Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Lt 30a, 1892

Haskell, S. N.

Preston, Melbourne, Australia

September 6, 1892

Formerly Undated Ms 119. Portions of this letter are published in 4Bio 46; HP 48; Mar 197; UL 262; 7BC 964-965; 3SM 326-327; LDE 147.

Dear Brother in Christ,

I am very happy to report that I am much improved in health. I sleep much better than I did, and can walk better, although when I visit the school building or speak in the hall at the Echo Office, I have to be carried up the stairs. I believe that the Lord has heard the many prayers of His people, and is answering them. I am grateful to Him for all His mercies and blessings. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 1

In this country we see much to be done. I am anxious to think that it is safe for me to enter upon active labor. Elder Daniells is now in Adelaide. He is much worn, and it is a question whether he should undertake to labor for the church there alone. As the Lord seems to be greatly favoring me with blessings both physical and spiritual, W. C. White and I have decided to go to Adelaide. Emily Campbell and May Walling will accompany us. We are to break up housekeeping, thus saving the rent. Marian and Fannie will board at the school. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 2

As soon as we finish our work at Adelaide, we shall, if the Lord gives me strength, go to Sydney to spend a few weeks there, returning in time to attend the conference to be held in Melbourne. In the school building there will then be vacant rooms that we can occupy during the convocation, thus helping to pay the rent. We are proposing now; if our plans are not the best, the Lord may dispose otherwise. We await His orders. We have no selfish plans, no will of our own, to carry out. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 3

Happy are the people and blessed, who have the Lord for their God. Oh, what precious, precious treasures have opened before me of the Lord’s love for every soul who believes on Jesus—with a surface faith? No, with full assurance of faith. God beholds in all His children the image of His only begotten Son. He looks upon them with a love greater than any language can express. He enfolds them in the arms of His love. The Lord rejoices over His people. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 4

Satan is at work from beneath to stir up the hellish powers of his confederacy of evil against the just. He imbues human agencies with his own attributes. Efforts will be put forth by evil angels, united with evil men to harass, persecute, and destroy, but the Lord God of Israel will not forsake those who trust in Him. Amid the strengthening of infidelity and apostasy, amid pretended illumination, which is the blindest presumption and delusion, there will be a light shining upon God’s people from the sanctuary above. The truth of God will triumph. The commandments of God will be trampled underfoot as they were trampled upon by Satan in heaven. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 5

Unless God pours His converting power and grace upon the soul, there will be no attempt to oppose Satan, but men will be under his control, his willing captive. The enmity against Satan is put [in man] by God Himself. God will call His people to occupy a distinct, decided position. The righteous fervor with which Christ denounced every abomination in our world, His unsullied purity which made manifest the corruption of those who deceived the people by an appearance of sanctity, excited bitter hostility against Him. The same attitude on the part of His people will call forth similar treatment. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 6

Every individual in our world will be arrayed under one of two banners—the chosen and loyal under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, and all others under Satan’s standard. All who are on Satan’s side will unite with him in honoring the spurious sabbath, thus paying homage to the man of sin who exalted himself above all that is called God, and thought to change times and laws. They trample upon the laws of Jehovah and frame a law to compel all to worship the false sabbath, the idol they have exalted. But the day of deliverance to God’s people is not far distant. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 7

I wish that all could appreciate the wonderful working of God in behalf of man. For fallen angels there has been no atonement; but for fallen man a full and ample offering has been made, to save to the uttermost all who shall come unto God by Him. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 8

He will not turn away one repentant seeker. “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels: but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (that humanity might reach humanity, and divinity lay hold on divinity). “Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” [Hebrews 2:16-18.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 9

There is to be no compromise with the powers of darkness. Individually we must take our stand. If we are not at enmity with the prince of darkness, the serpent, his folds encircle us and all our powers; his sting is in our hearts. All who range themselves under the blood-stained banner of the Prince of Life will henceforth count Satan as a foe, and will on God’s strength oppose him as a deadly enemy. They will take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And what will they do in order to hold vantage ground? “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints.” [Ephesians 6:18.] “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.” [Matthew 26:41.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 10

May all now cast away every idol out of the heart. We cannot serve God and mammon; but oh, so many submit to the dominion of evil and think they are doing God service. The grace of God never dims the spiritual eyesight when it becomes an abiding principle in our hearts. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 11

We should be quick to discern danger. We should see the hateful character of sin and should expel it from the soul. The doers of the Word know that in Jesus there is strength, which becomes their own by faith. They are clothed with righteousness that God will accept, for it is the righteousness of Christ. Clad in this armor of God, the panoply of heaven, they successfully resist the serpent’s wiles. Not one soul has a moment to lose. It is at the peril of the soul to cherish lust, which warreth against the Spirit. The concerns of eternity are of sufficient importance to take the precedence [over] every other enterprise. What must I do to be saved? should be the great and solemn question with us now. We have no time to catch up the little items of difference in ideas and opinions and dwell upon them and magnify them. Let all seek their own soul’s salvation; and when all are one in Christ, there will be no differences among those who love God and keep His commandments. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 12

When we are in this position of oneness with Christ, Satan’s enmity will be aroused. He who stands in defense of the truth will draw upon himself the dislike, the criticism, the decided opposition of relatives and professed friends; he will become a subject of ridicule. All opposition and persecution, whether in its mildest or most terrible forms, is only the development of a principle that originated with the first great rebel in heaven. This work will continue as long as Satan exists. As we near the close of time, the opposing element will work in the same lines in which it has worked in times past. Every soul will be tested. Under persecution it will be made manifest just what banner every individual has chosen to stand under. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 13

While sin remains, the offense of the cross will never cease. Satan has a thousand masked batteries which will be opened upon the loyal, commandment-keeping people of God to compel them to violate conscience. The followers of Christ must expect to encounter sneers. They will be reviled; their words and their faith will be misrepresented. Coldness and contempt may be harder to endure than martyrdom. With some persons it would require more courage to encounter a laugh than to be thrust through with a sword. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 14

But we must stand steadfastly for the truth, not returning railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing. Parents will turn harshly against their children who accept unpopular truth. Those who conscientiously serve God will be accused of rebellion. Property that was willed to children or other relatives who believe the present truth will be given into other hands. Guardians will rob orphans and widows of their just dues. Those who depart from evil will make themselves a prey, through laws enacted to compel the conscience. Men will take to themselves property to which they have no right. The words of the apostle will be verified in the near future: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” [2 Timothy 3:12.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 15

In view of these things I implore my brethren and sisters in the faith to be very careful not to join the evil workers to hurt and weaken your brethren and sisters and make their labors of none effect. Pay special heed to the prayer of Christ in the 17th chapter of John. A converting power of God must be upon human hearts. Christ must abide with the human agents if they are to live in harmony with the prayer. All heaven is at work to answer the prayer of Christ, and the heavenly intelligences are waiting the cooperation of the human agents with the divine. Let us humble our hearts before God. Let us seek that oneness which Christ prayed might exist between His followers as between the Father and the Son. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 16

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for all them also which shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one ... even as we are one.” [Verses 20-22.] O, wonderful, amazing request. It is almost too great for our faith, that this is the purpose and will of God through Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. The richest blessings of heaven are proffered us in the privilege of becoming one with Christ, as He is one with the Father, and in Christ believers are to be a unit, not separate atoms falling apart. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 17

“The glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.” [Verses 22, 23.] There is not, cannot be, perfection of character in those who are at variance, who stand ready to catch up anything which will give a chance to show that they are really not one, but divided, criticising and drawing away from one another. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 18

“Made perfect in one.” Love will break every barrier down. It is this love for Christ, an unselfish, Christlike love for one another, that Christ prayed might exist not only with His early disciples, but with “All who believe on me through their word.” [Verse 20.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 19

“That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.” [Verse 23.] What words are these! Can we take hold of them by faith? Is it possible that the Lord can love poor, perverse, fallen men, and accept him through the imputed righteousness of Christ? Oh, what a treasure of hope we have in these words for our faith to grasp. Let us as Christians make it our individual work to draw nigh to God, and then we shall draw nigh to one another. Let us show before heaven that we respect and believe every word of the prayer of Christ, and that we will carry out its principles. Let us, as never before, cause rejoicing among the heavenly host by answering that prayer, in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 20

As a people we have shown a disregard of these words of Christ. Let us now redeem the time. There is a stern necessity of repentance. We consider what occasion we have given to the world to doubt the truth of Christianity as those who have had great light. We are today more guilty before God than any other people. We have put into the mouth of unbelievers speeches against us, and have dishonored God. These speeches in reference to the want of union and harmony among us were in some cases the truth. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 21

I ask the brethren and sisters in our churches individually to study to answer the prayer of Christ. Seek most earnestly that the spirit of that prayer may come into your hearts, that it may be practiced in your daily lives, at home, in the family, and in the church. O, what change would then take place. All these unhappy dissensions would then come to an end. Love to Jesus and love to one another would then prevail. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 22

“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” [John 13:34, 35.] “Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” [John 15:14.] “These things I command you that ye love one another.” [Verse 17.] These are plain words. There is no need of misunderstanding them. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 23

Jesus says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.” [Revelation 3:20.] Standing in front of each dwelling, He proclaims to the unwilling hearers, “Thou sayest I am rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing.” The result of this spiritual pride is ignorance of their great need. “And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and blind and naked.” [Verse 17.] Then He calls upon all who cooperate with Him to come near and present before these needy ones the precious goods of heaven. “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire (which is love and faith) that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest see. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore and repent.” [Verses 18, 19.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 24

These warnings and invitations should no longer be regarded with cold indifference. The wares of heaven are offered to our churches. Every individual needs to have a decided interest in the invitation of Christ. Brethren and sisters, are your thoughts after this order? “These sharp decided words do not mean me; I am in a fairly good condition spiritually, though I may not have all the fervor and zeal that some have. I believe the truth. Those to whom this message belongs may take it; I think some need it.” You who think and reason thus, be assured that you are the very ones to whom this message belongs. While the costly wares of heaven are open before you, draw nigh and buy that which you have lost—the gold of love and faith, and the white raiment which is the righteousness of Christ. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 25

Clothed with your own self-righteousness you feel whole; walking in the sparks of your own kindling, you do not discern your defects of character. You need the garments woven in the loom of heaven, that your nakedness may not disgrace you in the day of God. You are living in guilty self-deception, because you keep yourselves away from the light and rich treasures of God’s grace. You imagine yourselves rich when you are bankrupt. Your whole life has been a lie. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 26

Open your doors, says the heavenly merchantman. The summons has been almost in vain. Every crevice of the heart has remained sealed. The self-satisfied Laodiceans have shut Jesus out. Worldliness, pride, and lukewarmness have so long bound the souls in chains of unbelief that now when the Saviour’s voice is heard, through His messengers, rebellion and stubbornness of soul are added to deepen the guilt. Clad in their worthless garments of self-righteousness, they feel insulted when told that they are naked. The Saviour’s voice is heard, Behold, through my delegated messengers I stand at the door and knock. Will you let Him in? Will you open the heart to the softening, subduing influence of the grace of Christ? Can you keep your heart closed against His love and the riches of His grace? Shall Satan himself triumph in your terrible deception that you have need of nothing? Jesus declares that your position is disgusting to Him; while you are professedly Christians, your life does not shine in good works. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 27

Were you unbelievers in name as well as in practice, your position would not be so dangerous as it is now. “Because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” [Verse 16.] You seek to serve God and your own selfish interests. Christ can accept no such polluted sacrifice. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 28

Jesus knocks; will you open the door unto Him? Shall He be compelled to write upon the lintel of the doorway, in the place of His blood that cleanseth from all sin, the sentence that leaves you to the power of the destroying angels? “He is joined to his idols.” Guardian angels, “let him alone.” [Hosea 4:17.] “How often I would have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not.” [Matthew 23:37.] To all who will open the door, Jesus comes in and takes possession. Will you not say, “Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; come in; wherefore standest thou without?” [Genesis 24:31.] Will you accept the gold—the riches of His love, His grace, His salvation, the robe of Christ’s righteousness? Of such He says, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am sat down with my Father in his throne.” [Revelation 3:21.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 29

When the apostle Paul stood in doubt of the Galatians, such was his great anxiety and burden of soul on their account that he said, “My little children, for whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” [Galatians 4:19.] Once he had felt intense desire of soul on their account, that they should receive the knowledge of Christ. Now he sees them, some in error, some halting, some in lasciviousness; and he says, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you?” [Galatians 1:6; 3:1.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 30

Jesus lives; He has risen, He has risen, He is alive forevermore. Do not feel that you carry the load. It is true you wear the yoke, but whom are you yoked up with? No less a personage than your Redeemer. Satan will cast his hellish shadow athwart your pathway; you cannot expect anything else; but he cast the same dark shadow athwart the pathway of Christ. Now all you have to do, is to look beyond the shadow to the brightness of Christ. The Light of Life is your Advocate. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 31

Look unto Jesus; He loves you, and He is speaking to you: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:20.] Think of Jesus; tell of His love; tell of His power. Do not look at the discouragements; think of how precious is Jesus. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 32

Your memory will be renewed by the Holy Spirit. Can you forget what Jesus has done for you at this time, and on that occasion, when everything looked so discouraging? You were taken away from yourself, your deepest, sweetest thoughts were upon your precious Saviour, His care, His assurance, His love. How your desires went out to Him! 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 33

All your hopes rested upon Him; all your expectations were associated with Him. Well, He loves you still. He has the balm that can heal every wound, and you can repose in Him without a single drawback. Let not the future with its hard problems, its unsatisfying prospects, make your heart faint, your knees tremble, your hands hang down. “Let him take hold of my strength,” says the Mighty One, “That he may make peace with us, and he shall make peace with us.” [Isaiah 27:5.] 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 34

The Lord Jesus Christ, the world’s Redeemer, came to earth with a message of mercy and love, but how few received Him. He was the Majesty of heaven, the King of Glory. Let us not be discouraged by neglect, difficulties, and trials. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 35

The Comforter will be to you all that you desire. You will be weighted with the Spirit of God, and the importance of the message, and the work. I know that the Lord is willing to reveal to you wondrous things out of His law. O, let all take knowledge of you, that you have been with Jesus, that you have indeed been in the secret chamber of the Most High. Let us keep the eye single to the glory of God. The truth of God, and sanctifying the affections, has taught the receiver that there is something stronger, deeper and more constraining than the love of a tender mother for her son. It is the love of the Saviour to the souls of the saved, and their love to Him. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 36

Give my love to your wife. I do not forget her. May the Lord bless this daughter of Abraham. 7LtMs, Lt 30a, 1892, par. 37