Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 3 (1876 - 1882)

Lt 49, 1879

White, J. E.; White, Emma

[Circa 1879]

Previously unpublished.

Dear Children [Edson and Emma White],

We feel deeply anxious for you, because I was shown you were both wanting. You have not a daily experience in the things of God. Your experience is not deep and fresh. You do not seek that wisdom from God which will make you wise unto salvation. There is no safety in your present position. You serve God too much by impulse. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 1

You are not a safe businessman. You can lay plans and see all the advantages of an enterprise, but you do not make calculations for the outgoes, the drawbacks. If you would lay aside that scheming, which is a snare to you, and control your mind in this matter, it would be greatly to your advantage for both worlds. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 2

You wrote to me that my fears and cautions in regard to your managing the boarding house were groundless—that it was a success. I did not feel pleased with the spirit of assurance you possessed. Now if that boarding house is a success, it is due to Sister Hale's management, not to yours. Had it not been for the trades made in buying the type foundry, which appeared like such a success, the office today would have been much more safe financially. And thus it is with these investments, with no one or ones to run these new things. They are as so many additional loads. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 3

It was a mistake touching that new building until funds were on hand to carry it through. The thing is done now, and you must all make the best of it. But, Edson, you must learn this lesson—that you are not a safe calculator. You make similar mistakes with Brother Oren Jones, who seldom makes a right estimate of costs. You see only the favorable side and find yourself and the office involved in difficulties by this scheming. You do not see these things. You become self-confident and move rashly in many things. This deficiency in your character unfits you for a business manager. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 4

If you will not take too much on your hands but stick to one branch and make a thorough success at that, you will gain much. But your scheming propensities are to be feared in connection with any business firm. You do not look over matters with keen perception of the outlay as well as the income. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 5

Your mistakes and your plans and schemes have injured your influence greatly, and ours fearfully. All that we have done or said to help and favor you has hurt you and us. All the means we have let you have, to relieve you from paying exorbitant interest, has only encouraged you to make some new investment for yourself, which would use up means. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 6

I was shown that I had not moved wisely in furnishing you with means as I have done. You and Willie, I was shown, had drawn means from us for the different institutions. That was not as it should be. We have made too great donations to the interest upon the Pacific Coast. Father borrowed the one thousand dollars he last invested in the Oakland church. We are now in need of means. We are not again to trouble over these things. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 7

I write you because I feel your danger. You do not know the worth of means and do not practice economy as you should. The Lord will use you in His work if you daily seek Him with all your heart and move not hastily or presumptuously, but cautiously, tremblingly before God. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 8

Put away your lightness; it displeases God. Attend the prayer meetings. Show your zeal in religious things. Carry a weight of influence with you. May the Lord impress upon your mind the necessity of watchfulness and prayer and constant distrust of self and the importance of firm reliance upon God. Will your names be recorded in the Ledger of Heaven under the name of the “Good and faithful servant”? Will it stand under the name of “Unfaithful servant”? How will it be? Are you living for the future immortal life or are you seeking to please and enjoy yourselves? Christ's example is given us as a pattern. Patient continuance in well doing will win the crown of life. A neglect of duty will lose for us the eternal weight of glory. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 9

Dear children, you must not be deceived in yourselves. What words can I speak to you that will burn into your souls? What words shall I write which will bring you up from your state of apathy and indifference? 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 10

You are making a mistake in spreading yourself over so much work. You are perfecting nothing. You are not growing strong and efficient in any one branch. Your counting room work is not thoroughly done. You should know at the close of every week your financial standing. You will know at the close of every day how your accounts stand. Your work should be done with an accuracy that will defy the closest criticism. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 11

A well-directed perseverance and close application to one branch of business is all that you can do successfully. When you bend all the energies of your mind to one branch, looking constantly to God for strength, you will succeed. But as you now are, as the business now stands in the office, at your post there is a great lack. Another must be found to take your place, or you must give more time, care, and thoughtfulness. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 12

That department needs the most thorough, diligent attention. Unless it shall have it, everything will be in confusion. It is your own work that is needed to be done. It is your post that does not receive proper time. You should know every day just how you stand. Your mind needs to be walled in. You should gird up the loins of your mind. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 13

You may commence many projects and fail in all. You spend precious moments in chatting which should be devoted to caretaking, to prayer, to earnest thought. If you had pursued a course in the duties and obligations resting upon you, you might have secured the confidence of those whose confidence you prize. For your faithfulness in the discharge of your duties you might have had an influence which will be of the greatest value to you. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 14

[You should exercise] punctuality in doing your work up at the right time and trusting the smallest item to your memory. You are slack and neglectful of duties that should have the most careful [attention] at the right time. Procrastination is another evil, a stumbling block to you. Do at once what at once ought to be done. Never let matters pass over to receive attention tomorrow when it should have time today. If you do not drive your business, your business will drive you. You may drive your business and have everything done up promptly and done up correctly. When business is left or neglected, it gets tangled and in confusion. There is constant hurry and drive, mingled with perplexity, and nothing is done efficiently or correctly. You should study in your work to be punctual, prompt, and methodical. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 15

Early rising is necessary for you both and should be carefully cultivated. Hours are wasted that might be improved to the best advantage. The night hours cannot take the place or make up for lost hours in the fresh of the morning. Health and prosperity are better gained by early rising than by wasting hours in bed. Take hold of your business in the morning, for this will give a forward impulse to everything throughout the day. Let your work commence with the rising sun. If the sun commences its work before you do, there will be time lost that you cannot regain. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 16

You both lack economy. Practice this. Large sums are gained by taking care of the little sums. But time is money. Be careful of time; be careful of pence; and for your soul's sake, heed the suggestions given you here. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 17

The office has suffered greatly by your deficiencies of character. The experience you had in doing business for yourself has not taught you the lessons I had hoped it would. You do not now exercise that business tact you should, and which is required for the prosperity of the office. You have a tact for dispatch, but the diligence, the perseverance, the close attention, the caretaking, is not exercised. All these neglects placed your name under the head of “Unfaithful servant.” 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 18

Keep out of debt. Money has been loaned you by your father. He needs it. When this money was loaned you, it was to lessen your debts and the large interest you were paying, but, in the place of exercising all your powers for Emma and you to wear off that debt, you, Edson, found a way to expend more means in improving your home. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 19

You have a habit of being in debt, and it does not look formidable to you. Both of you, by strictest economy, not spending one cent unless actually necessary, can lessen your debts. Your ideas must not be too nice and particular in regard to clothing. You can save much by having modest apparel without seeking for the most expensive articles because they are the nicest. Here is where Emma will have to learn lessons of saving, of self-denial. Every penny expended for needless indulgence is a sin. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 20

I feel deeply, my children, in regard to your cases. I know that you are both weighed in the balances of the sanctuary and found wanting. Shall the judgment sit and the books be opened and you come under the head of “Wanting”? Now it is not too late for you to redeem the defects of your character. But, although they have been presented before you again and again, you have not felt that it was really so. You have not made continuous efforts to overcome. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 21

Neither of you are devotional. You neglect the service of God. You excuse yourself, Edson, because of business, but, at the same time, if there was a pleasing entertainment, you would find a way to go. You need the benefits of the prayer meeting. You need to go and to work yourself to keep up the interest of the meeting. You need the benefits of these meetings a great deal more than the meetings need you. Your example is not good. Is the service of God unworthy of attention? Have you become so insensible to the privileges of the church that you consider it a tax to spend an hour in devotion and religious exercise? This is your first business. Nothing is to come in to take the place of this. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 22

When you neglect the means of grace and have a confirmed habit of feeling that you can do without these precious opportunities, you become self-sufficient, self-confident, and God is not with you. God meets with His people who assemble in the house of God to worship Him. It is impossible for finite minds to conceive the value of one opportunity to sit with Jesus in the house of prayer. Oh, how many are blind to their own interest! They are restless, impatient, unhappy, always reaching ahead, grasping at something beyond their reach, and, when difficulties occur, feel that something for which they are not responsible stands in the way of their happiness. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 23

Children, what you need is the presence of your Saviour. It is not too late for wrongs to be righted. It is not too late for you to make a success in overcoming every defect in character. But you can never make a success without constant watchfulness and earnest prayer. Let the words of Jacob be your words, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” [Genesis 32:26.] 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 24

Long before the precious Saviour appeared in our world in fashion as a man, representing the Father by His meek and gentle character, His pitying love, and unparalleled benevolence, the pen of inspiration has shown us the true character of God. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” [Psalm 103:13, 14.] 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 25

Through living faith in Jesus Christ, we may learn the lessons of trust. The Word of God with its precious lessons, promises, and assurance, can make us acquainted with the parental love of God. Human weakness, through simple, humble trust and faith, will prevail over infinite power. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 26

Children, make thorough work for eternity. Leave not one duty undone. Do not be found wanting in the day of God when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened. Edson, you need to cultivate self-control, patience, and meekness. I knew you did not estimate Sister [Nettie] Holt as you should. She would have been exactly the faithful help you needed in the counting room, but she was criticized unmercifully and was not encouraged so that she could gain confidence and courage in herself and in her work. You have failed to use the most faithful hand you ever will have. 3LtMs, Lt 49, 1879, par. 27

Mother