Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)
Ms 171, 1903
Diary, January 1903
NP
January 3-31, 1903
Portions of this manuscript are published in 5MR 453; 12MR 83.
January 3, 1903
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California,
I thank the Lord as I awake this morning for His keeping power through the night. This is the seventh day of the week, the day the Lord has set apart for us to observe, laying aside all secular business. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 1
January 4, 1903
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California,
Sunday, first working day of week. I leave my sleeping room some hours before the family leave their rooms and assemble for prayers. I would not have them do as I am doing. They should have full time to sleep. I cannot sleep. The months of November and December were the most trying period of my life. Nearly this whole period I could not sleep past twelve p.m. I kindled my fire in my good, precious, open fireplace, then sought the Lord in prayer; but my burden was heavy upon me. The presentation before me is anything but flattering. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 2
January 5, 1903
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, Calif.,
I awoke and bowed this morning before God with gratitude and thanksgiving to my heavenly Father for the abundant blessings I enjoy. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 3
I praise the Lord that it is my privilege to have editing my writings those who love God and seem as fully interested in the preparation of the articles as myself. They are all conscientious workers. My son W. C. White is a very necessary help to take his business and work it out. Miss Marian Davis has been with me twenty-five years and is an efficient worker. From articles already published over a period of years she selects and brings together the matter for bookmaking. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 4
The Spirit of God is stirring my mind deeply upon the subject of the previous page. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 5
January 6, 1903
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, Calif.,
I am pleading with the Lord at one o’clock a.m. that the Lord will help His people to take heed to His warnings and counsels before it shall be everlastingly too late. I was in the vision of the night in a council meeting, and there was difference of opinion, showing that the lesson prayer of Christ in John seventeen had not special weight with them. One of authority arose, and every eye was fixed upon Him for He bore the impress of Christ. In a most solemn, touching manner He asked, “Are you converted?” 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 6
January 7, 1903
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, Calif.,
I cannot sleep after twelve o’clock. I am praying nearly all my wakeful moments that the Lord will manifest Himself unto His people and will awaken their spiritual sensibilities. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 7
January 8, 1903
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, Calif.,
My mind is deeply in earnest to know what the Lord would have me to do. I must have the power and Spirit of God, else I cannot do anything of myself. I plead with the Lord for help that God will accept my prayer and my work as His messenger. Christ must be my efficiency. We must have a genuine faith in Christ Jesus, and then we need to understand that we are not in our individual self the whole body, but only a part, only one member. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 8
January 10, 1903
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, Calif.,
We have every reason to have hearts full of gratitude to God for His goodness and mercy to us. We have entered so recently a new year, and new and continuous responsibilities will have to be borne in things expected and unexpected. Our experience in the years that are past in many things will be repeated. Shall we dedicate ourselves anew to God; and as we meet temptations and perplexities, shall we take everything to God in prayer? 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 9
January 11, 1903
St. Helena, Calif.
I am praying unto my heavenly Father to be unto me wisdom, sanctification, and righteousness. I must have His grace, else I can do nothing. We have each a work given us of God to do. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 10
January 18, 1903
St. Helena, Calif.
(Psalm 145:1-3): “I will extol Thee, my God, O king, and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.” Our thanksgivings for mercies received ought to be put into speech and ought to be as warm and fully abundant as our prayers are frequent and earnest. Our faith should grasp the promises of God as we ask God for the daily help of which we stand in need. We are nearing the close of this earth’s history. If we do live upon the earth when He shall appear, we want to meet Him with joy and not with grief, saying as we behold His sign in the heavens, “Come, Lord Jesus, and come quickly. ‘Lo this is our God. We have waited for Him, and He will save us.’” [Isaiah 25:9.] We have no time to lose. We are in our educating school here below to learn every day to be prepared to enter the higher, even the heavenly, grade. We should have a personal interest in our own religious experience, and take advantage of every opportunity to learn from the Scriptures—from the Great Teacher—the essential qualifications. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 11
Our speech should be without deception. No guile must be found in our lips, no impurity allowed in our hearts, no unkindliness in our speech or in our attitude towards one another. Learn the language of Canaan here, that will be in harmony with the language of heaven. In this commencement of the new year, cultivate grace and love and a deep interest in spiritual things. shall we not have the love of God burning upon the altar of our hearts? And shall not our thanksgiving go forth from unfeigned lips? 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 12
January 21, 1903
St. Helena, Calif.
I thank my heavenly Father I have slept more than for several nights—till half-past two o’clock. The Lord is very gracious. His lovingkindness is so far beyond that which we deserve. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 13
January 22, 1903
St. Helena, Calif.
I thank my heavenly Father for His merciful, tender watchcare. I plead with the Lord in the night season. He will hear our prayer of earnest desire for increased strength to do His will. I pray most earnestly in the sleepless hours of the night for clearness of the representations made me as God’s messenger to bear the trust to others, and that if I have in any way departed from His will and His way that I may understand this and repent and be forgiven. I want not one instant to be surprised on the enemy’s ground, if I am called away without any warning. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 14
I will seek the Lord most earnestly to preserve to me my eyesight. My left eye has been afflicted for a number of years, but I know not what to do but to come to the Great Physician. Day and night I may present my request for special blessing of eyesight, hearing, and for removal of pain in my heart. I need keen spiritual perception to know when to speak and when to withhold words of censure for wrongs which are endangering the souls of church members. Ministers and people are to watch and to pray without ceasing. He who gave His whole self as a sacrifice hath said, They shall not be ashamed that wait for Me. And then what encouragement He has given us—the sunshine of His presence, and He is our assurance! 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 15
God “is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek Him.” [Hebrews 11:6.] He has His men to commission. He sent a Philip to the eunuch in the desert of Gaza to explain to him the Scriptures. He found him with the Scriptures in his hand and he asked him, “Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?” [Acts 8:30, 31.] Here was a man in connection with the highest class, but he needed to know the Word of God. Philip was invited up into his chariot and explained the Scriptures, preaching the gospel, the mission and work of Christ. The eunuch expressed his faith, and as they came to water, he proposed to Philip that he be baptized, and after this work was done Philip seemed to be caught away. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 16
The Lord heard the prayer of the centurion in the town of Caesarea and told him what to do. Acts 10. He saw in a vision the angel of the Lord coming in to him and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord? And He said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. There were special directions given just what he should do to obtain further enlightenment. The angel might have imparted light, but God’s plan was to place chosen men in connection with men who needed enlightenment in the truth of the gospel, and thus a connection be made whereby the Gentiles should have the gospel. This was the way of the Lord, and the work of God is not to be carried by the wisdom of men, but by the power of God. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 17
January 23, 1903
St. Helena, Calif.
My mind is exercised in regard to the absence of the love of Christ for one another in the church. We cannot afford to regard with indifference a single messenger of Jesus Christ. If we pray the Lord to work for us we must accept the help He sends in His own appointed way. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 18
Sabbath, January 31, 1903
I thank the Lord this morning I have had a precious night’s rest and sleep. I plead with God in behalf of His people that they may understand the lessons the Lord would have all to learn who believe in Him; that when they seek the Lord as a little child in humility, they will find Him a present help in every time of need. Let all, both high and lowly, seek the Lord with all the heart. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 19
It is the last day of the first month of the year. This is the Sabbath of the Lord. Let us come to the Lord in humility of mind, confessing our sins. What a great regret many will feel who have built themselves up in self-importance, considering they have power in their hands and can shape things after their minds, and who can hinder them? In their pride and self-sufficiency, they did not consider as they should that God reads beneath the surface. All your sagacity and prudence, your foresight, your pride, and your energies are as nothingness before God, and will be of not the least account in your behalf to recommend you to God or to open for you the gates of the city of God, where only the pure in heart, the merciful, the kind, the men and women of holy principles will enter. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 20
W. C. White reached home this evening. Was delayed in his journey seven hours by wreckage on the track. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 21
Sabbath evening. I have this day, January 31, by request spoken to the people. W. C. white shared the exercises. I feel very grateful to my heavenly Father that after an absence of three months in traveling he is with us again, and his family are grateful to have him home. He is suffering with pain in his lungs. Will take treatment this evening. We had all seats filled. An interesting congregation. The Spirit of the Lord has been working upon the minds of the people. There is quite a large number working in the food factory. Some have taken their stand to serve the Lord. The Week of Prayer was a most profitable occasion, and there is in the food factory and in the sanitarium a great improvement. 18LtMs, Ms 171, 1903, par. 22