Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Lt 156, 1901

Hoover, W. L.

Boulder, Colorado

May 12, 1901

Portions of this letter are published in 2SM 329; 5Bio 114-115. +^Note

Brother Hoover,—

When I was introduced to you, I recognized your countenance as familiar. It came to me that things had been presented to me concerning you. A sadness came over me. You have been presented to me [as] a man walking in a false show. You have capabilities, but they are not sanctified by the Spirit of God. You draw too much from the brackish fountain of self-sufficiency. With the best of opportunities, you have not made advancement in spiritual understanding. You have walked in the light of the sparks of your own kindling. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 1

I am instructed to say that you should not be superintendent or manager in any of our institutions. You are conceited, and it is dangerous to place responsibility upon a conceited man. If you had the wisdom you think you have, would it not make you wise unto salvation? Would it not lead you to reach a higher standard? 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 2

Your theories are vain and deceptive. You attract minds to yourself. Your only hope is to hide yourself in Christ. Wear His yoke and learn of Him. Then you will know that He is all and in all and that you are nothing. Unless you learn this lesson, your course will be deceptive. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 3

You need to view matters in an altogether different light. Examine yourself closely, with unprejudiced eyes and unbiased judgment. You need to guard yourself carefully, for you do not manifest that wisdom which is so precious in the sight of God. You feel that you should be the judge of your own actions, but when these actions are a snare to young women, this shows that you need purification of soul. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 4

You are too free with young girls. This is your weakness. The fact that you are in danger of losing your soul because of carelessness in this respect should lead you to avoid even the appearance of evil in your association with young women. Sister ----- was so much drawn to you that her infatuation was noticeable. Her mind was dazed by your supposed scientific wisdom which hurts the imagination of young, inexperienced people. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 5

You are warned in the Word of God to avoid the very appearance of evil. If it is necessary for you to have a secretary, employ a young man instead of a young woman. Your employment of a young woman is a snare to you and to her and a reproach to the cause of God. Why do you thus taint your good? You are misusing the skill God has given you. By your lax conduct you are setting a wrong example before the other workers in the institution. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 6

You have a wife. Be a faithful husband. It is your duty to show your wife special favors. Give her an opportunity to ride by your side, an opportunity to hear your opinions and appreciate your affection. Is it not time for you to exercise wisdom in this matter? Change your course of action. Purify your soul through the love of the truth. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 7

You desire to be thought a man of superior wisdom and deep insight. But if those who admire you could see in a true light the opinions advanced by you which they think so wise, they would see them to be a muddy mixture of ideas, the less thought of and studied the better for spirituality. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 8

The enemy desires to lead you to pervert the understanding of those with whom you associate as he perverted the understanding of Eve, leading her to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If you yield to the temptations of the enemy, you will harm the spirituality of those who look upon your sophistry as wisdom. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 9

You like to lead young women to admire you, to have a high opinion of you. But your wisdom is not from above. You inspire in the minds of young girls thoughts which mar their purity and injure their spiritual perceptions. A married man, you might better keep to yourself instead of speaking to young girls words which are as a canker to the soul. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 10

If young women will heed the warnings and counsels given by the Lord, it is impossible for Satan to undermine their spirituality or to destroy the healthy tone of their thought. But some young girls neglect the Lord’s instruction and therefore are easily flattered by human opinion. Girls of this class are charmed with your sophistry and obstinately refuse to listen to counsel. They do not use in their defense the weapons the Lord has given—prayer and the study of His Word. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 11

I wish you could see the evil results of your weakness as shown in its results upon those with whom you associate. After a time the minds of the young women with whom you associate become so spoiled that they know not what manner of spirit they are of. They are unable to take a sober, sanctified view of Christ and holiness. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 12

Our institutions should be kept so pure, so refined, so elevated that they will have the commendation of all. God calls for converted men to take charge of His sacred work, for men whose lives are hid with Christ in God. The time has come when all foolishness and self-serving are to be cut out of the experience of those connected with the Lord’s institutions. God desires men to understand that the principles of stern integrity are to be followed in small matters as well as in larger responsibilities. You need the ministration of the Holy Spirit in order to show sanctified accuracy in your business dealing. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 13

You fail to see the necessity of binding about your desires and plans. You do not understand the necessity of managing every line of work economically. You have a pride which is not profitable. Your high ideas need to be held in with bit and bridle, else they will lead to unpleasant results. Your penetration needs to be sharpened that you may see the result of using money too freely. Unless you study economy, you will bring debt upon any institution with which you might connect. You should be associated with a man of stern principles who strictly binds about any unnecessary expenditure. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 14

You see many places where improvement could be made, and you are inclined to grant the wishes that are expressed for this and that. Be careful. We cannot supply every supposed necessity. In a sanitarium there will always be those who have never learned to make a little go a long way. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 15

I have known a family receiving twenty dollars a week to spend every penny of this amount, while another family of the same size, receiving but twelve dollars a week, laid aside one or two dollars each week, managing to do this by refraining from purchasing things which seemed to be necessary but which could be dispensed with. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 16

I write you this because you are so ready to see places to invest money in improvements. Before making improvements, you should sit down and count their cost. But your way is to make the improvement without considering how much money you have to invest. Thus debts are accumulated which are altogether unnecessary. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 17

Only as many helpers as the work requires should be employed in a sanitarium, and only the right kind of helpers should be employed. Unless care is shown in this matter, workers will be employed who are consumers and not producers. The helpers should be interested in keeping the institution out of debt. They should not seek to multiply the expenditures, but to subtract from them. Lessons in economy are of the highest value to those connected with a sanitarium. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 18

Your personal influence is not good. Unless you change, you will spoil the efficiency you might otherwise have. As long as you follow your human devising, you will grow in self-confidence. Your self-sufficiency is a continual snare to you. You try to reduce it to a science, but it is vain philosophy. When you see your own weakness, you will be drawn out to make the Lord your defense and your efficiency. You need to become as a little child in humility, for there are many things for you to learn. “Come unto me,” Christ says, “all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] If you drink at the fountain of the water of life, you will increase day by day in knowledge. The water that Christ gives will be in you “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” [John 4:14.] 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 19

There are many who accommodate their religion to their passions instead of bringing their desires into conformity with the Word of God. Many have sadly abused the gift of influence, because they are not willing to practice self-denial. He who does this is the enemy’s agent, used by him to ruin souls. Unless restrained, self-love will grow to such proportions that it will break all barriers. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 20

Let men, old or young, be wise unto salvation. Let them resist the devil. Let them in word and deed strive to reach the high standard of perfection. Search yourself as with a lighted candle, lest there shall be found in you one darling sin unrepented of and unconfessed. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. In the name of the Lord I ask you to purify your soul by obeying the truth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. Rise above the flesh and blood that cannot inherit the kingdom of God. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 21

God’s elect must ever show their colors. In His service there is no middle ground. Christ declares, “He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” [Matthew 12:30.] 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 22

God’s people are to be a peculiar people, separate from all sin. Those who name the name of Christ are to depart from all iniquity. What men and women need is Christian heroism. God says that he who rules his spirit is better than he that taketh a city. Such a man has true wisdom. To rule the spirit is to keep self under discipline; to resist evil; to regulate every word and deed by God’s great standard of righteousness; to make painstaking effort to win God’s approval. He who rules his spirit looks to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of his faith. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 23

God’s law has been placed as a bulwark round human beings to protect them from corruption. The kingly power of sanctified reason, transformed by grace, is to bear sway in the heart. He who rules his spirit is in possession of this power. He is a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Such a man can be trusted. He turns from wrongdoing to use his God-given abilities in the Master’s service. He keeps his eyes fixed on duty, refusing to deny self. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 24

But the man who makes self-gratification supreme is not needed in the institutions which have been established for the advancement of God’s cause. Said Christ, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” [Matthew 16:24.] It is not safe for you to serve in the Lord’s institutions, for you place self first. You live to please self. You do not know by experience what it means to offer God unselfish service. Unless you can be placed first, to manage and control, you are not satisfied. You are on the rack if your desires are not gratified. You need to learn from Christ the science of Christianity. Will you not fall on the Rock and be broken? Will you not fasten your mind on eternal realities? 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 25

Before you can be a vessel unto honor, you must feel in your heart the converting power of God. You desire to teach, but you yourself need to be taught. Until your heart is humbled and sanctified you cannot be a safe instructor. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 26

If you could discern matters in the light of the Word of God, you would see that you are not making straight paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way. Your course of action needs to be changed. God desires you to separate from your perverted ideas. He desires you to show that you respect the abilities He has given you. As you are now, any institution with which you might connect would be thrown into perplexity and confusion by your actions. It is time for you to go apart from our institutions until you understand that you need to watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 27

“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” [James 4:5-10.] 16LtMs, Lt 156, 1901, par. 28