Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 395, 1906

Cobb, S. M.

St. Helena, California

December 25, 1906

Portions of this letter are published in 11MR 153.

Elder S. M. Cobb
New Zealand

My Brother in the Lord:

The Lord desires that you shall inquire of Him with a humble mind, that you may know and understand the mind and will of the Lord concerning you. He wants you to come to Him with the same simplicity that the little child manifests toward its earthly parents. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 1

You are in danger of planning for a variety of things that call for large capability and the outlay of much means. If you seek to carry out your plans in your own wisdom, you will be brought into trial and perplexity. The Lord would have His workers seek diligently for wisdom from God, and not move from impulse. You have tact and skill in some lines, and through much earnest prayer you can understand how to do more thoroughly the work you desire to accomplish. Do not fail through self-confidence, and by seeking to embrace too much in your work. Your finite judgment will lead you astray. At every new step you take, ask, Is this the way of the Lord? 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 2

There is a dearth of laborers in your field. You are required to link up with others who have not the same traits of character as yourself, and who do not always look at matters in the same light as you view them. You must bear in mind that no one man’s mind is perfect or capable of guiding or controlling the whole work. Do not act so fully on your own ideas and judgments, but learn to weigh matters from all sides. The Lord is a safe counsellor. Come to the dear Lord, as a humble little child, and place your case before Him. Then continue to watch unto prayer. Carefully weigh every new move, and lay your plans before your brethren. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 3

It is on this point that great mistakes have been made in the work in America. The workers needed the sanctified wisdom that comes from God alone. But they were not bound about by difficulties, as you are in New Zealand, by a lack of means and workers. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 4

You cannot afford to make mistakes in the grand closing up of the work of God. You must walk humbly with God. The Prince of Life, the Son of God, in His earthly life prayed much in His human necessities with strong crying and tears. He says to you, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” [Matthew 11:29.] Our rest comes in wearing the yoke of Christ. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 5

We would each do well to have seasons of self-examination, to see what our peculiar traits of character are, and then compare them with the life and teachings of Christ. This would prove a most precious season of communion with God. God’s word of truth would be revealed to us, and we would be truly learning of Christ. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 6

“He that will come after me,” Christ says, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me; so shall he be My disciple.” [See Mark 8:34; John 15:8.] Christ wants you to consider every step you take. Lay your plans before your brethren; counsel with them, and counsel with God, and you will make no mistakes. Then it will never be said of you that you followed your own way and will to the injury of the work. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 7

I write these things not only for you, Brother Cobb, but also for your associates in labor. In the night season I seemed to be trying to impress upon you the need of linking up with your brethren of experience, and they with you. I was very desirous that you should feel free to communicate with one another, to counsel together, that you might draw in even cords. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 8

The Lord would have Elder Cobb a reliable man. He wants you to prove a strength and blessing to the workers. Never let distrust of your brethren grow in your heart; for this will produce more mischief than you can possibly counteract. You need to follow closely in the footsteps of Christ and study the great and holy work He has appointed each soul to do. If you will look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, you will learn most precious lessons of faith and patience and true forbearance; and you will understand what it means to have true confidence in and love for your brethren. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 9

Teachers must be constant learners. Those who are in office to give counsel and instruction to others must not themselves be strangers to the practices of the great Teacher. They are to love as brethren, to be kind and courteous. When men are placed in office who have not on the gospel shoes, they will surely mislead; for they follow their own ways and plans instead of walking in the ways of the Lord. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 10

My brother, link up with Elder Olsen. Give him your confidence. Love as brethren, and be laborers together with God. Be not of that number who are ever learning, but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. It is your privilege to know what is truth, because for more than half a century, we have been guided step by step by the counsels of the Spirit of God. At this time many efforts will be made to unsettle our faith in the Sanctuary question; but we must not waver. Not a pin is to be moved from the foundations of our faith. Truth is still truth. Those who become uncertain will drift into erroneous theories and will finally find themselves infidel in regard to the past evidence we have had of what is truth. The old waymarks must be preserved, that we lose not our bearings. 21LtMs, Lt 395, 1906, par. 11