Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Lt 99, 1886

White, J. E.; White, Emma

Orebro, Sweden

June 18, 1886

Portions of this letter are published in TDG 178; 3MR 399.

Dear Children, Edson and Emma:

We left Basel June [15] and arrived at this place early this morning. W. C. White, Elders Whitney and Conradi visited Leipsic, leaving Basel Monday morning. Sarah and Christanna and I remained until Tuesday. We stepped on board the train at 10 p.m.; rode all night. Changed cars once in early morning before reaching Frankfort. We changed again at Frankfort. We hired porters to take care of our baggage, transferring it to and from the cars. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 1

The cars in Europe have no regular sleeping coaches attached as in America. Some compartments are arranged so that the seats can be adjusted and the sleeping arrangements are then very good, but you have to provide your own wraps and make yourself comfortable if you choose to do so. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 2

We changed again at Hamburg. There W. C. White joined us. We were transferred to the boat at midnight. We were much troubled after Sarah found her satchel missing. We hustled our goods out of the car, then upon consideration we thought we would not be detained twenty-four hours for the worth of the satchel and its contents, so the train was held for us until we had our baggage stowed away again in the car, and in about one hour the satchel appeared. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 3

We reached Copenhagen at about 11 o’clock a.m. Were taken in a hack direct to the steamer and were soon on our way to Malmo, where we ate our dry lunch and then stepped on the train again. We did some excellent sleeping. We had been broken up in sleep, being out two nights, and we were to ride all night Thursday, and Friday morning we reached this place and received a hearty welcome. We were rejoiced to meet Elders Olsen and Oyen again, and Elder Matteson. We do hope the Lord will reveal His presence to us at this meeting. We need more than human wisdom, and without this wisdom we might as well be still. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 4

I am as well as and better than I could expect to be after riding three nights and two days with only the hard seats without springs. I hope after one night’s rest to be in working order. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 5

I hope the Lord will bless you with His grace, and I hope that you will not become impatient of criticism and faultfinding; but if it comes, consider that you are not perfect, that errors are liable to occur, and that many mistakes made in a lifetime occasion suspicion, although the very ones who criticize have similar errors in their experience. Many do not think of this, and as a result they are unmerciful to others, judging others by themselves to have the same or worse weaknesses than they themselves have. But we must individually preserve a course above retaliation. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 6

We shall show the greatest wisdom when we pass along, doing our work with fidelity, not swerving to the right hand or to the left, keeping a straightforward course, having our eye single to the glory of God. It is not how much feeling we manifest over injustice in treatment that evidences strength of character, but it is the self-control, the firm check put upon a strong emotion, that evidences strength of character and the spirit of Jesus. The tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God is to be given to the overcomer. It is the reward given to conquest, to toil and self-sacrifice, to the working Christian who will fight the good fight of faith. We must be nobly striving and fighting for the victory. The grace of Christ will be given to all who fight lawfully. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 7

Now, my son, take as little notice as possible of what people say. Let them say what they will, but do not by word or deportment show the rising up of self. The Lord would have you pursue such a course that you will be considered worthy of trust and confidence. You have abilities calculated to do good to others if you do not allow yourself to be carried away by impulse. If you evidence that you have a firm reliance upon God, you will gain respect and confidence, and then you will exert an influence for good. You will let your light shine forth to the best advantage. You will seek to represent Jesus. You know our Saviour was reviled, but He reviled not again. He was despised and rejected of men; and can His followers expect anything better in this life? May our gracious heavenly Father impart to each of us more grace, and may we rejoice in His love. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 8

The truth, how precious to our souls! It sanctifies, refines, softens, and subdues the soul. We are not to be faithless, but believing. I hope you will have divine aid in all your efforts and recommend the truth which we profess. Do not let anything plague you, harass you, but just look to Jesus for help and believe in Him to help us. I long to be altogether what the Lord would have me to be. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 9

My son, work for God. You are His employed servant to do His will. Be Christlike, be sober and watch unto prayer. Be not turned aside from your duty, for Satan will try every means to have you diverted from doing God’s will; but if he sees you firmly connected with Jesus Christ, he will see his attacks are in vain. May the Lord help you and endue you with power from on high. Great blessings may be yours, great light will shine round about you, if you will only believe and trust your heavenly Father implicitly. Watch unto prayer. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 10

I want you both to possess the great treasure of eternal life. Let it be seen that you believe the truth by revealing the same in spirit and in deportment. Think of God, talk more of Jesus and of heaven. Talk of the blessed hope and be in earnest to win the crown of life. We are not half in earnest. We have not that intensity of desire for eternal life proportionate to the value of the object we are in pursuit of. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 11

Go forward, Edson and Emma. When tried, believe that Jesus lives and wants to save and wants you to be free in His love, full of joy, full of gratitude, full of praise to God. Great blessings are in store for you. Will you grasp them by faith? 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 12

Mother.

Send the watches to Addie Walling, Pacific Press, Oakland, saying she may have her choice, and as the eldest it is her right. May can have the other. Both are very excellent watches. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 13

Mother.

P.S. Edson, I want two more copies of the little pamphlet got off at the sanitarium. I want to cut up the two to make general articles. One I wish to keep as it is. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 14

Your cranberry sauce came in very nicely on this journey. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 15

Send the measurements of your clothes to Basel as you have done. It will come to us. 4LtMs, Lt 99, 1886, par. 16