Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 158, 1903

Magan, Brother and Sister [P. T.]

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

July 29, 1903

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother and Sister Magan,—

The other day I sent you a short letter. I could not write you as long a letter as I wished, because there were other letters that had to be finished. I will now try to write you a longer letter and hope to get it copied and sent off today. 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 1

I am indeed sorry to learn that your wife is no better. Encourage her with the words that Christ spoke to His disciples just before His suffering in Gethsemane: “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more, but ye see Me; because I live, ye shall live also.” [John 14:18, 19.] 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 2

By faith the disciples were to receive this assurance, and by faith repeat to others the good tidings. Though Christ was no longer to be with them in bodily form, yet by faith they were to rejoice in the spiritual revelations of His presence. The promise of a Comforter was to be revealed to them as they proclaimed to a darkened world the gospel of a crucified and risen Saviour. 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 3

My dear brother and sister, I pray that you may be found not faithless, but believing. I pray that God will send you the Comforter to abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, “because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him.” [Verse 17.] I pray that to you shall be given power to discern and comprehend spiritual and divine things. 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 4

Brother Magan, the Lord does not look upon Sister Magan or upon you with displeasure. He would have you cheerful and of good courage. Sister Magan has been tempted by the enemy to give place to the doubt, “Has God forsaken me?” My sister, God has not forsaken you, but Satan has cast his shadow between you and Christ. Have faith in God; lean your whole weight upon the sympathizing Redeemer. 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 5

When in Eden Satan tempted Adam and Eve, God said to him, “Because of the charges that you have made against Me, to allure Adam and Eve from their allegiance, I will put enmity between you and the woman, between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 6

Obscure as the meaning of these words may seem, Satan fully understood that his claim to the position of prince of the newly formed world was to be contested; that One would come whose work would be fatal to his evil purposes; that he and his angels would be forever defeated. Satan was to bruise Christ’s heel, but Christ was to bruise Satan’s head—to destroy his power. The enemy’s assurance of certain power, his sense of security was gone. Nevertheless, because Adam and Eve yielded to his temptation, human beings were to feel the strength of his affliction. But they were not to be left without a Helper. Christ came to this world to be tempted in our behalf and in our behalf to overcome. From the desert to Calvary the storm of Satan’s wrath beat upon Him, but the more mercilessly it fell, the more firmly did the Son of God cling to the hand of His Father and press on in the bloodstained path. 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 7

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, ... Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need.” [Hebrews 4:14-16.] 18LtMs, Lt 158, 1903, par. 8