Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Ms 199, 1898

Regard Elder Haskell

July 4, 1898

Previously unpublished.

I cannot sleep. I am troubled. It is one o’clock a.m. Last night I dreamed that Elder Haskell was packing up his goods to go to America. One laid his hand upon his shoulder and said, Where are you going? Elder Haskell answered, I intend to take the steamer for America. He said, “Who has given you these orders? When you reach America, will not God say to you, What doest thou here, Stephen? The Lord has given you your work in this country at present. You are in His service. You are to hold forth the Word of life to those who are in the darkness of error. You are not to confine yourself closely to the school work. You are to do the work for which the Lord has been fitting you, the work of giving light in due season. You are not to carry the perplexities of business. You are to give light to those who are in need of light. Many will receive and appreciate light, and through [your] services glory will be brought to God.” 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 1

When your work in this country is done, the Lord will say, “I have another work for you to do, Stephen.” I say, then, Preserve your God-given strength. Do not take upon you taxing, continuous labors. You should have as a helper a young man of good ability, who can write for you and help you in other ways to advance the work. As you take hold of the work as it opens before you, you will know how to advance. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 2

The Lord designs His servants in Australia, to whom He has committed ability, to blend in the school at Cooranbong. This is His method of work. You are to unite with your brethren in advancing the work of the school. God has given talents of more than ordinary value to His servants. He uses a variety of minds and a variety of methods. Some talents resemble one another, and are possessed by many. Others of God’s servants have been given special strength to present and make effective the truths of God’s Word. No one is to underrate his talent, and no one is to feel that his talent is all that is required. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 3

The Lord does not ask you to serve tables. He asks you to present the truth in clear lines before many people. He calls upon you to bring from the treasure house things new and old. This is your work. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 4

The books of Daniel and Revelation are to be carefully and prayerfully studied. You are to connect with your brethren in presenting before the people all the light you can on these two books. The Lord wants not only your talent of ability; He wants the united talents of those He has commissioned to preach the gospel, so that the best and strongest Scriptural truths shall be linked together and combined as a perfect whole. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 5

The responsibility of this work you need now carry alone. You cannot do this work alone. You are to unite with those who know the Scriptures. Thus you can all help one another. Do not shut yourself up to yourself. Do not try to work alone, for without assistance you cannot place the great truths in harmonious order. The mind of one man does not discern everything. All must unite in most earnest supplication to God and with great humility of mind and oneness of spirit bring from the treasure house of the mind things new and old. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 6

And you must not confuse your mind by writing for a long time without rest. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 7

God’s servants are to use their every power and perception in doing God service, in bringing glory to His holy name. Those who in humility open the Scriptures to others will surely be worked by the Spirit of God. All will not have the same impressions. All will not go over the same ground in presenting the truth. Some may desire to shirk the responsibilities which they must bear in order to do the work appointed them. It is not for the servant of the Lord to disparage his entrusted capability. If he does this, the Lord cannot be well pleased with him. Let all remember that it the Lord’s goods they are handling, and that they must handle them prayerfully. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 8

God has given gifts to all men, and He requires all to learn to communicate? God has not given to any man the wisdom to rightly estimate his own talents, neither has He given him wisdom to measure the talents of another, to say how large or how small they are. God alone knows how important are the gifts He has entrusted to His servants. 13LtMs, Ms 199, 1898, par. 9