Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Lt 18, 1900

White, J. E.; White, Emma

Sanitarium Farm, Hornsby Junction, New South Wales, Australia

February 6, 1900 [typed]

Previously unpublished.

Dear Children Edson and Emma:

I have read your letter with deep interest, and would be so glad to sit down and talk with you. But we must be content with writing. I have written some things to you which I cannot find. Certainly you deserve a good long letter this mail. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 1

We are now on the sanitarium farm. We came down here to find rest for Sara and myself, but we have had so much company since coming here that I am afraid she will get no rest. Brother and Sister Robinson and their little girl came up on Sunday. They took dinner with the family who lives in the back part of this house. John Wessels and his little boy and Brother Sharp dined with us. On Sunday Brother and Sister Hughes came down from Cooranbong, and stopped with us overnight. It is more inconvenient to receive visitors here than at home. There we have our cook. Here we take care of ourselves, and all our food is sent to us from “Sunnyside.” I fear that Sara will not get rested at all. She worked very hard for a full week getting the house ready for us to occupy. We shall have to return home if visitors continue to come. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 2

I am beginning to think there is no place in this world where I can rest. If we go away anywhere, something always makes it harder for us that at home. But Edson, there remaineth a rest for the people of God. If we can only have that rest, how thankful we shall be. How we long for that rest that will be so grateful to the tired and weary. But enough of this. Jesus is our rest. He is our comfort, our peace, our joy, and our consolation. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 3

You have made plans and [have] much work before you to do. Remember that our hope and crown of rejoicing is the enlargement of the kingdom of God. Christ is the great Worker. Human beings are to be yoked up with Him. Man may frame yokes for his own neck and for the necks of others, and all may draw to the utmost of their physical, mental, and spiritual power, and yet find themselves tired out without having accomplished anything. Human power cannot do the work to be done. Christ says, “Without me ye can do nothing.” [John 15:5.] Yet He says to human agents, “We are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] Will He indeed accept human agents and unite them with His divine instrumentalities? He will. He will co-operate with the human beings who surrender themselves up to Him. He can use them to the glory of His name. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 4

The Lord Jesus desires to set in operation agencies through whom He can communicate. He desires to set men at work for their fellow men. This is His ordained means of making known the living Word. “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” [Habakkuk 2:14.] “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. ... In that day shall there be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious.” [Isaiah 11:9, 10.] At this time, while there is so much war and famine and pestilence, while there are calamities by land and by sea, the truth is to be made known. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 5

There is to be no lifting up of self in these last days. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 6

Those who profess to believe the truth are not to separate themselves from the commandment-keeping people of God, as altogether more righteous than those God has appointed to preach His Word, to explain the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, to give the warnings regarding the law of God and the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, the seal of the living God. The Lord declares that the Sabbath is the sign between Him and His people. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 7

John declares, “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ... And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life, of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” “If any man have an ear, let him hear.” [Revelation 13:1, 7-9.] It is for the interest of all to hear. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 8

John writes again, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven and earth, the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 9

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast or his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Then John exclaims, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” [Revelation 14:6-12.] 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 10

“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a [lamb], and he spake as a [dragon]. ... And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” [Revelation 13:11, 16, 17.] Which mark do we bear? What kind of missionary work are we doing for the world? God declares, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” [Revelation 14:9, 10.] The message to be given to the world is a message which means life or death to men and women. Who will take up the proclamation of this message, fraught with such tremendous consequences? 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 11

Why is the religious world asleep? Why is it taking no interest in the momentous questions which mean so much to them? 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 12

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [Revelation 12:17.] Here is presented the effort made by the fallen powers against those who keep holy God’s memorial, the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, the sign between God and His people, “that ye may know,” He says, “that I am the Lord which doth sanctify you.” [Exodus 31:13.] 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 13

There is a people who stand under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel who, united with Christ, hold aloft the banner on which is inscribed, “The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” [Revelation 14:12.] “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” [Revelation 17:12-14.] 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 14

In the eighteenth chapter of Revelation is depicted the punishment Babylon will receive. John writes, “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” [Verses 4-8.] 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 15

The Revelation was given by Jesus Christ. “He said unto me,” John writes, “These sayings are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. Behold, I come quickly; blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” [Revelation 22:6, 7.] Men may declare Revelation to be a sealed book, but the angel said to John, “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand. ... Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. ... Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” [Verses 10, 12, 14.] 15LtMs, Lt 18, 1900, par. 16