Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Lt 211, 1905

White, J. E.

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

July 22, 1905

Previously unpublished.

My dear son Edson,—

I have written you some things sorrowfully. I dare not confide these things to you alone, but have sent them to Elder Haskell to be read to you. There are many who suppose that I sustain you in things that are not right. It would be doing an injustice to them and to you for me to keep back the warnings that I have received for you; therefore, though I feel more sad at heart than I can tell you, I dare not withhold these things from you. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 1

You have proposed that a colored training school be started on your property at North Nashville and that Elder Rogers be placed in charge of it. I beseech you not to enter into any more plans that require means. I beg of you to stop where you are before another dollar is invested. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 2

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize. So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” [1 Corinthians 9:24-27.] 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 3

I am constantly holding up the necessity of every man doing his best as a Christian, training himself to realize the growth, the expansion, the nobility of character which it is possible for us to have. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 4

Men are to be laborers together with Christ, but unless they strive most earnestly, unless they constantly behold Christ, they are in danger of not holding the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end. You have a work to do, but if you continue to load yourself down with perplexities, you will become unable to give the trumpet a certain sound. The Lord is looking upon us to see what we have made of ourselves, to see whether He can enrich us with His grace. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 5

In all that we do, we are to sustain a Christlike relation to one another. We are to blend together, using every spiritual force for the carrying out of wise plans in earnest action. The gifts of God are to be used for the saving of souls. Our relations to one another are not to be governed by human standards, but by divine love, the love expressed in the gift of God to our world. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 6

My son, I desire you to show your appreciation of the truth that is to be proclaimed at this time. But when you load yourself down with responsibilities that overtax your brain, you are using up vital force without adding anything to the advancement of the cause of God. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 7

In regard to Brother Rogers, he has made mistakes. He has been accused of that of which he is not guilty; but at the same time, he has shown too much commonness in his association with the girl students at the Huntsville school. A man in the position that Brother Rogers occupied cannot be too careful of his words and acts. He should not allow the least familiarity to be seen in his relations to the students, such as placing his hand on the arm or shoulder of a girl student. He should not allow the least approach to familiarity in the school or out of the school, or in association with white students or colored students. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 8

In the past not all of our teachers have been clear and true and firm in this respect. They have not stood in a proper position. They need to see things in an altogether different light regarding the relations of teachers and students. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 9

The one standing at the head of a school should in no case give the impression that commonness and familiarity are allowable. His lips and his hands are to express nothing that any one can take advantage of. Let men keep their place, and let the girl students, be they black or white, keep their place. Never should any liberties in word or act be taken by a teacher. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 10

We are to be guided by true theology and common sense. Our souls are to be surrounded by an atmosphere elevated, refined, and sanctified. Men and women are to watch and are to be continually on guard, allowing no word or act that would cause their good to be evil spoken of. He who professes to be a follower of Christ is to give no occasion for remarks. He is to be constantly on guard, watching himself, keeping himself in thought, word, and deed, pure, holy, and undefiled. His influence upon others is to be uplifting. His life is to reflect the bright beams of the Sun of righteousness. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 11

Temptations will come, but if we watch against the enemy and maintain the balance of self-control and purity, the seducing spirits will not be able to obtain one jot of influence over us. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 12

In the future you will see good reasons for the warnings given in regard to seducing spirits. You will see the good reasons for the warnings given in regard to evil spirits. You will see the force of the lessons given by our Saviour in the fifth chapter of Matthew, which closes with the words, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” [Verse 48.] 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 13

The Lord’s covenant is with His saints. Every one is to discern his weak points of character and guard against them with the rigor and severity so unflinchingly proclaimed by Jesus Christ, the pattern man. Those who have been buried with Christ in baptism and raised out of the water in the likeness of His resurrection have pledged themselves to live in newness of life. And God has pledged Himself that the power and grace of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will ever await their call and will come to their aid when they are tempted to pursue a course that would deny Christ. These powers are pledged to give to human beings the power and wisdom necessary to enable them to stand as victors over all Satan’s beguiling. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 14

God has made a covenant with His saints, that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against the enemy. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 15

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” [Colossians 3:1-4.] 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 16

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.” [Verses 12-17.] 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 17

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, and covetousness, which is idolatry, for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience; in the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communications out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him; where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond, nor free; but Christ is all and in all.” [Verses 5-11.] 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 18

The words are straight, plain, unvarnished. No one need walk into the trap that Satan has placed for the feet of the unwary. Let those who desire to be like Christ pray in faith and watch unto prayer and then, believing, sing their songs of praise and thanksgiving. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 19

The Lord Jesus sees His professed believers associated together in church capacity; but they have not all the truth. They are not obedient to all the commandments. In many cases, there are those who are backsliders. If these had followed on to know the Lord, they would have discerned the intensity of the love that God has for every soul. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him might not perish, but have everlasting life.” “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every man that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds shall be reproved, but he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” [John 3:16-21.] 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 20

What a work is before us. We cannot see the end from the beginning. We must follow on to know the Lord, step by step. He is leading us, and He will give us increased light. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 21

There are those who need to make a decided change in their lives. They have not been following the way of truth and righteousness. Their interest in God’s work has abated, and their devotion gone, because they have not walked in the counsel of God, but in many respects have followed in the tread of the world. They have not kept their thoughts pure, clean, and holy. They are not surrounded with that fragrant, spiritual influence that would mark them as those who love God and keep His commandments. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 22

They may recover themselves from the snare of the enemy, if they will realize that they are transgressing the law of God, and will show repentance toward God and Jesus Christ. When their spiritual perceptions are revived, they will see that they have not honored God as His law requires them to. God says to them, Your perceptions need the refinement of divine grace, that they may be cleansed from every stain of impurity in thought, word, and deed. 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 23

“Take with you words, and turn to the Lord. Say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. So will we render the calves of our lips. ... I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for Mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew upon Israel. He shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as an olive tree. They that dwell under his shadow shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine. The scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him and observed him, I am like a great fir tree: from Me is thy fruit found. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall fall therein.” [Hosea 14:2, 4-9.] 20LtMs, Lt 211, 1905, par. 24