Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Lt 56, 1892

White, J. E.

Adelaide, South Australia

October 26, 1892

Previously unpublished.

[Edson White:]

I cannot understand the tenor of your letter and I dare not move in the dark. I would do anything that I thought the Lord would be pleased to have me do to save the soul of my son, but I dare not move on your light. I have been faced too many times with this kind of presentation and done as you willed, and have been convinced it was not as God willed. I cannot do this again, for I have learned that in the place of saving your soul it has proved to your injury and given you the means to follow your own will in your own course of action. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 1

If your soul is saved it will be because you have decided you want heaven and not perdition. Satan is well pleased to have you all interwoven with your mother and brother, and then to place yourself in a position where we are really made responsible for your course of action. Yet you move independently in so many ways that our brethren have lost confidence in you and in your mother and brother. This has crippled our influence and placed me in a wrong light before the people. I am hurt, all the time hurt. I am disappointed in you; your Saviour is disappointed in you, and the angels of God are disappointed in you. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 2

I have not a proposition to make to you and would not feel clear in the sight of God to bind up or connect with you in business in any way. You know I would not have done as I have done with any other person living, but you were my son; therefore I have tried every possible way to keep you so that you could lift up your head, not feel like a culprit. I wanted to give you every chance to be free and respected and honored, and to do the very work the Lord has signified it was your duty to do. But if you do not submit to God I need not be surprised that you do not submit to my pleadings. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 3

If you could have the whole history laid out before you of the sufferings, the anxiety, the sorrow, the sleepless nights I have spent, the burden of soul I have carried in behalf of you, you might change your course of action. But look to the cross of Calvary. Jesus died in your behalf, purchased you with the price of His own blood, and if this will not melt and break your heart into contrition, I fear your own mother’s pleading will do nothing. If any other man or woman should treat my counsel and entreaties as you, my own son, have done, how would you look upon the matter—seeing me full of grief and sorrow, trying to help them, pleading with them, and yet they pay not respect enough to me even to respond to my letters of entreaty? It is your soul I have been trying to save, and you know my anxiety, yet you do not relieve my distress by one word. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 4

Now my son, I cannot move blindly any longer. How you have conducted the business I know not, but I am left in the dark about that matter, with no evidence that you have spiritual eyesight. Knowing you are not under the control of the Spirit of God, I cannot send cablegraph messages across the world to you urging a course of action which we know nothing about, which might place me in a very bad light before those with whom I wish to have influence, that they shall not stumble over any inconsistencies in me. What should work you up to such a pitch of desperation is a mystery to me. If it is because you feel you have been treated in a way to humble you, my son, I have been treated in a way to humble me in the dust on your account; and if you are standing clear, thank God for it and do not care for the humiliation you may feel at the present time. You cannot feel more deeply the humiliation than I have felt it. And there was not one bit of need of it all. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 5

You have had every chance to link up with us in a firm, to be advised and counseled, all three united, but the least bit of restraint seemed like galling chains to you. The Lord would have had you and Willie knit together, but the enemy came in and made you believe your brother wanted to rule you. And so we could have no sweet union. He has done all he could do to help you, and you do not appreciate it because your heart is not meek and lowly, but self-willed; and until this spirit dies and Jesus Christ takes possession of your soul I have nothing to hope for. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 6

I must now stop. I have no words I can use to express my sorrow. Nine months have I been greatly afflicted, but what joy it would be to me to hear that my son was walking in the truth, walking in the love and fear of God. I feel now most surely that although Noah and Job and Daniel were in the land they could save only their own souls by their own righteousness. They could not save son or daughter. If you rush on in your impetuous spirit as did Saul whom the Lord told just what to do and he did not obey God, but did just contrary—then with the great light you have had your case will be proportionately condemned, your heart be proportionately stubborn, and I must leave you with a just God, hoping you will have some pity upon your mother and your wife. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 7

I make one more plea: “Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?” [Ezekiel 33:11.] With the warnings I have had and given you, I could not be clear in the sight of God to make moves which would only fasten you deeper in the snare of Satan, in order to save your feelings. I beg of you not to bring my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Is it not time for self in you to die? Is it not time for you to fall on the Rock and be broken? Is it not time for you to repent before God and be converted that your sins may be blotted out? You have had every advantage, every privilege that one could have, every incentive to do right. But your pride, independence, and will have been your hindrance all the way along. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 8

If you have done wrong in any way, save your soul by confessing your wrong and God will forgive you. Only come to God in contrition, and He will pardon. But “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts” and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” [Isaiah 55:6, 7.] However others may think of you and treat you, we will stand by you, we will sustain you in God and not sustain you while you are separating yourself from God. We do not hold out any inducement, only the Lord Jesus. Take Him as your Saviour. I cannot put confidence in you aside from this. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 9

I am sorry to write this. I am filled with pity for myself that I have to write it. I am filled with pity for you and for me and Willie. Come to Jesus just as you are, humble your heart before Him, and He will pardon. Mr. and Mrs. Mason can do nothing to hurt your soul. You can do more to hurt your own soul than anyone can do to hurt you. If you will only take the right position, that we can conscientiously link with you, we will do it, but not before. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 10

I write plainly and in love. Do not pervert my words, but take them to heart. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 11

Mother.

I sent a letter to Elder Olsen meaning you should see it. Tell him I requested you to see it. It is dated Preston, Melbourne, June 19. 7LtMs, Lt 56, 1892, par. 12