Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 217, 1904

Young, W. R.

Nashville, Tennessee

July 3, 1904

Portions of this letter are published in 9T 28-29. +^Note

W. R. Young
Stockton, California

My dear Brother,—

I have received and read your letter. I am glad to hear from you and very thankful to know you are rejoicing in the love of God. I praise the Lord. He is everything to those who believe in Him. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 1

I hope that your brothers are serving the Lord. Time is fast passing. The end is near. We need a preparedness to meet the difficulties of this time. There is a great deal of religious sentiment in our world and but very little real Christianity. We need now to be diligent Bible students. Men will say, “Lo, here is Christ,” and “Lo, there is Christ,” to draw people away from the real to the false. [Matthew 24:23.] The Word of God is to be our guide and counselor. Christ is the only safe leader. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” [John 1:12.] “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory.” [2 Corinthians 3:18.] 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 2

My brother, may the Lord keep you by His power and lead you and guide you. I believe He has impressed you to give of your means for the establishment of His work in Washington. A sanitarium and a school are to be established at the capital of our nation. I hope that you will be able to send the brethren there one thousand dollars. They need means very much, and now is your opportunity to help. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 3

Here in the South there are many lines of work that need help. A Sanitarium for colored people has been started in the city of Nashville. The work is carried on in a rented building. The patronage of this institution is good. The brethren are wondering whether it would not be best to purchase the building, that they may make some needed changes and improvements. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 4

I will send you several copies of a pamphlet giving the particulars regarding this Sanitarium. Please put these pamphlets in the hands of your friends, asking them if they will not try to interest others in the enterprise. My son Edson has carried the burden of this institution on his soul. He is very anxious for its future. Will you not make a gift to this work? 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 5

Do not allow your means to be tied up in any speculation. The money that the Lord has entrusted to His people is now greatly needed in His cause. Will you not be our right-hand helper in trying to secure means with which to provide this little Sanitarium with the facilities that are needed for its work? The Lord will bless all who will help. O that our people in California would only realize the situation and make earnest efforts to relieve the necessities of this poverty-stricken field! We must have help. In the name of the Lord we plead for it. Will you not do what you can to collect means for the colored Sanitarium in Nashville? 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 6

You say, my brother, that some have asked you to take one thousand dollars worth of stock in the Alaska Fishery Development Company. You say, The Secretary of the Company told me that he was to start a self-sustaining missionary station and have a church school; and that you had given your sanction to their work. Brother E. E. Cooke of Stockton told me that you told Brother F. H. Watson that the Lord had called him, Brother Watson, to that work, and that he must not let any one turn him away from it. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 7

Now, my brother, this is a surprising statement. Your letter contains the first intimation I have had that I am supposed to have favored any enterprise such as a fish cannery being started by our people. This is entirely new to me. My helpers remind me that at the camp-meeting held in Oakland in 1901, Brother Watson talked with me about his going to Alaska as a self-supporting missionary, saying that he could take his tools, and work in the shops, and at the same time preach the truth. I told him I thought it would be right for him to do this. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 8

But I could not encourage my brethren to enter into the fish canning business or any similar business. I did not tell Brother Watson that God had given him that work to do, and that he must not let any one turn him away from it. There has been some misunderstanding regarding the meaning of my words of advice. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 9

There is a most earnest work to be done now, just now, to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord. In this work we are to use all our means and all our influence. But I have a painful sense that money which is needed in the Lord’s cause is being drawn from our people for various worldly enterprises. Example after example has come to our notice where men have persuaded our people to invest their means in some such enterprise as the one you mention in your letter, with encouragement that the profits would be used in missionary work, but in the end the enterprises have failed. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 10

At this time money is greatly needed in the work of the Lord. God calls upon His people to place their means in the bank of heaven, beside His throne. Do not allow your means to be buried up now, when there is so much need of it in the Lord’s work. And if you know of others who have money to spare, ask them to place it in the bank of heaven. The Lord will bless them in helping to get the truth before those who know it not. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 11

The night before last a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire fall into the midst of some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard some say, “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know they would come so soon.” Others said, “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.” On every side I heard such words spoken. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 12

In great distress I awoke. I went to sleep again, and I seemed to be in a great gathering. One of authority was addressing the company before whom was spread out a map of the world. He said that the map pictured God’s vineyard, which was to be cultivated. As light from heaven shone upon any soul, that soul was to reflect the light to others. Lights were to be kindled in many places, and from these lights still other lights were to be kindled. The words were repeated: 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 13

“Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:13-16.] 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 14

Then I saw jets of light shining from cities and villages, and from the high places and the low places of the earth. God’s Word was obeyed, and as a result there were memorials for Him in every city and village. His truth was proclaimed throughout the world. 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 15

Then this map was removed, and another put in its place. There were streaks of light from heaven in a few places. The rest of the world was as dark as midnight, with only a glimmer of light here and there. Our instructor said, “this darkness is the result of men’s following their own counsel. They have cherished hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil. They have made questioning and faultfinding and accusing the chief business of their lives. Their hearts are not right with God. They have hidden their light under a bushel. In the Southern field, where there should be bright beams of light, there is much darkness.” 19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 16