Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)

Lt 102, 1899

White, J. E.

July 3, 1899

Portions of this letter are published in TMK 117; OHC 174. +^Note

Dear Son Edson:

If you and Emma come to us, we shall do all in our power to make you happy. I have no urging to do, my dear children. Ask the Lord in regard to the matter, then do what you know is your duty. We must take life’s controversies and troubles to His feet, for He loves us. His every word and look invites our confidence. We want Jesus to come into our home and abide with us. He will shape and mold our characters according to His own will, and every day we shall be found asking, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 1

We need not feel undue anxiety. We must learn the lesson of faith and trust. Let us commit the spiritual needs of our soul to Him who has loved us and given His precious life that He might make it possible for us to learn of Him who is meek and lowly in heart. While lifting the cross He says to us, “He that will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” [Mark 8:34.] Christ alone can make us capable of responding when He says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” [Matthew 11:29.] This means that every day self must be denied. Christ can give us the noble resolve, the will, to suffer and to fight the battles of the Lord with persevering energy. The weakest, aided by divine grace, may have strength to be more than conquerors. 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 2

We need an abiding Christ. We must render God more than a fitful service. Learning of Jesus, we shall copy His character, His meekness and lowliness of heart. When we find ourselves in trouble we are apt to censure someone. It is not right to do this. We need to hide ourselves in God. We need confidence in God. Then we all “with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory,” from character to character, “even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” [2 Corinthians 3:18.] The Lord does not expect impossibilities of you or of me, but beholding Him we may be changed into the same image. 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 3

“Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” [1 Corinthians 13:4-7.] Through His inspired apostle, Christ has presented to us the measure of the character that is imbued with the love of Christ. We are to bear the marks of Christ; we are to have His likeness. This example is given us that we may know the possibilities, the heights we may reach in and through Christ. The standard He presents is perfection in Him, and through His merits we may attain to it. We come short because we are content to look at earthly things rather than at heavenly. It is by beholding Christ that we are changed from glory to glory. The eye that views common things needs to be elevated. “Now we see through a glass darkly,” the apostle says, “but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, and charity; these three, but the greatest of these is charity.” [Verses 12, 13.] 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 4

No man has yet measured the nature of God or the character of His Son. We must have a knowledge of God by living experience. If we follow on to know the Lord, we shall know His goings forth are prepared as the morning. We are to appreciate the talents of the words faith, hope, and charity. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them which believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory (the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” [John 1:12-16.] 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 5

Will you, my children, daily receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? What others may do, what others may say, what others may think of you, will not change God’s thoughts toward you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, and the opinion of man will not change his character. You have a heaven to win. Christ gave His own life that you might obtain the peace and rest and love of God. Keep looking to Jesus who loves you and whom you are to love, the One whom you are to talk about, He who is the Author and Finisher of your faith. 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 6

Edson, Jesus loves you. Emma, Jesus loves you; and He takes no man’s measurement of your character. You are to behold Jesus and reflect His image. Keep His love in your thoughts. Invite the heavenly Guest to abide with you. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the (experimental) knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” [2 Peter 1:2-4.] 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 7

The Word is plain. We have no excuse for remaining in weakness and spiritual poverty. Every provision has been made, and it rests wholly with us whether we will believe the words of God. The Lord Jesus calls you to be filled with all the fullness of God. Then you can truly represent the words of Christ, “Whoso drinketh of the waters that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the waters that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.” [John 4:14.] Christ wants us to be co-laborers with Him. When we are emptied of self, He will give to us that we may impart. The two olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves, will supply the cleansed vessels with light and comfort and hope and love for those who are in need. 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 8

My children, my words seem very tame, but try to take them in. Let your spirit be cleansed from all earthliness, all unholy, uncharitable thoughts. Let your words be clean, sanctified, vivifying and refreshing all with whom you associate. Be not easily provoked. Let the praise of God be in your hearts and upon your lips, that no evil thing may truthfully be said of you. 14LtMs, Lt 102, 1899, par. 9