Lt 62, 1896

Lindsay, Sister

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

May 20, 1896

Previously unpublished.

Dear Sister Lindsay:

I am constrained by the Spirit of God to address you personally, for God has given me a message for you. Your faith must be of a different character from what it now is, or you will never meet the Lord Jesus in peace, you will never enter the portals of the city of God. Christians are to be co-workers with God, but look at your life and ask yourself whether you have consecrated your life entirely to His service. Have you daily striven for communion with God? Have you sought to overcome your inclination to worldliness and your love of dress? Wherein is your life different from that of a worldling? Wherein does your influence savor of the fragrance of the righteousness of Christ? Does your life evidence that you believe the Word of God? Does your faith mean anything to you? Do you carry credentials which show to the world that you have enlisted in the army of the Lord Jesus? 11LtMs, Lt 62, 1896, par. 1

The eternal Word of God should be your spiritual food; unless you live on it, you can have no life in Christ; but take that Word, search its pages, and ask yourself if the precious truth there revealed is suited to your taste. Instead of this, the Word of God is a dead letter to you. The truth it contains has been so interpreted by you that it has lost its precious meaning; its power to move your conscience and cleanse the soul-temple, has been made of none effect. Do you believe the Word of God? Those who are God’s chosen ones love God, and He works in and through them. Are you bearing about with you a heavenly atmosphere? Are you obtaining a valuable experience in spiritual things? 11LtMs, Lt 62, 1896, par. 2

My sister, unless you are transformed in character, you will not be numbered among the jewels of God’s kingdom. You have no love for the truth. God requires us to listen to the words He sends by His servants, but how little have you prized the truth. By misapplying and misinterpreting the truth, by making light of it, and talking unbelief, you dishonor God. Your life has been one continuous round of selfishness. Your inclination to dress and to indulge in cheap, common talk has worked against the truth. If you loved God and the truth, the divine, sanctifying influence of God’s Word would be revealed in your disposition and actions. 11LtMs, Lt 62, 1896, par. 3

Light has been given you in rich measure; you have had many opportunities to learn what is truth. The light given us of God bears an important relation to our lives. If received, we improve in character, and it is a savor of life unto life, but if rejected, it is a savor of death unto death, because it testifies against us. Had you grown in knowledge and spirituality in proportion to the light you have had, you would now possess an intelligent, experimental knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent; but your impenitence, your carelessness in regard to sacred things has worked harm to your family, and this has been felt by other families. You have not been a spiritual help to your husband. You have been a hindrance to his obtaining that experience which would enable him to use his talents to the glory of God. 11LtMs, Lt 62, 1896, par. 4

As the mother of your children, you are called upon to educate them to form characters fit for the kingdom of God, setting before them an example of self-denial and piety which will lead them to avoid a life of cheap indulgence, and seek most earnestly to be children of God. By doing this, you would bring to the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, imperishable materials, and your work would tell for time and eternity. But your affections are with the world. Your disregard of truth and righteousness has had its effect upon your family, which is now like a false signboard, pointing in the wrong direction. 11LtMs, Lt 62, 1896, par. 5

Every day, every hour, every moment of your time belongs to the Lord, but have you given Him that soul-service which He has purchased with His own blood? The great and amazing love which God has expended upon men is beyond computation. No greater or more powerful love could be exercised or imagined. “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we might be called the sons of God.” [1 John 3:1.] “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] In view of this, what use are you making of the wonderful mercy of God and His great love for you? I ask you, in the name of Him who has died for you, what are you doing for Christ? 11LtMs, Lt 62, 1896, par. 6

My sister, do not trifle with this message, for it is from the Lord. He desires you to be a witness for Him. He wants you to arise and co-operate with Him, and He has let light shine into your mind to awaken your conscience; but cheap, frivolous things have occupied your mind, and you have not become transformed in character. You have not opened the door of your heart to the heavenly Guest. You have not cherished a love for the truth, but have forgotten its claims, and it has become a dead letter to you. Testimonies from the Spirit of God have no influence over you. Will it continue to be thus till the close of time? If so, you will be obliged to say, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved.” [See Jeremiah 8:20.] The hours you spend in pleasure are fast passing away. Day by day, hour by hour, you are deciding your own destiny for weal or for woe. Which shall it be? You case will soon be decided for ever. Turn to the Lord before it is too late; for He is long suffering and plenteous in mercy. 11LtMs, Lt 62, 1896, par. 7