Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 1 (1844 - 1868)

Lt 4, 1859

Peabody, William

September 2, 1859

Previously unpublished. See also Annotations.

Dear Brother [William] Peabody:

I will try to write you what was shown me in vision nearly one year ago. I saw that the truth of God would progress. That there was a great work to do, and that the stewards of God have not moved fast enough. They moved too slow. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 1

Dear Brother, I saw that the Lord wanted your means which He has lent you. He calls for you to use it to advance His cause. I saw that there was but a little time for you to use the means which He has lent you in advancing His work. You must work fast to get your treasure before you into heaven and safely secured there, where thieves cannot steal it or moth corrupt it. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 2

I saw that your business was in an unsettled, perplexing state, and you must begin to square up your business. Get it into a snug compass. Be getting ready to move to the better country, even the heavenly. I saw that you should work as fast as possible to remove the means which God has lent you from the hands of unbelievers and transfer it to the believers, and aid in advancing the last message of mercy ever to be given to the world. I saw that you should be getting things in a close compass, and be preparing for the last great work of the third angel. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 3

I saw that had you been using your means more freely for the cause of God you would have been better off today. I saw that He required much of His servants that they have not performed. And when they become close, selfish, worldly, and covetous, and keep the means which God has lent them, He who has entrusted them this means will reach down His hand to show them how quickly He can scatter and take away what they have. When God’s stewards claim the means He has lent them as their own, God often touches what they have and will scatter it. I saw that there was a withholding which tendeth to poverty, and a scattering which increaseth. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 4

In the last vision given me in Michigan, June, 1859, I saw that you must have your eyes open to see the wants of the cause and then to freely bestow; that you had but a short time to work and lay up your treasure in heaven. I saw that you would have no reward for assisting or placing your means in the hands of wicked men who despise the truth. Many profess to be your friends because they want a favor of you. Satan and his evil angels work through them to retain your means in his ranks, and exult over their success. Satan works through evil angels—and they work through agents in the form of men—to wrench all the means he can from God’s children and place all he can in his own ranks. God’s stewards are not always wise. They are more fearful to trust their means to God’s keeping than to the keeping of sinful men who are under the control of their master, Satan. I saw that the scenes of this earth’s history are fast closing. It will soon all be finished, and what is to be done must be done quickly. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 5

Dear Brother, I have seen that there was a lack among those who have means. They lack faith in the result and success of this message. If they would venture something on the success of this message it would be more pleasing to God. Their faith would work and their works would preach loudly to unbelievers. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 6

I will now write you what I saw concerning God’s stewards, those who have considerable means. You were shown me among those whose faith must work, and your means be more freely imparted to advance the cause of present truth. I feel called out to say a few words to you. You are in a responsible place. You have a work to do to impart of your substance to the cause of God. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 7

Dear Brother, inquire carefully, What is my duty? I believe you are willing to do your duty if you know what it is. Many think they are sacrificing but they do not know what it is to sacrifice. A sacrifice decreases, it never increases, but decreases and consumes. I do not know how you can be clear and do your duty without rendering to God the increase of all your substance, and even more than the interest of your means. When you think of touching the principle do you not start back? Do you not shrink? I must speak plainly. I believe that God requires even more of you than the interest. From what God has shown me, you will have to touch the substance, the principal; then you will sacrifice. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 8

If you do not work fast, “The day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.” Zechariah 14:1. “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:33, 34. It will be much better for you to send your treasure before you into heaven. You should be now using it when the cause can be benefitted by it, when the cause of God actually needs it, rather than to wait until a time when the cause is better able to take care of itself. God is constantly raising up men to aid with their substance to advance the truth. This work will go forward. It will be extensive. It is now it needs help. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 9

Your life is not secure. Apply your means as you want it while you can. You may live to go through the time of trouble with the remnant, and you may be one of that number who are called blessed. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord,” etc. [Revelation 14:13.] Your head is already white. You are ripening up for the great harvest. Act the part faithfully which God assigns you, that at His coming it may be said of you, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” etc. [Matthew 25:23.] 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 10

From what I have seen, you should allow yourself in your old age all the necessaries of life’s comforts. Nourish your strength. For the sake of saving means, do not in any way expose your health. Take good and faithful care of God’s temple. Your health is more to be prized than money. And you should never let means stand in the way of your spiritual interest or hinder your being benefitted by assembling with the saints as often as you can, especially in their great gatherings. Your faith will receive strength. Your strength will increase, and the attraction to heaven grow stronger. Your last days should be your happiest and best. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1859, par. 11