Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)
Lt 63, 1898
White, W. C.
“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales
August 11, 1898
Portions of this letter are published in OHC 335; 4BC 1154. +Note
Dear Son Willie:
I have read your letter. We are praying for all who are in conference. I think your proposition, or decision, that Brother Daniells and the men you mention spend some time in Sydney, is a wise one. Sydney is an important place, and there is need of something being accomplished, in order to advance the work. 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 1
I have done my writing, all that I should do today, but will send you a few lines with my letter. I feel deeply in regard to every Seventh-day Adventist church. There is great need of the love of God in all hearts. Then there will be love one to another, sincere, brotherly kindness, and Christian courtesy. There is a great lack of Christian tenderness, even among the workers, and this will continue to exist until the love of Jesus shall take possession of the hearts of church members. We must have the deep earnest love of Jesus. We must strive for this love. We must take our individual self in hand, and at the same time grasp by faith our all-sufficient, sin-pardoning Redeemer. We must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 2
Just as soon as the work of God begins for the individual believers, every one working over against his own house by repentance, confession, and forsaking of all selfishness, we shall receive the Holy Spirit. His sufficiency will be a power in our behalf. We shall have grace to help in every time of need. We need to feel our own dependence upon God. It is “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.” [Zechariah 4:6.] 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 3
We do not know what the Lord will certainly do for us if we will come into line. God sees what He can make of man. There are possibilities which our feeble faith does not discern. “Ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] He sees all the now unamiable traits of character in man, and He knows, if men will learn the meekness and lowliness of Christ, He can mold and fashion the combative spirit, the unamiable disposition, and bring every power of the being into working order to advance His kingdom. He longs to refine, elevate, and ennoble the entire life. If man will co-operate in the work, God will bring the apparently rough stones from the quarry into His workshop, and with the axe and hammer and chisel of His Word, prepare them for a place in His building. Through the Holy Spirit’s power He can use the very worst characters, and make them men and women of opportunity. 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 4
Blessed is the man who by faith can get a glimpse of Christ’s faith. If He will behold the face of God in Jesus Christ, if human inventions are laid aside, then there is a possibility of his becoming Christlike in character. 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 5
Thus God has planned it, and I am instructed to say to you: Hold fast. Do not descend to any cheap ideal. God has planned, therefore rise by faith and practice. Rise by human endeavor co-operating with the divine. God sees the human agent struggling with great difficulties, but reach up. His promise is, “Ask, and ye shall receive.” [John 16:24.] Say, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me,” even me. [Genesis 32:26.] Sanctify me, and make me fit for the Master’s use. Great light comes to man as he sees the privileges that are for him. He sees God’s plans for him and he dies to self. He sees that he has been working with all his powers to do some great and wonderful thing, when he was continually at cross-purposes with his Master. He submits to be worked, and God directs him, causing him to stand in his lot and place. 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 6
While the human agent is devising and planning for himself something that God has withheld him from doing, he has a hard time. He complains and frets, and has still increased difficulties. But when he submits to be as clay in the hands of the potter, then God works the man into a vessel of honor. The clay submits to be worked. If God had His way, hundreds would be worked and made into vessels as He sees best. 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 7
Let the hand of God work the clay, for His own service. He knows just what kind of a vessel He wants. To every man He has given his work. God knows what place he is best fitted for. Many are working contrary to the will of God, and they spoil the web. The Lord wants every one to be submissive under His divine guidance. He will place men where they will submit to be worked into oneness with Christ, bearing His divine similitude. If self will submit to be worked, if you will co-operate with God, if you will pray in unity, work in unity, all taking your place as threads in the web of life, you will grow into a beautiful fabric that will rejoice the universe of God. 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 8
The Lord says, “I have had my purpose concerning you.” If you will be one with Christ, your unity and close fellowship and love will be an endorsement of the work of Christ in the redemption of humanity. Satan is cunning and full of hatred, toward men and toward God. He would have man hate his fellow man, just as many are doing. The leaven of faultfinding and criticism has entered the church, and works to create cross-purposes, and tangle the work. God declares, “Ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 9
The Lord will signify to the world that He will honor those that honor Him. “For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God,” He says, “the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you or choose you because you were in number more than any people; for you were the fewest of all people, but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers, ... know therefore the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy, to them that love him, to a thousand generations.” [Deuteronomy 7:6-9.] 13LtMs, Lt 63, 1898, par. 10