Lt 77, 1894

Scazighini, Brother

Norfolk Villa, Prospect St., Granville, New South Wales, Australia

August 3, 1894

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother Scazighini:

I send you copies of letters which I have sent to different persons, because I think you may be interested in them. Elder Haskell writes me that you have encouraged him to think that you will or have pledged $5,000 for foreign in missions, and for Australia, I think. O how thankful we should be if we could receive some of the Lord’s entrusted goods. Viewing your perplexities, we often think of these words, “Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the fields are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and the fullness thereof.” [Psalm 50:10-12.] “The gold and the silver are the Lord’s.” [See Haggai 2:8.] The Lord is not destitute of resources, although we do need means with which to carry on the work in this mission field; but the Lord knows all about it. My husband and myself wrestled hard to establish the work in California, and God blessed our efforts. For two years we labored earnestly in Europe, and the Lord has put His blessing upon His work there. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 1

In the providence of God we are in this new field, where, as it was in other places, the work is struggling for an existence. It has been hard work to move our brethren in America to think that it might be their duty to bind about their supposed wants where the work has been established and has gained influence. It is so hard to get our brethren to lift up their eyes and to see the necessity of the work in foreign fields. A few missionaries are seeking to enter new fields, and to unfurl the banner of truth in cities and villages that have not yet even heard that there was a third angel’s message. In this country, though it is a foreign field, we do not have to meet with some of the difficulties that we meet in many foreign countries. In Australia and New Zealand, English-speaking people have settled, and the great drawback of having to speak through an interpreter we do not have to wrestle with here. Very much more ought to be done for this country than has yet been done. Little can be done in our large cities in beginning the work there without considerable expense. Halls are high in expense, and when companies are raised up to take their position under the banner of truth, then we are met with the question, “Where shall we worship?” 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 2

Our ministers labor long in bringing conviction upon these souls and in causing those who [are] newly come to the faith to take a decided stand. The ministers of other denominations talk to the people who come to the faith, and say to them, “When these new ministers leave you, this interest you now have will all die out. You will have no place to worship. You leave the church to which you have belonged, and have no other place in which you can assemble for worship.” These statements are a great temptation to those who are either convicted, or have just decided to obey the truth. I would that there were sufficient workers to follow up the interest already awakened by personal labor, and who would continue to open the Scriptures to these souls whom Christ is seeking to draw to Himself. A good work might be done. Those who are converted to the truth will be instrumental in leading others to a knowledge of the Scripture. I have been gratified to see how soon the converted soul catches the same interest for other souls as was manifested for him. He experiences a deep love to all souls who are out of Christ. The worker who is successful in winning a soul to Christ has his sympathy enlarged, and his interest deepened toward all sinners, and thus the work goes forward. He knows that the Lord Jesus is very precious and that He hath power on earth to forgive sins, for he is rejoicing in the love of Jesus. The converted soul catches the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and he knows, this is just what the sinner needs and must have in order to be saved. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 3

But there is no time to be lost. One week, one month’s delay and precious souls such as I have been describing may be beyond our reach. We have companies here in Australia and New Zealand who have had some ministerial labor, and have been left without a place for worship, and without an experienced laborer to bind about the work. While our brethren are thinking that a short delay will not make much difference in sending their means or in coming as missionaries, they should be making earnest efforts in order that perishing souls may have the benefit of their help. Delays are dangerous. We must not think that help will do as well one time as at another time and excuse ourselves from doing what we could on the plea that it will be more convenient for us to spare time and money at some other time. If through any neglect on our part souls are lost, when they might have been saved, will we not be accountable for not making the venture of risking time and money and personal effort? 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 4

We are laboring in this distant field. Our brethren in America have manifested some interest in this field, and have expended, and are still expending, some money to keep workers in the vineyard of the Lord. They may feel that they have done very much, but from the light that God has given me, they have not done all that they should have done, nor all that God requires of them in opening new fields. The slow, tardy movements that are made, are not in harmony with the purposes of God. Who are responsible for the fact that the work is not advanced more decidedly in these fields? Time is passing. We were to have remained here two years, and now three years have nearly expired, and we have only made a beginning in a few places. I have been catching the very longings of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and have felt His love for souls who know not God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. My spirit has no rest day nor night. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 5

Those who accept the truth in the love of it will know what it is to have the Spirit of Christ take possession of them, for the love of Christ constraineth them. Saved from sin through the belief of the truth, they will be endowed with Christlike energy, and their one purpose will be to save those for whom Christ has died. Every soul saved means many souls saved through trading upon the talents which the Lord has given. Every soul who has been quarried out from the world through the mighty cleaver of truth will do the same work for others as has been done for him. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 6

It is the Christian’s privilege to connect himself with Christ, the Light of the world, and improve every opportunity to catch the bright spiritual beams from the Sun of Righteousness. Every ray of light that is improved upon will increase capacity to gather light and to shed it forth again to the world. The Christian does not fulfill the purpose of God unless he is continually receiving grace for grace, and gaining increased spiritual apprehension of the value of the eternal truths applicable for this time. We are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Christian is to develop in spiritual knowledge, to have a comprehension of the science of the plan of salvation. He is to develop, through learning in the school of Christ, until he shall have breadth of comprehension and know how to adapt himself to the people in introducing and presenting the truth. This he may learn from the great Teacher until in Christlikeness he may present the truth and not repulse or be repulsed. Spiritual inaptitude, spiritual ignorance and inability, is a sign of spiritual slothfulness. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 7

Christ is the Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. The light now shineth, and the spirit of truth is given to every man to profit withal. The wisdom of God will guide every true, every humble, devoted worker. Let the professed followers of Christ behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world. Let them look upon Christ as the Center, the Lifegiver, and then let them arise and shine for the glory of God is risen upon them. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 8

The Lord is soon to come, and every soul who would turn from error to truth will have a fierce conflict in order to cut loose from Satan’s chariot car and stand free, free indeed in Christ Jesus. O what a gift God has made to our world! The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, liable to physical infirmities, tempted in all points like as we are. He was the Son of the living God. His personality did not begin with His incarnation in the flesh. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 9

The Lord Jesus was a priceless gift to our world and I am greatly burdened because so few estimate this wonderful gift. If we appreciated this gift in its true value, a far different principle would be brought into the life and character of those who profess the name of Christ, for we would realize that He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 9LtMs, Lt 77, 1894, par. 10