Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Lt 113, 1901

White, J. E.; White, Emma

Los Angeles, California

August 13, 1901

Portions of this letter are published in WM 49, 169-170; 4MR 19-21; 5Bio 124-125.

Dear children,—

I have received the letter in which you speak of the prunes sent to you. We bought these prunes before we went to Conference. They were very cheap then, for everyone in California expected to have a plentiful harvest of prunes. Willie and I sent them to you. I paid the freight. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 1

I have very little fruit on my place this year. There are no prunes and very few peaches. From my place on the hill I shall get some prunes and some almonds. We had some fine apricots. We have had to buy most of our fruit, peaches, blackberries, and strawberries. We shall have plenty of grapes. I wish we could send some to you. I do not know how to enjoy these good things when I know that you all need them so much. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 2

Brother James planted a large patch of sweet corn. But the weather was so dry that we decided that the corn would be no good. I told Brother James that he could give it to the cow for green feed. He left it for a few days, and we began to think that a few ears might develop. And then all at once to our surprise we found bushels of ripe corn. Our family and Brother James’ family and Willie’s family had all we could eat. We dried about a bushel and W. C. White dried about a peck. It seemed almost like a miracle to have this corn. O, how I wished that you could be here to enjoy it with us. I will send you some of that which we have dried when I hear of some one going to Nashville. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 3

I called for means here for the work in the South, and it seemed almost like stealing; for they are trying to gather means to establish a sanitarium somewhere near Los Angeles. Dr. Moran, his brother, and their wives have worked diligently at the Restaurant, and great success has attended their labors. They tell us that over seven hundred people are fed daily at the Restaurant. This work will be continued, and a site will be at once found for the sanitarium. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 4

It was on Sunday afternoon that I made an appeal for your work. Ninety dollars were raised. This afternoon, Tuesday, I stood again before a large congregation in the tent, and the power of God came upon me. I spoke from the first six verses of the seventeenth chapter of John. Many not of our faith were present, and I was led out in a marked manner to speak of the selfishness and covetousness seen in the world. I spoke of the way in which the great buildings which are being erected will collapse at one touch of God’s hand, and how the great ocean steamers will be swallowed up by the waves. All idols will perish. Men are piling up treasures for the last great day when their robbery, theft, and fraud will be swift witness against them. I felt the power of the message upon me. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 5

I told the people just a little of what you are trying to do in Nashville. I told them I felt perfectly free to call upon the trustees of the Lord’s money to help in that needy field. I asked them to be God’s helping hand by giving of their means to advance His work. I called upon believers and unbelievers to do something for Christ’s sake. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 6

We may get something from this appeal. If twenty-five dollars are raised, this will help a little. The amount may be less than this, but I hope that it will be more. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 7

Unto the poor the gospel is to be preached. Never does the gospel put on an aspect of greater loveliness than when it is brought to the most needy and destitute regions. To men of every station it delivers its precepts, which regulate their duties, and its promises, which nerve them to the discharge of their duties. Then it is that the light of the gospel shines forth in its most radiant clearness and its greatest power. Truth from the Word of God enters the hovel of the peasant and lights up the rude cottages of the poor, both black and white. Rays from the Sun of Righteousness bring gladness to the sick and suffering. Angels of God are there, and the simple faith shown makes the crust of bread and the cup of water as a banquet of luxury. Those who have been loathed and abandoned are raised through faith and pardon to the dignity of sons and daughters of God. Lifted above all in the world, they sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. They have no earthly treasure, but they have found the pearl of great price. The sin-pardoning Saviour receives the poor and ignorant, and gives them to eat of the bread which comes down from heaven. They drink of the water of life. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 8

The Lord give you all courage to work on in the Southern field. I call upon you all to have faith in God. I am sorry, so sorry that you have to be delayed in your work. There is plenty of money in the hands of the Lord’s stewards. Will men continue to cherish selfishness? Will this great evil never be completely eradicated? Will it be allowed to grow into idolatry, deforming those whom the Lord has called to co-operate with Him? 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 9

In the eyes of the Lord the Southern field is a most distressing spectacle, a deformity in the midst of a Christian nation, bearing testimony before angels and before men to the neglect of a people who might be helped were it not for the selfishness and covetousness of professing Christians, who will be called to account for their neglect in the day when every man is judged according to his works. The colored people of the South, who have been left in degradation, will then bear witness against the Christian world. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 10

The Lord is watching to see whether those who have had great light, before whom the needs of the Southern field have been kept, will now rally and do their appointed work. God brings His people to the test. He calls upon them to study the case of the man who, robbed and beaten, was left to die by the wayside. A priest and a Levite came that way, but instead of helping the wounded man, they passed by on the other side. O, how much better it would have been if they had shown sympathy and compassion. A Samaritan as he journeyed saw the suffering man and had compassion on him. He showed that he had a heart which was touched with the infirmities of his neighbor. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 11

Today God gives men opportunity to show whether they love their neighbor. He who truly loves God and his fellow man is he who shows mercy to the destitute, the suffering, the wounded, those who are ready to die. God calls upon every man to take up his neglected work, to seek to restore the moral image of the Creator in humanity. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 12

Wednesday, 11:00 A.M.

This morning I was called into a committee meeting to give the light the Lord had given me in regard to the sanitarium which is to be established in Los Angeles. Some of the brethren have held one view in regard to the way in which the work should be carried on and some another. I gave them the light God had given me, and I think that now they will all work on right lines. I spoke for over an hour, presenting the necessity of blending together in medical missionary work. I had some very plain things to say. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 13

After I had spoken, I was requested to drive out to see a location at which the brethren are looking as favorable for the sanitarium. It is a good site. There are about five acres. Tomorrow we go to Long Beach, about twenty miles away, to see another site. I do not think Long Beach would be a good place for a sanitarium because there is a great deal of fog there. This afternoon I speak again in the tent. I have already spoken four times during this meeting. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 14

I learn that seventy dollars were raised as a result of my appeal on Tuesday afternoon. One man gave twenty dollars. His wife is a believer, but he himself is an unbeliever. I made the call because I saw that there were many unbelievers present. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 15

The money which has been raised will be sent to you today. I shall not dare to make another call. It would appear like selfishness when the means is needed so much for the establishment of a sanitarium. But I think I shall draw again on the Pacific Press. I shall do all I can to help you through your straight places. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 16

It made me very sad to learn that Sister Rogers is not expected to live. We have entreated the Lord to spare her life. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 17

Willie says that he does not think you ought to live right in the office, but that you ought to have a little cottage by yourselves. I wish you could. The Lord may open the way for this. What is the price of that little building close by you? 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 18

We receive most distressing calls from Australia. The Sanitarium building is still unfinished. There is a great dearth of means. Those who are working on the building have sacrificed all they possibly can. Some are working only for their board. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 19

Wednesday afternoon

I have just returned from speaking to the people in the tent. The Lord gave me a message of consolation. I encouraged the people to offer praise and thanksgiving to God. The Lord desires us to keep our lives free from sinful indulgences. If we sit in meekness at the feet of Jesus, we cannot fail to have right views of God’s character. The precious Saviour was ever lifting up the bowed-down, and if we work in union with Him, we shall reveal His compassion. Then will ascend the prayer, “Father, I thank thee for thy goodness. Not my will but thine be done.” [See Luke 22:42.] 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 20

O, what great favors God has granted us! We may have the mind of Christ. We may be partakers of the divine nature. When the will of God becomes our will, the peace of Christ makes music in the soul. Heaven is enshrined in humanity, and humanity is enfolded in the bosom of infinite Love. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 21

When Christ abides in the soul, cherished prejudices are swept away. O, what a forgiving, compassionate Saviour we have! Why do we not speak forth His praises? “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” [Psalm 103:13.] 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 22

O, there is a reality in religion. Unwise, impulsive movements will be checked by watchfulness and prayer. Let us think of Jesus more often. As we behold Him, views will break in upon the mind akin to those which the Saviour enjoyed in His humanity. Let us try to bring the fragrance and beauty of Christ’s life into our lives. Let us strive to reveal the fruit of the Spirit. This we do when we repay with kindness the neglect of others. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 23

Let us bring all the pleasantness possible into the sacred work of God. This will make our words precious. Christ said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” [Mark 8:34.] We need more faith, more hope, more courage, more thanksgiving. We may hold genuine communion with Christ. This blessedness expands, becoming the joy of a glorified experience, helping all to better understand the words, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” [Revelation 2:7.] 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 24

I must now stop writing. I wish I could step in and see you. I should be pleased to meet you all, to converse with you and pray for you. I want you all to keep of good courage. I think I will write my next letter to Brother and Sister Palmer. You are all placed where you can obtain a good experience. I have told the brethren here to send you at once the money which has been raised. It is a severe trial for you to be short of funds when you are so anxious to be in full working order. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 25

After I left the tent this afternoon, a sister handed me a square box containing a neck shawl of a pretty light-gray color. I am going to give it to my daughter Emma. You will be pleased with it. This sister’s little girl brought me a present of two pure-white pond lilies. They look so lovely. I wish you could see them. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 26

This has been a very busy day for me. I praise the Lord for His goodness and love. We will not fail nor be discouraged. Willie did not come with me to this meeting. The book work and the work on the new office and on his house kept him at home. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 27

May the Lord give you all His rich grace is the prayer of your mother. 16LtMs, Lt 113, 1901, par. 28