against you, against Elder Farnsworth, and many others I might name, who have in [the] face of great light and evidence, held fast to their own spirit and walked in the sparks of their own kindling. God says, Unless they repent, they shall lie down in sorrow. [Isaiah 50:11.] 7LtMs, Lt 20, 1891, par. 8