Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Lt 46, 1898

Hardy, E.

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales

May 24, 1898

Portions of this letter are published in TMK 53, 209; 3MR 320. +^Note

My Dear Young Brother:

Last Sabbath was the first day I have attempted to speak in the chapel for three months. The Lord gave me a message for the people. I did not see your face among the students. Why is it that you are not here? I had hoped that you would be here to receive the benefits of the Bible studies, and I still have hope that you will be here. Why not? 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 1

We are having an excellent school term. There is a good class of students in attendance. Last term there were a few who made things disagreeable for a time, but we have not seen anything of this kind this term. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 2

Before the school opened I was called away to Melbourne, and remained there for two months, visiting Geelong and Ballarat, and speaking four times in Stanmore on my return. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 3

We shall all be glad to see your face among the number who are deriving all the benefits possible from the school. You have good perceptive faculties, and here you would have advantages that you cannot afford to miss of securing a Biblical knowledge as well as in other lines. Education is a science, and it embraces much—a physical as well as an intellectual knowledge. It teaches the human agent how to perform his duty, and to healthfully work all the human machinery. But you understand all this and have no need that I should dwell at length upon it. You understand the principles upon which we are trying to work. But the foundation of all true education is the wisdom of God. We feel that there is a necessity now for preparing for the future eternal life. We have the most instructive lessons from the Word of God. You understand this, and will appreciate the same. We want you to come into the channel of light. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 4

I felt very sad when it seemed that your attendance at the school was likely to be obstructed, but I think now that your father would raise no objection to your becoming a student in the school. You need all the help that you can possibly obtain—help which is opened to you in a full uncontaminated faith in the Source of all strength. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 5

God’s abounding love and presence will give you the power of self-control. He will mold and fashion your mind and character. He will direct your aims and purposes and capabilities in a channel that will give you moral and spiritual power, which you will not have to leave here in this world, but can carry with you and retain through eternal ages. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 6

“Ye are laborers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] “Ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] Then you will be silently as well as consciously developing a special individual character. As you take the yoke of Christ, and wear it, you will heed His invitation, “Learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” [Matthew 11:29.] 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 7

I know that temptations are in every place, but more especially are they in our cities, and you will meet these temptations in every form. You need the grace of Christ every moment, that your intellect may not run to waste. The estimate which Christ has placed upon every human being, is only ascertained by the great sacrifice He has made to redeem the soul. You may be distinguished for industry and energy of character. You could help students in many lines of industry. They may profit by the inculcation of the knowledge of practical work which you have. Many are very ignorant where you are more wise. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 8

You need now to make a full consecration of yourself to God. You need to have your mind strengthened and ennobled by cultivating spiritual lines of study. You want to find your place in the vineyard of the Lord. You want your mind impressed with the importance of securing spiritual efficiency which will make you a blessing to others. This is the higher education. What hinders you from coming at once to the school, that you may be advantaged by all that you can obtain? This would not only be a great satisfaction to me, but to all who have any acquaintance with you. You scarcely know yourself, you do not understand your danger, for Satan is very subtle in his ingenious methods for leading souls away from light into darkness. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 9

From the light which the Lord has been pleased to give me, I must tell you that your soul is in peril. Standing where you are, you are under temptation. You need to draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. It is not best for you to stand alone and in discouragement. Remember the words, “Thou God seest me.” [Genesis 16:13.] 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 10

If there is not another soul in the universe that regards you, the Lord God of Israel is looking upon you with thoughts of compassion, tenderness, and sympathy. He sees you with your strong impulses when fainthearted and discouraged. Hereditary tendencies strive for the mastery, and you lose your tenderness of heart. You blame circumstances. You would rather be in any place than with your own thoughts. Now, there is a way out of it. Christ is your Saviour, your Redeemer, and He sends you a tender, compassionate, sympathetic invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” But there are conditions. “Take my yoke upon you,” He says, “and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 11

There is light and grace for you, and I hope that you will be a student in our school. This very morning I was speaking with Brother Haskell about you, and I said, “He ought to be in the school.” “Yes,” he said, “why is he not here?” “I wish he would come.” If you would only open your heart to the precious light of truth that is being brought before you, you would consider the truth, and it would be to you as a mine of gold, from which you could draw the heavenly treasure. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 12

Not only has every provision been made that when tried and tempted you should find help and strength and grace, but also that your influence upon other minds should be fragrant. Not only does Christ know every soul, and the temptations and trials of that soul, but He knows all the circumstances that irritate and chafe the spirit. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 13

Your great danger is in being self-sufficient. This will not do for a Christian. Christ will give you His patience if you ask for it. A true shepherd knows and pities and helps the sheep that most need his help—those that are bruised and lame and feeble. “He shall lead his flock like a shepherd.” [Isaiah 40:11.] 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 14

Far more intimately than the patriarch Jacob knew the weak, the suffering, and the lame among his sheep, does the chief Shepherd know His flock. He knows what no one else knows. He has Himself weighed every burden. No one knows the weight like Himself, for He has borne all our griefs, carried all our sorrows. It was this that made Him a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 15

If you suppose that you have no sympathy from any human heart, you make a mistake. But even if this were the case you have the deepest, the richest, the most refreshing sympathy in the bosom of the great Shepherd. We have not an high priest who cannot sympathize with us, but One who was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. I want you to understand that if your soul is saved, it will be because you have cooperated with Jesus Christ in His great work of restoring in you the moral image of God. You must work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. “We are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 16

Every young man, if he will, may have that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. There are duties to the body and duties to the soul, and these every human agent must cooperate with God in seeking to perform. In this age of the world especially young men need excellency of character. Do not submit to receive a cheap mold. The young need sound common sense; for they are living for two worlds. They should make everything practical. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 17

I address you, my brother. Apply the truth to your own individual case. You have a soul to save or a soul to lose. Have a will of your own, but let it be subject to the will of God. Be determined that you will not become angry, that you will not become self-sufficient, that you will not be hasty and overbearing. If this is your weak point, guard that point as a man would guard a broken limb. Watch your spirit, and let not a hasty spirit conquer you. Be careful to examine the weak points in your character, knowing that the evils which exist may be overcome by steadfastly refusing to yield to your weakness. The evil of hasty, wicked, indulgence of temper makes any youth a madman. Keep sane. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Evil can and will grow into existence through repetition. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 18

Do not underrate the importance of little things because they are little. By action and reaction these little defects accumulate, and bind themselves together like rods of steel. That little action, that unguarded word, repeated, becomes habit. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 19

I have a message for you. Cultivate a kind, tender, sympathetic heart, and never call these attributes weakness, for they are the attributes of Christ. Be careful of your influence. Let it be of so pure and fragrant a character that you will never be ashamed to have it reproduced in others. We are fitting ourselves for the great family of heaven. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 20

You will hear men expressing infidel sentiments. Never make these men your associates, because they are controlled by a satanic agency that you do not see. Many poor souls are being trained under the black banner of the powers of darkness. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 21

As drops of water make the river, so little things make up life. Life is a river, peaceful, calm, and enjoyable, or it is a troubled river, always casting up mire and dirt. In this life you may place yourself under the discipline of the Holy Spirit. Through the sanctification of the Spirit you will thus grow more and more like Christ. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 22

A violent display of temper is at all times the work of Satan. Thus he leads human agents to reflect his image. You need an education entirely different from that which you are now receiving. Christ speaks to you; hear His voice. “He that will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” [Luke 9:23.] Christ calls you just as you are. All that you are asked to do is to cooperate with Him. His influence will mold and train your soul. You will be transformed by the Spirit of Christ into His likeness. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 23

Acts repeated form habits, and habit constitutes character. My young brother, for Christ’s sake, make a decided effort to cooperate with God. Do not make any delay, for eternal interests are involved. You have had precious opportunities. The Lord would have you unite with those who are spiritually minded, that your life and character may be molded after the Divine standard, that you may be indeed a child of God and heir of heaven. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 24

I ask you to come to our school as a student. I do not believe your father would oppose this, although I have not spoken to him in regard to it. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 25

In love for your soul. 13LtMs, Lt 46, 1898, par. 26