Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

1902

Letters

Lt 1, 1902

Haskell, Brother and Sister

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

January 18, 1902

Portions of this letter are published in TDG 26; 10MR 222-224; BTS 10/1902. +^Note

Dear brother and sister Haskell,—

We are home again. I have received and read your letter. I praise God with heart and voice for what you have written. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 1

In your letter you speak of not being able to get Dr. Kellogg to help you at a certain important time. Think you the Lord cannot work by few as well as by many, by more simple agencies as well as by men who are in more important positions, such as Dr. Kellogg? “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” [John 17:3.] If these words were studied and believed, the wish for Dr. Kellogg or some other man to help on some important occasion would not be indulged. Look beyond Dr. Kellogg. Look to Him who is the Light and Life of the world. Look, I say, to Him who has promised to be your helper in every time of need. To every man according to his several ability, God has given his work. Why will not our people learn this lesson? Why must my pen trace the words again and again? 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 2

It is not always the men apparently in possession of the greatest capabilities who have the most success in some lines of the work. The Lord uses so-called less capable men. They may not be eloquent, but if they are connected with God, He will richly bless them. Their rugged, solid words coming directly from the heart are of great value and are appreciated by the Lord. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 3

Let not those connected with the Master’s service look to men of large abilities to do their work for them. God stands behind the one who does his best. Let every worker rely on His power, and He will impress the hearts of those for whom they labor. Great good may be accomplished by the sincere, humble worker who realizes that success does not depend on appearances, but on the One who has given him his commission. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 4

Now is the time to work in Greater New York. The Lord has many workers to use in this great city, and He has a great many kinds of work to be done there. Some of the work will be great, some small, but all is to unite to make a perfect whole. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 5

The reason the number of workers is so much smaller than it should be is that men are looking at their supposed weakness and putting their trust in one whose appearances and capabilities will, they suppose, win success. Thus spiritual consumption is brought into the church, and souls are dying because the spiritual life-blood is poisoned. Men have depended on men till they are strengthless. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 6

God desires a different mold placed on His work. Let men go forth to labor, trusting in the Lord, and He will go with them, convicting and converting souls. One worker may be a ready speaker, another a ready writer, another may have the gift of sincere, earnest, fervent prayer, another the gift of singing. Another may have special power to explain the Word of God with clearness. And each gift is to become a power for God because He works with the laborer. To one God gives the word of wisdom, to another knowledge, to another faith. But all are to work under the same Head. The diversity of gifts leads to a diversity of operations, “but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” [1 Corinthians 12:6.] 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 7

Let no man despise the supposed lesser gifts. Let all go to work. Let no one fold his hands in unbelief because he thinks he can do no mighty work. Cease looking at self. Look at your Leader. In sincerity, meekness, and love do what you can. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 8

Brother Haskell, say to your workers, “Only do your best in faith, brethren, and out of weakness you shall be made strong.” 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 9

God will certainly bless whole-hearted workers. If the Lord chooses your feet to do His work, give your feet to Him. With the feet you may hunt for souls. Christ says, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” [John 15:10.] 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 10

I beg of you not to send for Dr. Kellogg to do a work that the workers on the ground can do if they will take hold of God’s strength and rely on His power. It is not right to continue to pile responsibilities on Dr. Kellogg. Thus his brethren place him where God should be. The man you look to carry you successfully through an emergency has perhaps done his best. But he would have been more greatly blessed if he had put God first, hiding himself in Christ. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 11

I cannot believe that God has appointed Dr. Kellogg to bear so many burdens that his very life is in danger of going out. He is human, compassed with infirmities, and the Lord will not hold excusable those who load him with their burdens. Christ is our burden-bearer. He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 12

We all need to learn to call upon Him who is near and not afar off. We need to learn to look in humility for help from One who has never disappointed us. I should be glad for you to have at any time the help that Dr. kellogg can give you from his larger experience. But remember that Dr. Kellogg will be unable to endure the heavy loads that are being placed on him. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 13

Christ is the Light of the world. Pure, clear, and undimmed, this light shines out in sharp <clear rays to cut away> Satan’s darkness. Into the gloom of error and deception it casts a light that is a perpetual reproach to the sensuality and sin of the world. Our Redeemer did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. He is “the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” [John 1:9.] He offers to cover our unworthiness with the spotless robe of His righteousness. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 14

Satan charged God with possessing the attributes that he himself possessed. Christ came to this world to reveal God’s character as it really is. He is the perfect representation of the Father. His life of sinlessness, lived on this earth in human nature, is a complete refutation of Satan’s charge against the character of God. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 15

Thousands of years before, Christ had shown to Moses the character of the Father, passing before him and proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.” “Thou shalt worship no other God; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” [Exodus 34:6, 7, 14.] 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 16

With intense interest the loyal angels and the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds are watching the controversy going on in this world. Soon the conflict will be forever ended. Soon Christ will come to take to Himself those who have fought the good fight of faith. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 17

The world is enshrouded in the darkness of error. Satan and his angels are urging on their warfare against the truth. We must have help. But the help we need will not come from human beings. We must look to Him who has said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” [Matthew 28:18-20.] “These signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” [Mark 16:17, 18.] “And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:20.] 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 18

Claim this promise, instead of casting your burdens upon an over-worked man, who is already so loaded down with responsibilities that he cannot find time to go apart and gain refreshment by resting for a while with Jesus. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 19

There stands among you the Mighty Counsellor of the ages, inviting you to place your confidence in Him. Shall we turn from Him to uncertain human beings, who are as wholly dependent on God as we ourselves are? Have we not fallen far below our privilege? Have we not been guilty of expecting so little that we have not asked for what God is longing to give? 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 20

My brother, my sister, you who have had experience, will you not do all in your power to train those who accept the truth under your labors, who are just beginning to understand their relation to God and His relation to them? God is seeking to draw us to Him, that we may draw others to Him. He desires us to cherish correct ideas, to raise our estimate of life and of the sacredness of our responsibilities. “Ye are not your own; for ye have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 21

In a variety of figures, matters have been presented to me regarding the church members who are dwarfed in spirituality because they do not look to Jesus, their ever-present help in time of trouble. I see men bearing a heavy burden of responsibility, but they are not gaining the strength of hope and courage by exercising faith in God. The promise is, “Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” [Matthew 7:7.] But when in trouble many think that they must write to their earthly friends, telling them their perplexities, and begging for help. Under trying circumstances, unbelief comes in, and the way seems dark. And all the time Jesus, the great Burden-bearer, stands beside them, saying, Come unto me, and I will give you the rest for which you are longing. Why will we turn from him? 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 22

“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie; so he was their Saviour. In all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; so he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” [Isaiah 63:7-9.] “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” [1 Peter 4:1, 2.] 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 23

Let us show more confidence in our Redeemer. Turn not from the waters of Lebanon to seek refreshment at broken cisterns, which can hold no water. Have faith in God. Praise Him with heart and voice. God demands heart and life service. Reach higher and still higher, and catch divine rays from Him who is light and peace and joy and gladness. Do not wait for some one more ready of speech, but do what you can in the meekness of the great Master, who gave His life for you, that His joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 17LtMs, Lt 1, 1902, par. 24