Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 153, 1896

White, J. E.; White, Emma

Sunnyside, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

July 9, 1896

Portions of this letter are published in FBS 72; 4Bio 255-257.

Dear Children:

I have not had a line from you for more than two months. It will be three months when next American mail is received. I try not to feel anxious, and keep saying, The Lord knows if I do not; I will trust everything in His hands. My last letter I sent to Battle Creek, thinking you might possibly be there, directing, “Please forward.” I hope you have received all the letters I have sent with their enclosures. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 1

Mary Clough Watson has offered her services to me. What think you? I have written to her an answer. Will send you a copy if I can get the matter copied for this mail. I feel deeply in earnest to do the will of God, but will she make me trouble or will she be converted? I must say, I have my fears. Will she know how to help me? We are now doing very well. Maggie Hare is an excellent girl and is taking the place Fannie occupied in furnishing the paper with articles. Maggie is the very opposite of Fannie, who would nearly make those who worked with her wild with her nervous movements. But I am now free and shall hope to keep eight thousand miles of water between her and me. She was always in a fidget and made others nervous. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 2

Monday last was July 6. Willie’s twin boys are doing well. The mother is very motherly, and if the children did not sleep so much she would have quite a trial of her steadfast perseverance to tend one, then attend to the other. They seem to be healthy babes. Willie has just returned from Sydney and Marian is in a great perplexity about cuts she wishes to go out in this mail, but it must be under his inspection, else she refuses they shall go. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 3

I hope to hear that you are not sick. I will be faithful to write you every mail. I am in perplexity to know what Elder Olsen is going to do with the consolidation business. It is a mistake to reach out for more power when they have so deficient a faculty to manage even what they now have. There should be no more reaching out for responsibility until the responsibilities which they now have are managed by men who love and fear God. Corruption will be carried into every conference until there is brought into the publishing office and the General Conference a refined, purified, ennobling principle. I feel sorry for Elder Olsen. He thought if he should manifest confidence in A. R. Henry and keep him traveling about from state to state he would be converted, but the conversion has been the other way. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 4

We are safe only as we make God our trust. He is our sufficiency in all things, at all times, and in all places. I wish I could see you but I must not wish impossible things. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 5

My health is very good now. I am very careful not to eat suppers—not to eat or to drink—and I feel much better. I have now, for years, refused a variety of dishes. I eat the square crackers. I put them in the oven until they are brittle, then eat a couple of baked apples, sometimes pumpkin pie and crackers. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 6

The less of a variety I indulge in, the better I am healthwise, and my head is clear. I thought I should always suffer with inaction of the bowels after my long eleven months’ sickness. For four years the difficulty seemed to be centered in the lower part of the spine. I have had to depend on spring seats and cushions wherever I have traveled, but, children, I have prayed. I asked of God in earnest prayer to help me, to heal me. It is since the new year came in, 1896, I sent to Sydney for springs to make a spring seat, but it did not prove restful. I laid it aside and said, Lord, I will have faith in Thee. I have had faith. I laid aside the spring seats, have only a cushion, and from that time the pain which has been a fixture for four years left me and my bowels act naturally. Thus it has been for several months. I am like a new creature, and my head is clear most of the time. I seldom know what headache is except I take cold, and that is not often. Do you not think I have reason to praise God with heart and soul and voice? This is a miracle, nothing less. I am so glad. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 7

Minnie Hawkins and Maggie Hare I now have being educated by Sister Eliza Burnham. They are girls that make me no trouble, and although my family now number thirteen I am getting along better than I have done for years. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 8

I send more matter to Battle Creek this month, and now I believe my duty is done. I am very anxious to hear from Battle Creek. I get no particulars from any source as to how my letters, which have reached them recently, are received. They are, as you well know, very close, but I dare not hold my peace. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 9

I hope, Edson, you will cling to God. We know not what the developments will be in Battle Creek. There will be a turning and overturning, but God is our Ruler; God is our Judge. The Lord is soon to come, and when the Lord cometh “shall he find faith on the earth?” [Luke 18:8.] Unless the “days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” [Matthew 24:22.] 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 10

It is very unbecoming now for any one of the ministers or the church members to become self-sufficient, masterful in spirit, manifesting ruling properties, lording it over God’s heritage. Let every mouth say with solemn, deep solemnity, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” [Galatians 2:20.] “Without me,” said Christ, “ye can do nothing.” [John 15:5.] 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 11

The great enemy never slumbers nor sleeps. He has his important work to do to deceive and subvert souls. We must keep a spiritual wakefulness, never get into a groove. It was while men slept that the enemy stole into the field and sowed his tares. It is while the watchmen are not vigilant, not sounding the danger signal, that Satan gets in his false propositions and resolutions through unconsecrated men. God help us now to watch unto prayer, to pray without ceasing, and trust not in finite men nor depend on any fleshly power. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 12

God will give every man wisdom who comes to Him for power and grace and sufficiency. We are to bear in mind His Word, and be full of courage and faith and trust. “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” [Isaiah 57:15.] I feel like praising the Lord every time I read these words. How good and gracious is our God to gave us such precious promises! 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 13

And again the Lord speaks of His being misused, dishonored. “But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast brought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” [Isaiah 43:22-25.] 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 14

This is the true picture of the many who feel competent to order and to dictate and rule others as with a rod of iron. Isaiah 43:22-28. Again I say, let us hide self in Jesus. We must have a deep and living experience in the things of God. We must walk humbly with God. We must have an individuality ourselves in Jesus Christ, and the Lord will be our sun and our shield. Enoch walked with God. We may walk with God. We must keep the communication open between God and our own souls. The Lord God is our God. We will praise Him. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 15

Good night. 11LtMs, Lt 153, 1896, par. 16

Mother.