Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Lt 28, 1898

Robinson, Brother and Sister [D. A.]

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

January 24, 1898

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother and Sister Dores Robinson:

I have heard of you quite often from various sources. I would be much pleased if I could visit your field of labor, and clasp hands with you, my old and tried friends. How good it is to remember, when separated by long distances from friends and relatives, that we have a Friend who is ever near us, who has said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:18-20.] 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 1

What courage and hope and faith has this promise inspired in the workers in every age, those who are in heathen lands, lifting up the standard of truth. Certainly you are not studying your case, or laboring to lay up treasure in this world. You are far away from us, but the Lord is at your right hand. He will help you. He commissions the angel-messengers about his throne to go to every part of the globe and minister to those who are suffering with diseased bodies and with the leprosy of sin. The Lord will be a wall of fire about those who serve Him. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 2

I often think of you, and wish I could see you. We are not among those who are termed heathen; yet they are the very worst kind of heathen. Idolatry is practiced in their sports, their games, their horse racing. These are abundant, and lead to deepen their misery, and increase their crime. The earth is groaning under the inhabitants thereof. It is cursed because of the sins of those who inhabit it. The Lord is viewing the inhabitants of the earth, with all their iniquity, and He is preparing to come forth out of His place to punish for these things. The earth shall disclose her blood, and no more cover her slain. There are wars, and rumors of wars. A power from beneath is stirring men with an intensity which but few human beings realize. Satan has come down with great power; he is working with his army of apostate angels, united with evil men, and what a snare has he laid for the world! 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 3

The religious world is deluded. “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily and with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” [Revelation 18:1-5.] 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 4

These warnings are given to the world, and those who see their import have a work to do in giving the trumpet no uncertain sound. We are to proclaim the third angel’s message, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Here is contained the whole duty of man. Those who have the truth in their hearts will not now study fashion and dress and display. This has always been an offense to God, and at this time it is a positive denial of the faith. The unconsecrated, indulgent lives of many are crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting Him to open shame. The life of the Son of God was a life of self-denial and self-sacrifice. What for? That He might seek and save that which was lost. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 5

My heart is often greatly burdened because so many who might work are doing nothing. They are the sport of Satan’s temptation. Every church member who has a knowledge of the truth is required to work while the day lasts; for the night cometh in which no man can work. Ere long we shall understand what that night means. The Spirit of God is being grieved away. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. The nations are angry one with another. Preparations are being made for war. The night is at hand, when no man can work. Let the church awaken and go forth. There is plenty of work to do right around us, and when these have heard the message, we must extend our message to towns and cities that have never heard the message of warning. Every soul, learned or unlearned, can bear the message in the highways and hedges. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 6

“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; they went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” [1 John 2:18-20.] 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 7

“They went out from us.” [Verse 19.] They were once with us in the faith, but they became offended at something that was said or done. They withdrew themselves from us, and went over to the ranks of the enemy, to war against the truth which they had once built up. These are the evidences of the sharp practice of Satan, whereby we know that it is the last time. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 8

Our camp meeting in Stanmore commenced the 15th of October, and closed the 1st of November. It was a meeting of deep interest. Crowds came out to hear. We have not had a greater interest than this in any camp meeting we have held. At the close of the meeting the decision was made to continue meetings in the preaching tent on the same ground. Brother and Sister Haskell and Brother and Sister Starr hired a house, established a mission, and have since been laboring there, educating the workers. They give two lessons daily, and have held meetings through the week, with the exception of Monday night. Meetings are held all day Sabbath and in the evening, and Sunday afternoon and evening. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 9

Brother and Sister Wilson joined the workers, and these three couples separate, and each goes to different houses to give Bible readings. This personal labor is educating families in the truth. The work has been in progress since November. The calls are so numerous that the workers cannot get round to visit half the families that need visiting. Twenty workers could be employed in this work. They have decided to have several families assemble in certain localities, and give them Bible readings. By this means they can accomplish more than they have hitherto done. It will save time, and will be more interesting. They can join in prayer when they assemble together and can all learn from the Scriptures. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 10

Sometimes I go to Stanmore to speak with the people on Sabbath and Sunday afternoon. The interest in the meetings does not abate, and we have faith that as many or more than one hundred souls will obey the truth. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 11

We are now trying to secure land on which to build a meetinghouse. The tent is not the best place in which to meet, although it has been the best we could get. The meetinghouses are not opened to us, but we shall soon have a church erected. The interest seems to be widening, and the truth is stirring many minds. If our own people would awake out of sleep, and work as Christ worked, manifesting His self-denial and self-sacrifice, we should see of the salvation of God. Just as soon as the church members will become instrumentalities through whom the Lord can work, personal effort will be made to present the truth as it is in Jesus. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 12

We hope in the establishment of our schools to educate and train the youth to be self-denying missionaries, for the work can only be done by self-denying, consecrated men and women. It is consecrated effort that is needed. If visible things are allowed to absorb the mind, they will palsy the power of human effort. Every effort must be made to fix the attention upon Jesus Christ. The things that are unseen should absorb the attention. I hope the coming school term will be more after the order of the schools of the prophets, that the Spirit of God will rest upon teachers and students in a large measure. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 13

But my time is limited. I drop you these few lines, and will send with them enclosures. We will bear in mind that we are laborers together with God. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 14

In much love to you, Brother and Sister Robinson. 13LtMs, Lt 28, 1898, par. 15