Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)
Lt 317a, 1904
Gage, Frank
NP
November 20, 1904
Previously unpublished. +Note
F. Gage
Dear Brother,—
I have words to address to you. The Lord has presented to me some things which have deprived me of sleep for hours. What can I say to you? You understand the theory of the truth, and yet you turn from the truth to pursue a course you little thought to pursue when you married your wife. Your history is before me. The course you have pursued, the trials you have caused your wife—how little you can comprehend. God has noticed the sad chapters of her experience, and He has sustained her, as you have turned from the course you pursued. I will not go into the particulars, though I may sometime. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 1
I wish to say, The Lord has given me a message for you. Even after the course you have pursued, your wife has taken you to her heart again. She dreads to go through a repetition of that which she has suffered on your account; but I see you urging her to unite with you in worldly pleasure seeking. Dare you meet your Lord with your present record, of laying your plans to destroy her hold upon God, her love for the truth? This is her only safety. Why should you make it hard for her? You add the blood of the souls of your wife and children to the list of your sins against God. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 2
I do not wish to enter into unnecessary particulars, or to say anything needless. But I must ask you, Will you not repent and humble yourself before God? Will you not turn from your transgression of His law? 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 3
“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, My people [doth not consider. Ah] sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corruptors: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger. They are gone away backward.” [Isaiah 1:2-4.] 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 4
Would you venture to take your wife and children with you in the unbelieving path that you are traveling? Will it pay for you to add sin to sin, to stand in rebellion against God and take your whole family with you? to lose life, eternal life? I have no controversy with you in regard to your position. I know what it is. Spoil not the faith of your wife. She needs your help. You must not entice her to sever her connection with her heavenly Father and with her Redeemer, who gave His life for her. Your children have been bought with a price. God bids you to lay down your warfare against truth and righteousness and be converted, surrendering to God. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 5
Your wife has held fast her integrity. She loves her children and her husband. But she needs the help of a converted husband. God gives her a message through me, His messenger: Hold fast to God your heavenly Father and do not sacrifice one principle of truth under any consideration. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 6
God calls, saying: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well. ... Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” [Verses 16-20.] 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 7
Let me tell you the message I have for you who have had great light yet have not followed the light, but have chosen the uncertainty of unbelief and lived in unbelief until you cannot tell the light from darkness of error. There are two armies in the world: one fighting to carry out the planning and devising of Satan, and the other to uphold the will of God. The warfare between good and evil is constantly increasing in intensity, preparing for the last great battle. The Lord gives you the invitation: “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of man shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols He shall utterly abolish.” [Isaiah 2:10-18.] 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 8
“And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” [Verses 19-22.] 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 9
The things outlined in this scripture will certainly come to pass. War and bloodshed will increase. There will be confusion of nations, one seeking to outreach the other for the benefits of possession. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 10
I appeal to you as one in whom I am interested to heed this warning. I ask you, for the sake of Him who gave His life for you, to turn unto the Lord with full purpose of heart. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is near.” [Isaiah 55:6.] O that you could realize that if you will gather up the divine rays of light shining upon you from the divine Word, if you would allow the oil of grace to be emptied into your soul, you would be saved, even in this the eleventh hour; and in your daily life, by being good and doing good, you would illustrate the power of practical godliness. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 11
Take heed to thyself. Your spirit needs to feel the subduing power of God. The Lord cannot accept the most splendid service unless it is first consecrated to Him by the surrender of the heart, mind, soul, and strength. The truth planted in the heart will produce fruit after its kind. You will have eternal life if you will seek the Lord. Your day of trust is almost over. The day of reckoning will soon come. The Lord offers His saving grace. He places at your disposal the choicest goods of heaven and asks you to increase them for Him by diligently trading upon them. Strive without delay to obtain a fitting character for the heavenly world, and lead your children with earnest love to the Saviour’s feet to be blessed by Him. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 12
I carry a heavy burden for you. Delay not to make your peace with God. In that day when it is too late for wrongs to be righted, you will have a clear sense of where you have failed. I have hoped and prayed that you and your wife and children would come to God unitedly as repentant sinners. You have been placed in a responsible position, and had you consecrated yourself to God, you ought to have an excellent report before the heavenly universe and before men because you have put your talents out to usury and served the Lord with full purpose of heart; but you will not have a desirable record as long as you continue to do as you have done: To give to the world the example of choosing to stand under the rebellion. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 13
“And, behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” [Matthew 19:16, 17.] 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 14
This is the condition upon which you and your wife and children may gain eternal life. Will you accept the terms? Will you try unitedly to be a help to each other. No impatient words should be spoken by the husband to the wife or by the wife to her husband. Let the peace of God dwell in your hearts, and thank Him daily that it is not yet too late for wrongs to be righted. Let your children be no longer confused as they now are because the father will not be obedient to the Word. God says to you, my brother, my sister, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments of God. Will you heed this call? Will you seek the Lord with the whole heart, that you may find Him? Will you venture to delay any longer? You excuse yourselves by presenting the defects in the characters of others. But will the ability to discern their defects in departing from the path of righteousness cancel your obligations to God, as those for whom Christ gave His life? Look to yourselves—unprepared to meet your God in peace—and then seek pardon. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 15
The Lord has use for your talents in His service. Will you not come to Him now, just now, with full purpose of heart, and give to God your whole service. You have never known what thorough conversion means. In your youth you were inclined to sport and pleasure. Will you not now dedicate yourself to the service of Him whose you are by creation and by redemption? To redeem your soul, He made an infinite sacrifice. He suffered shame and humiliation; He was wounded for your transgressions, bruised for your iniquities; and by His stripes you may if you choose be healed. If you will seek Him, He will be found of you. You have no power to redeem yourself, but the Lord Jesus will impart that power if you receive Him by faith as your Saviour. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 16
In the future many souls will come to the Lord with full purpose of heart who never heard the truth. The Lord will have compassion upon the people in darkness, and souls will come to the light through the ministry of men whom God is now calling to be converted. You have never been converted, but you are given opportunity to humble your heart before God. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Never let go until you have sought and found that hope that is in Christ Jesus unto life eternal. Heed the words I have written to you. Break away now from Satan’s power and take your stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. In obeying the commandments of God, you will have the joy of Christ in your heart, and your joy will be full. Let me hear from you. I have been awakened at twelve o’clock at night to write these words to you. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 17
*****
My sister Katy,—
You and your family have been presented before me, and I have seen that you are becoming wearied by the long protracted temptation to give up the truth and follow the inclinations of your husband. But will it pay to do this, will you be led away by counter influences now? No, no! It must not be. Of your husband the Lord saith, Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! The question will arise at times in your mind through the words that may be spoken to you by your husband, presenting the situation as it now stands, Why is it that professed Christians are no better than some unbelievers? He may so present the matter that the unbelievers may seem to be in some respects, as he puts the matter, better than some professed Christians. There may be a similarity in moral character between believers and some unbelievers; nevertheless there is a difference between them, which the human conception does not comprehend. The difference may not always be seen, but it exists unseen by the eye of sense and unappreciated by the unconverted mind. This difference is in the state of the heart; the one has an abiding hope and faith in Jesus Christ; while the other is unmindful of God and of spiritual things. Christ dwelling in the heart by faith is a fortress to the believer. The Christian struggling against opposing influences may sometimes be overcome and speak and act in a manner unbecoming to a Christian. But the Lord will pardon. He is very tender of the bruised lambs of His fold. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 18
Angels of God have often comforted you when your husband has left you alone. Your danger is now stronger for there is a stronger opposing influence to righteousness. But do not, my sister, let go or even weaken your hold on God. Cling to the mighty One; hold fast to the truth. Educate your children to give their hearts to God and be converted. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 19
“He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” [John 1:10-12.] 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 20
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” [Verse 14.] 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 21
How do you know but that if you will remain steadfast to the truth, under the moving of the Spirit of God, your growth in grace may win your husband to the truth? If you are patient and forbearing, Katy, and do not become rebellious against God, you may lead your husband and children with you in the narrow path and through the narrow gate to the city of God. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 22
The divine law must be obeyed. A sense of the responsibility resting upon you should be regarded as of sufficient consequence to lead you to take your stand every day and every hour firm and true for God. Work, O work for your children that their souls may not be tarnished. If you can act your part as a faithful, God-fearing mother, your children will see the difference between one who loves the Lord Jesus and one who turns away from Christ. The Christian mother is guarded and guided by a power unseen. The Lord Jesus will constantly give her His grace; for she walks in the spirit and endures the seeing of the invisible. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 23
Jesus is to be your hope, your comfort. Treat your husband with all kindness and your children with the tenderest affection. Read and study?? (Isaiah 6:1-7): “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 24
Never give way to impatience. Remember that your soul and the souls of your children are of infinite value because they have been purchased by the sacrifice of the life of Christ. I have written these words to you for the benefit of yourself and your husband, and for Christ’s sake. 19LtMs, Lt 317a, 1904, par. 25