Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 10 (1895)

Lt 131, 1895

White, W. C.

Cooranbong, N. S. W., Australia

July 11, 1895

Previously unpublished.

My dear Son:

The Lord has given me light during the night that has passed. We were in a council meeting, and there were propositions made that W. C. White should be president of N.S.W. Conference with the idea that Elder Daniells might go to America. But W. C. White had no thought of doing this. He said he must be free to help his mother get out her books and to accompany her in her journeying from place to place. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 1

I then related that the light which the Lord had given me was that W. C. White should be relieved largely of details. Others should take up that work and he should be left to better qualify himself for preaching the Word, and the very best preparation for him was not to sit and listen to others preaching in order to learn how to speak to the people, but to just practice speaking and educate his voice by speaking. He was losing precious time and opportunities in not taking his position as a speaker in camp meetings. He was not improving the talent which God had given him to bear His message, decidedly improving the talent. There are men who can serve in places where he is expected to serve, and W. C. White be left free to occupy his place appointed of God to preach the Word. He could reach the hearts and consciences of the people and was neglecting a duty given him of God during the last twenty years. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 2

You must not allow your brethren to make duties for you that shall so occupy your time and energies that you will do so little ministering that your talent will not be improving in presenting the subjects of truth essential for this time. The Lord has given you capabilities to teach the Word, and then your talent in organizing will not be largely lessened but increased. You have neglected to hold forth the Word of life and feed the flock of God, which you are required to do. Speaking would be beneficial to you healthwise, and you are required to take up this work of the ministry as God has appointed you. Your brethren have taken it for granted that another business line of work was your talent, and they have not encouraged you. And as you have had so little confidence in yourself in ministering in word and doctrine, and your brethren do not give you the opportunity to exercise your talent, the Lord has seen fit to send a message to you and to them to lay fewer details of work on you, that you may take your position in the work of ministering. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 3

The many board meetings and council meetings may be of less number. They are a weariness to the flesh and but little appreciated. Reduce your board meetings and increase your talents of speaking the Word of the Lord. You have had the Word upon your heart many times, but you have waited for your brethren to give you a place. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 4

Now the Lord gives you a message: Preach the Word, be instant in season, out of season. You have almost lost the precious blessing of the approval of God because you have not improved your talent in speaking. Your sedentary habits, as secretary for foreign missions, are an injury to you healthwise. There are letters of communication you can write which will be a great blessing to the cause of God. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 5

There are stormy times before you, and you should become familiar with the work of feeding the flock of God. This will be a blessing to the churches and to yourself. In imparting to others you receive again an increase of heavenly food to impart. You have lost confidence in yourself, and as there has been so little encouragement given you to speak the words of life to the people, you have considered it a mistake to work in this line. But it is no mistake; you have neglected your God-given duties. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 6

This is not an inferior matter, to be connected with and attending meetings with your mother. It is highly proper that you should be prepared to speak to the people, not only the few but the many as circumstances shall require. With all your Christlike ambition to advance the work and create a strong influence for the exercise of faith, and with aggressive warfare to stir up the hearts of others to action, you will have help from God as you make God your trust. Through your faith and prayers, mingled with those of the ministerial brethren, you are to imbibe the Holy Spirit and to communicate the pure, holy aspirations and Christlike ambitions to others. You will, under the impression of the Spirit of God, be led to make appeals to young men to consecrate themselves to the work, stirring up in them a missionary spirit to become more and more efficient as laborers together with God. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 7

Your devotion [for] so long to the duties of communication in the foreign missionary work has given you skill and tact in communicating and taking in the necessities of the different fields. This work has improved your talent as a speaker to the point. You have had nearly a world-wide theater of operation, and you will be led and taught of God as you now take up your long-neglected work in ministerial lines. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 8

You have been willing to toil in various lines irrespective of honors or gains, and now the Lord would have you stand more to the front in the place He has appointed you as a minister of the gospel, prepared to take the burden largely from me while my faculties are good, that I can oversee and understand the things that are prepared for the press. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 9

It is not for me or any other person to enter into my special work, to be afterward tempted of the devil and say, I fitted that up; I did that work. It is for you to drop off the things of far less consequence and help me to get my books prepared for publication, that we can have means to work with and help the cause advance in this new world. If Edson and you could help me, the work need not be in any way brought before any other minds for their suggestion. It will be a letting down of the importance of the work. It is your mind that is needed, your talent connected with my work. 10LtMs, Lt 131, 1895, par. 10