Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 390, 1904

White, W. C.

Melrose, Massachusetts

August 29, 1904

This letter is published in entirety in 21MR 414-415.

Dear Son Willie,—

This morning Mother is rather weary. I spoke one hour under the tent. The weather has been cool and very nice for the meetings. I tried to forget we might have been much better situated and made a much better impression than we have made. Our tent has been full, and the children were in a meeting in another tent. 19LtMs, Lt 390, 1904, par. 1

I am pleased to tell you the Lord strengthened me on Sabbath to bear a decided message. To His name be all the glory. I know the impression was made by His Holy Spirit. On Sunday afternoon I urged the truth with more decided firmness and power. A man was present who had expressed a desire to see me and talk with me in regard to the round and flat world. I sent him a message that when Christ gave my commission to do the work He had placed upon me, the flat or round world was not included in the message; the Lord had taken care of His house, His world here below, better than any human agency could care for it; and until the message came from the Lord, silence was eloquence upon that question. 19LtMs, Lt 390, 1904, par. 2

I then said to the congregation that I had to present to them the science of higher education. Luke 10:17-24. Now all listen, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 10:25. Here is a question of highest science. The Lord Jesus turned over the question to the lawyer himself. “He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” Christ said unto him, “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?” verses 26-29. Then Christ gave a parable of the Good Samaritan. This is the true science of Christianity. The great question is, What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? This is the science of what constitutes the higher education; and when this question is properly adjusted, the capabilities of the whole man are called into full exercise. There will be no agitation of the question whether the world is round or flat, but the whole burden of the soul is: What shall I do to inherit eternal life? We need now to make every talent that God has given us to be employed to His name’s glory. 19LtMs, Lt 390, 1904, par. 3

I had a very solemn message, and it made a decided impression on the many assembled. Several followed me out to the carriage to speak a word with me. Professor Ramsey came to the carriage and spoke with me. Seemed very glad he heard me again. He has fulness of flesh, but his countenance is greatly changed in expression. There was not that intelligence and refinement that has once been there, and I felt sorry. 19LtMs, Lt 390, 1904, par. 4