Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 22, 1906

White, W. C.

St. Helena, California

January 8, 1906

Portions of this letter are published in 3SM 352; 13MR 363-364. +^Note

My dear son W. C. White:

I have not ventured to attend meetings, because it draws upon my strength. I must have periods of rest. I am trying to prepare matters taken from my diaries and written years in the past. There is much, very much to give to the people that God has given me. I expect now that a long list of false statements will be presented to the world, and that lie upon lie, misstatement upon misstatement, which Satan has originated in the minds of individuals, will by some be accepted as truth. But I leave my case in the hands of God, and those who know my life practice will not receive the lies that are spoken. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 1

Judge Arthur at one time came to St. Helena. I cannot now call to mind the special errand upon which he came; but I do understand the word of the Lord that was given me to present before those assembled. He had given me special warning, which I had written out, that the sanitarium in St. Helena was not to be in any way bound up with the Battle Creek Sanitarium; nor were those in charge of it to feel compelled under any written agreement or Dr. Kellogg’s statement of terms, in order to obtain his influence or the influence of any lawyer, to mark out a certain course which they were to pursue. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 2

I was instructed by the Lord that propositions would be made which, if acceded to, would place the managers under embarrassment. There is not to be a particle of bondage, making terms with the managers at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. All the workers in our institutions are to be Christians and are to cultivate the impression that the Lord has given them very decidedly—that God is their Teacher, their Guardian. They are continually to respect the counsel and authority of His solemn warnings of their individual responsibility to Him, whose they are by creation and by redemption. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 3

There is a work to be accomplished for the church of God. This church is not to be under the jurisdiction of any human power, but under a plain, “Thus saith the Lord.” There will be presented a constant set of fables by the men who are themselves being controlled by human influences. The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. Therefore comes the solemn charge from Paul to Timothy. Paul was about to die for his faith, and he exhorts Timothy to discharge his duty with all care and diligence. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 4

“I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” [2 Timothy 4:1, 2.] If all men had been true and faithful to Dr. Kellogg, he might have been, yes, would have been in a far different position religiously from what he is now in. There was a work to be done under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to arrest a growing unbelief and infidelity, which was making itself felt. But words were not spoken by Dr. Kellogg’s associates to arrest and prevent this growing infidelity. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 5

A the time when Judge Arthur and his wife were guests at the St. Helena Sanitarium, I was in the night season instructed to present in our council things which I had written out. I was to show that our sanitariums are not to be under the control of the sanitarium at Battle Creek, but to stand under the divine Theocracy. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 6

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 7

“But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto them also that love His appearing.” [Verses 1-8.] 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 8

Observe this solemn charge, and compare it with other scriptures. There is great importance in the words of this charge. Impressive are the words: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” [Verses 1, 2.] Men who are in danger are not to be left to their own will, and their own ways, to exercise their unsanctified devising. Men whom the Lord has used in the ministry of His Word and in the science of combating disease are to exercise full faith in dealing with the sick, praying and talking with them, following Bible methods, and in the wisdom of God acting the part of an evangelist. Our physicians in every sanitarium are to give full proof of their genuine conversion. They are to be instant in season, out of season. The enemy is close beside them, to make impressions on their minds; therefore the greatest faithfulness is required. There are those who have been under the control of teachers having itching ears, and they will not endure sound doctrines. But suffering often softens the hard, unimpressible mind, turning it to serious things; and under suffering such ones may in our sanitariums be turned away from fables to the truth, if their cases are wisely managed. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 9

If the ones ministering to the sick are under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, they will speak words received from the great Teacher. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 10

Ministers of the gospel must be guardians of the flock. They are bound to be most faithful in the discharge of their duty, wide-awake to perceive evil, to reason from cause to effect, and to prevent the sure result of any unfaithfulness on their part. While they are not to be afraid of men, they are to beware of them, guarding the church against entering into business transactions that would possibly place them in the power of men. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 11

There is certainly a neglect in dealing wisely in reference to the future. The work of Dr. Kellogg in carrying so many responsibilities has been a mistake. The men who are in charge of the business matters connected with the important work of the church are to stand as men faithful in the discharge of every duty. None need, if they will carry their burdens to the Lord, to consult lawyers. That Friend who has given His life for them loves them. They are God’s elect, to show forth His praise and magnify His name. Can that Friend who has purchased them with the price of His own blood, at infinite sacrifice, in all humiliation, expect less of His followers than the earnest acknowledgement of the truth which is after godliness and true holiness? Is not the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began, to be received, to be acted upon, to be brought into every relation of life? Said the apostle Paul, “But in due time manifested His word through preaching, which is committed unto me, according to the commandment of God our Saviour.” [Titus 1:3.] 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 12

Has the Lord directed you to carry your burdens and difficulties to men who have no more strength than you have? Will you make them your intercessor? Shall man interpose between your souls and God? Men in responsibility, handling sacred things, bring all your trials and perplexities to God. Turn not away from your great Counsellor to human beings. Exchange not One infinite in wisdom for finite man or men. 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 13

The Lord Jesus is the source of all power. “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 4:8-10.] 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 14

“Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” [James 3:12-18.] 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 15

The enemy is working more than we are aware of. A great accountability rests upon men and women in consequence of the words spoken. Satan employs human agencies to do his work, to ripen off the evil things that he has set in operation. Let the churches in every place fast and pray for knowledge and an understanding of the Scriptures, and for a life conformed to the teachings of the Word. The churches need to be converted. In this perilous time men must humble their proud hearts and cease to do evil, if they would rightly appreciate and understand the words of truth contained in the Scriptures. Jesus Christ is our Saviour, and we can be saved in no other way than by receiving the truth and exemplifying it in the character. Time is short, eternity is before us. Are we preparing to change worlds? 21LtMs, Lt 22, 1906, par. 16