Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 30, 1896

Hickox, Brother and Sister

Adelaide, South Australia

October 13, 1896

Portions of this letter are published in OHC 126.

Dear Brother and Sister Hickox:

I know not why you have been in my mind so much during this meeting. I hoped you would be here, for I had some special things to say to you, which I could not speak of to others. I have been so very busy that I have not been able to write. I have not known your whereabouts. I knew you had been working in connection with Brother Merritt Kellogg at Broken Hill, and I supposed you would be at this meeting. We are having a good meeting. Brother Hawkins is on the ground, and is engaging in the work. I feel the deepest interest in this brother, and I hope that as the Lord has been leading him to investigate the Scriptures, he will search most earnestly for the hidden treasure. He may sink the shaft deeper and still deeper in the mines of truth, and discover veins of precious ore. He will then see that the third angel’s message is full of precious, substantial truth for this time. What is it? The commandments of God, and the testimony or faith of Jesus. In this message those who do God’s will will know the doctrine, whether it be of God. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 1

Brother and Sister Hickox, are you prepared to take hold of the work anywhere, with heart and soul. When clouds come between your souls and God, when all around you in darken and forbidding, when the enemy stands ready to rob the soul of its integrity to God and the truth, and when error stands out plausible and attractive, then it is time to pray and exercise faith in God. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 2

The Lord will work by His Holy Spirit upon every mind and heart that is committed to Him. Will you both place yourselves in the channel of light, where the Holy Spirit can work with you? I have looked upon you both with great interest, because I know that your natural temperaments need to be softened; the rugged, natural traits of your character need to be removed. Will you see this? Will you realize the danger that is constantly before you? Satan takes advantage of every objectionable trait of character, and if these natural sentiments and passions are not overcome, they will overcome you, and will greatly detract from your usefulness in any line of the work. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 3

What is faith? It is not sight. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” [Hebrews 11:1.] Cherishing faith, the soul is enabled to rise beyond itself, and penetrate the hellish shadow which the enemy casts athwart the pathway of every soul that is striving for an immortal crown. How many times Jesus said, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” [Mark 14:38.] We are to watch and pray just as long as Satan brings up clouds of unbelief, composed of every evil thing that he can devise, to lead the human mind to yield to temptation. But this cloud that lies between God and the human agent cannot envelop man and penetrate his soul unless he opens his mind and heart to its dark beams. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 4

The angels of God will guard every man from the poisonous malaria of temptations of the wicked one, who will rise beyond self and circumstances and surroundings, looking unto Jesus through every mist and fog and cloud, and penetrating by faith the darkest temptations. What will be the privilege of the one who does this? “Let him take hold of my strength,” the Lord declares, “that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me.” [Isaiah 27:5.] 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 5

Satan would lead minds into clouds and darkness and unbelief by tempting them to indulge in a wrong spirit. But do not let your human feelings attain the mastery. Here is your danger. If you realize this, you will guard the doors of your heart, lest the darkness of Satan’s clouds come in. <We are to watch the small beginnings of sin.> If this darkness enters, it will go from you to others, your influence will be hurt; you will never rise to be a representative man, because of our self-esteem and self-assurance. The Lord will not be able to bless you as He would, because your faith and works will not be in harmony. The works show the value and quality of the faith. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 6

If you trust Him, the Lord will give you a breadth of experience that you do not now possess. You are and will be placed under trying circumstances, for every man’s faith will be tested and proved. If you stand the proving of God, and do not allow self to be the master, if your faith holds fast, producing active obedience to the Lord’s will, you will then be worked by the Holy Spirit. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 7

The Lord is not pleased when you, or any of His servants who bear the message of truth to others, do not feel the necessity of constantly learning. The child often asks, “Why should I learn?” and by many this sentiment is entertained, if not expressed in so many words. We have a Great Teacher, even Jesus Christ. He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” [Matthew 11:29.] Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Truth must ever be treasured in the soul. The more we learn under Christ’s yoke, the more influence we will have. Wisdom, well-used, is a wonderful blessing. The more we learn from the Great Teacher, the more we have to communicate, and the greater our influence for good over other minds. Nothing savoring of display or of boasting of the knowledge we have, nothing like lifting up the soul in vanity or in self-sufficiency, nothing like a display of the talents God has entrusted to us, will be seen. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 8

A grave responsibility rests upon the human agent to increase his talents by use. Under the Great Teacher, he is constantly to accumulate knowledge, following distinctly in the course the Lord has marked out. But many are acting upon the idea that there is a connecting link between light and darkness, between Christ and Belial. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 9

The Lord will impart His divine skill and aptitude to all who are true learners. If He sees that their hearts are humble, He will instruct them out of His Word, which is profitable for all things, for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction, for correction in righteousness, that the man of God may be prefect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 10

The queen of Sheba came to Solomon to obtain knowledge from him. She talked with him of the things of nature. Solomon was a true student of natural history. He had studied the inanimate creation, the shrubs and flowers, and had acquired a better understanding of God’s wisdom. His love for God and his knowledge of God increased as he recognized Him as the God of nature. He had also studied the things of the animate creation. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 11

From many lands people came to hear Solomon, and he taught them of God as the Creator of all things. These people carried away with them impressions of the living God that were new and wonderful to them. They began to look at the things of nature as their instructor. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 12

The Lord is not pleased or glorified by the ignorance of human beings in regard to natural laws, or in regard to spiritual laws, which are in perfect harmony with natural laws; for the whole creation is one masterpiece of infinite wisdom. The essential knowledge of the soul-life is faith in God. Then the qualities of character will appear as vital, living things, which should increase and advance, constantly growing. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 13

My brother and sister, you have very much to learn. You need not be dwarfed or crippled in your experience if you will bring your lessons to a definite purpose, placing yourselves under the control of God. But selfish traits of character rob you of the wisdom you might obtain. You are not willing to be taught. You think that you know enough. But you have only just begun to climb the ladder of genuine, sanctified experience in the things of God. This deficiency in the knowledge of the meekness and lowliness of Christ will place you where you will have much tribulation, which will not yield the precious fruits of righteousness. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 14

The promises of God are sure and unbounded. You need faith, pure, unadulterated faith. Without this faith no one can engage in successful warfare against the seen and unseen agencies which are at work to uproot confidence in God and in one another. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 15

I cannot finish this now, so will send it as it is. If I have the time during this meeting, I will follow out the matter here presented to you; but I have no time now. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 16

My brother, my sister, Christ demands more than you have given Him. He asks the entire heart, the undivided allegiance of every soul that names His name. The Lord will work with you if you will co-operate with Him. But, my dear brother, your faith must go deeper. It must lay hold of the promise, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” [John 15:7.] Your faith must be continually exercised. If you do not win the crown of life, it will be because you have not striven lawfully. United with Christ, all the power you require will be given you. Abiding in Him, you can fight manfully. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 17

The more you believe and trust as a child in the Lord Jesus, the greater will be your capacity for believing. By faith you stand. Only by exercising faith can you conquer self. It will cost you a severe struggle, because self has been hard to manage. Self is the ground where Satan always meets and manages those whom he wishes to deceive and conquer. But if the righteousness of Christ is revealed in you, you become strong. Looking beyond yourself, to a crucified Saviour, a risen and ascended Lord, who is, as your Advocate, making intercession for you, taking hold of Christ’s power and efficiency, you can conquer. 11LtMs, Lt 30, 1896, par. 18