Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Lt 175, 1902

Daniells, A. G.

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

November 16, 1902

Previously unpublished. +^Note

Dear brother Daniells,—

Two nights after you left us, the matter presented to me in Fresno was made very plain to me. In some things, your ideas and Brother E. R. Palmer’s ideas are not after God’s order. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 1

I have been enjoined by the Lord to gather together the Testimonies given for the Southern field and put them before the people. God will not permit the wrong impressions to remain on the minds of His people that have been made on them. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 2

My brother, the Lord never placed on you the burden of reorganizing the work in Nashville. God would have you go into the Southern field and there labor to advance the work, under the same difficulties that others have labored, before you feel at liberty to come to the conclusions to which you have come. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 3

As I study the figures presented to me in Fresno—the words spoken, the attitude taken—which have weakened confidence in the work in Nashville and have prevented means from being sent just where it was needed, I know that you have taken up a work that the Lord has not moved you to do. The spirit that has come in and is prevailing is a spirit with which the Lord cannot co-operate. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 4

The other day I took up one of my diaries and found page after page written last July in regard to matters in the South. This was written after a most clear revelation had been given me in regard to the need of our people’s assembling together, confessing their sins, repenting before God, and praying until the Lord manifests Himself with power. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 5

There is need of prayer such as Daniel offered. If ever a people needed to offer such prayer, it is Seventh-day Adventists. There is among them such self-confidence, such presumption. The Lord has been sending light to His people, but the Testimonies have not been heeded. There is a departure from the Lord’s expressed commands, a working contrary to the messages that for many years God has been giving relative to the work in the Southern field. This need not be, and it will not be when those who claim to believe the truth practice the truth. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 6

All backbiting must cease, or the Spirit of God will suddenly be withdrawn from His people. The Lord desires His servants to love as brethren, to be sorry to see any wrong thing, and, before believing any report, to go to the ones supposed to be in error and find out if the report is true. I have no confidence in the profession of any man who is willing to hurt a brother’s influence when he is not present to speak for himself. How can we be so unmindful of the word of the Lord in regard to what is due from one man to his fellow man and from one minister to a brother-minister. If, in the way things are being managed, we are not losing our first love, tell me who is? 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 7

The dark cloud has lifted from me, and I am now trying to make our brethren realize that the value of the gift of Christ’s love is beyond estimate. Let the love that dwells in renewed, sanctified hearts be seen among the workers. A self-renouncing heart grows more mellow as life advances. Christ in the heart, Christ in the life—this is our safety. No mere human being can be depended on. But those who, by receiving into the heart the lessons of the divine Teacher, have been made partakers of the divine nature are not changeable. Their work is done in harmony with Bible principles. God calls for true, staunch men, men who are working together with Him. Such men share His wisdom, and in their renewed lives His power is revealed. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 8

Not the laws of the impulsive tongue or hand, but the loving pulsation of the converted heart, are from God. “God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” [1 John 4:16.] And when Christ would define the advancement possible for us, He said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48.] He interprets His love in still another way, “Be ye therefore merciful, even as your Father in heaven is merciful.” [Luke 6:36.] 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 9

God displayed His power and wisdom in the work of creation. He revealed His majesty in the giving of His law. And finally, in the person of His Son, He came to the world to show His love and sympathy. This was the hiding of His power, the unveiling of His grace. The only begotten Son of God was nailed to the cross of Calvary, that He might bequeath to the fallen race a legacy of pardon. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 10

Satan stands as the general of the forces drawn up to hurt the souls of men. He looks on with fiendish triumph as he sees the professed followers of Christ biting and devouring one another. He stands ever ready to mar the lives of those who are trying to serve God. Heavenly angels marvel that men should aid satanic agencies in their work, discouraging hearts, making God’s people weak, strengthless, faithless. God looks upon men who are professedly His standard-bearers and sees them becoming Satan’s right-hand supporters, all the time supposing that they are doing God’s service. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 11

Elder Daniells, let this feature of your work change. I have had the workings of the Southern field opened before me, and I know what I know. Two days after you left, the meeting that you attended in Nashville was opened before me. You would better never have stepped foot into Nashville than to have borne the message you did. You did not speak intelligently nor by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. You did not speak the truth as it is in Jesus. May you now see that it will not pay for you to do work of this kind. You are to lift up and encourage. I am instructed to say to you that it is time we began to understand that God has not appointed any of His ministers to weaken the hands of their brother-ministers. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 12

I know that it is time for you to criticize yourself closely, that you may ascertain what manner of man you are, that you may be sure that your soul is not becoming lifted up unto vanity. I cannot endure the thought of your attitude and your ideas and plans as they were presented to me when the situation of the work in the Southern field was opened before me. The Lord saw that I could not endure the strain of having many things opened before me, but He did not long permit me to go blindfold. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 13

God calls upon us to look to Him, to trust in Him, and to refuse to listen to the gossip that injures reputations. Let us all seek the Lord with prayer and fasting, lest we leave on record an example that will lead souls from the truth. I ask you, as one who has a deep interest in your soul, to seek the Lord, and to urge Brother Lane and Brother Spicer to seek Him. All our ministers need a reconversion, a re-formation of character. Higher and still higher let your aspirations rise. Close the windows of the soul earthward, and open them heavenward. Will you not start a meeting for self-examination? Will you not humble your hearts before God? We all need a deeper wisdom than man’s philosophy, a stronger power then human law. Those who love God supremely and their neighbor as themselves will breathe in the Spirit of Christ, and from them will flow to their fellow men rich currents of love. There is certainly for every one who will walk in the light as Christ is in the light. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 14

We cannot doubt that love is better than envy, and self-sacrifice safer and more noble than selfishness. We need the divine touch that will give us patience, kindness, forbearance, and love. These are the virtues that will make us laborers together with God. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 15

Pray, pray, and believe! Live your prayers. Respond to Christ’s invitation, “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 11:29, 30.] A cloud is hanging over our ministers. They need the light of heaven, that they may have clear discernment. Self must die, and Christ must live in us. Then we shall be taught of God to love one another. If this pulling apart continues, we shall be as weak as water. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 16

The Son of the Highest stooped to be the servant of all, that He might beautify the meek with salvation. He gives grace to the humble, and “to them that have no might He increaseth strength.” [Isaiah 40:29.] 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 17

My brother, I want you to make an unreserved consecration to God, that the whole tenor of your experience may be changed, and that in your life the grace of Christ may be revealed. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 18

May the Lord bless His people, is my prayer. 17LtMs, Lt 175, 1902, par. 19