Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 23 (1908)

Lt 38, 1908

Place, Brother

St. Helena, California

January 12, 1908

Portions of this letter are published in Ev 30.

Elder Place
Boulder, Colorado

Dear Brother:

You are not in the place that the Lord has appointed you to be. The influence of your brother upon you is not a Christian or a wholesome influence. His words are not truth and righteousness; he is not led and controlled by the Spirit of God. You cannot resist your brother’s influence, you are affected by his irreligious sentiments, and thus you give other workers cause to doubt the light that God has permitted to shine upon His people for this time of moral darkness. 23LtMs, Lt 38, 1908, par. 1

The world will ever be found in conflict with the church. It means much to each one of us to know that we are following the Pattern, to be assured, wherever we are, that we are exerting our powers for good. You need to walk carefully, my brother. I mark out no way for you; but I greatly fear for you. You are in danger of being misled. You are doing your brother no good, and you yourself are becoming befogged. I have seen your danger, and now I ask you to be careful. Had you stood in the light of the Lord, you would not have given influence to your brother’s actions and spirit; for these were not in harmony with the Spirit of God. 23LtMs, Lt 38, 1908, par. 2

Our experience at the meetings held at Melrose, Mass., was of the Lord. I had light for you at that time, and you acknowledged the working of the Spirit of God upon your heart. But now a change has taken place; a cloud is upon your soul, and you are becoming lost in the fog. Had you continued in your ministerial work, the blessing of the Lord would have been with you. His Spirit would have led you to connect with those who would be a help to you, and you would have been a help to them. 23LtMs, Lt 38, 1908, par. 3

The work to be done at this period of time demands that the channels appointed to receive the living waters for thirsty souls be greatly multiplied. The work is to be done through unselfish effort. Those who will yield to the Holy Spirit’s guidance will come forth purified and refined as gold from the fire. The knowledge that souls are perishing in their sins should arouse every worker to greater fervor and to give the light of present truth to all within his reach. 23LtMs, Lt 38, 1908, par. 4

Our work is not to be crowded into one locality. The truth is to be carried to the regions beyond. Through the explanation of the Word of God, the light is to shine forth. By much prayer, by the laying hold of the strength of Omnipotence, by the working of the Holy Spirit upon human hearts, the lesson is learned that the converted soul must worship the Father in spirit and in truth. 23LtMs, Lt 38, 1908, par. 5

To labor for the conversion of souls is the noblest work in which the human agent can engage. But in our working for this object must be revealed the fact that we are laying hold of the grace of Christ, that we are being guided and controlled by the Spirit of God. His holiness, His power, His unbounded love, revealed in the human instrument, will convict and convert souls. When the presence of Christ fills the life, the worker has a sense of divine power within him. The fact that he is a joint worker with God captivates all his affections and desires and fills him with an earnest love for the souls for whom he labors. 23LtMs, Lt 38, 1908, par. 6

Never forget that whenever a soul is truly converted, God is glorified, and angels in heaven burst forth into singing. We are nearing the great and final conflict. Every advance move made now must be made with increasing effort; for Satan is working with all power to increase the difficulties in our way. He works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness to secure the souls of men. I am charged to say to ministers of the gospel and to our missionary physicians, Go forward. The work to be done calls for self sacrifice at every step; but Go forward. 23LtMs, Lt 38, 1908, par. 7