Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 141, 1906

White, J. E.; White, Emma

St. Helena, California

May 10, 1906

This letter is published in entirety in 21MR 83-84. +^Note

Elder J. E. White
Nashville, Tennessee

My children Edson and Emma:

I have begun several times to write to you, but before the letter has been finished, each time I have had to pack up my writings, and so nothing has been finished. I shall make another beginning. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 1

We are very pleased to be at home again. Yesterday we gathered peas from our garden for dinner. This is the second dish we have had this season. We found when we arrived home that Brother and Sister King during our absence had had a general house-cleaning. Everything smells sweet and clean. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 2

We thought it right on our way home to drive through the city to see the ruin wrought by the earthquake and fire. We drove in an easy carriage through the ruined district. I have no language with which to describe the awful scene. There are some who are now boasting that in restoring San Francisco they will make it proof against such casualties in the future. But these worldly wise men do not know that there is an omnipotent Ruler in the heavens, who possesses all power, and that He will do according to His will. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 3

I was pleased to see that the church which your father, and a few who united with him, built was untouched by the fire. The house close beside it, which Brother Chittenden built, is also unharmed. The park near by looked beautiful with its fine trees and flowers and green grass. The fire came quite close to this section, but it also escaped injury. We feel that God has greatly favored His people in this time of calamity. Although so many living in San Francisco have been killed, we have not heard of one Sabbath-keeper who was killed or injured in the disaster. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 4

The ascension of Jesus to the Father was a matter of rejoicing to the early church. It enabled the Saviour to vouch safe to His followers in a special sense, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, His guidance and protection. The promise of the Father concerning His Son had been, “He shall see His seed; He shall prolong His days; and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” [Isaiah 53:10.] At the close of His work on earth the Saviour could say, “I have finished the work that Thou gavest Me to do: and now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” [John 17:4, 5.] 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 5

Christ claims His own recompense for His conquests. He specified in His wonderful prayer, recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John, what that recompense is. “I am glorified in them,” He says. [Verse 10.] His ransomed church is to be the chief source of His glory. Through them, unto principalities and powers in heavenly places, is to be made known the manifold wisdom of God. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 6

“I have given them Thy word,” the Saviour declared, “and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 7

“As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also that shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 8

“And the glory which Thou gavest Me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me. And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” [Verses 14-26.] 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 9

Christ humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. “Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him.” [Philippians 2:9.] A marvelous work has been wrought in our behalf. Shall we allow ourselves to become depressed, or to murmur and complain? “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. While it is said, Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some when they heard did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was He grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” [Hebrews 3:12-19.] 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 10

True believers are the light of the church and of the world. God has true messengers of healing in our world. They are those who are taught of God, who are imbued with His Spirit, ministers who experience the sanctification of the Spirit. Sons and daughters of God have a great work to do in the world. They are to be its light. They are to accept the Word of God as the man of their counsel and impart it to others. They are to diffuse light. All who have received the engrafted Word will be faithful in giving that Word to others. They will speak the words of Christ. In conversation and in deportment they will give evidence of a daily conversion to the principles of truth. Such believers will be a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men, and God will be glorified in them. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 11

Let us ask ourselves the question, Shall I not seek to honor God daily? The time has come for me to present these things before you as the Lord has presented them to me. 21LtMs, Lt 141, 1906, par. 12