Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Lt 35a, 1901

Leadsworth, Brother

1901

Previously unpublished.

Dr. Leadsworth

My dear brother,—

I have words to speak to you. Place your dependence upon God. You have had to work at a disadvantage and none but yourself and a few of your associates can understand the difficulties which have had to be met and wrestled with, difficulties which often try a man’s soul to the quick. Those who have not made the experiment may stand off and conjecture, and make suggestions and criticisms, but this is work that discourages instead of helping. Had those in this Conference who ought to have felt a decided interest in the Sanitarium taken hold to relieve the situation, to give the physician a fair chance, courage would have come to you. Your faith would have been strengthened. You could have worked intelligently. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 1

It would be a mistake for you to loose your hold now. Thus the enemy would gain a decided victory. Every man should now do his appointed work, maintaining the principles of renovation which, if maintained even at a sacrifice, will bring a decided victory. Then there will be triumph in God, and the physician at the Sanitarium will not let go, disheartened, for others to comment upon his failure. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 2

There is no need for you to lose your faith and courage if your brethren will act their appointed part. Selfishness, the sin of the world, has become the sin of the church. This ought not to be; nevertheless it is. The church is God’s depository. It is the influence by which the divine benevolence of the gospel is to be advanced. The members must bear responsibilities in a much greater degree than they have done in the past. Every Christian is to feel that in establishing a sanitarium, which in its borders will do a work that will remove prejudice and give influence to the church, he is doing an essential work. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 3

The Lord gives the people of this Conference the privilege of co-operating with Him in advancing the work. Every Seventh-day Adventist must remember that by perpetual conflict he is to maintain the ground which has been won. At times, in the work of advancement and improvement, we shall meet with greater struggles to overcome difficulties than ever before. But the Lord Jesus, when in our world, had all these discouragements to bear. At times His very life was endangered, and He thought it wisdom to go to cities where the opposition was not so great. All of Christ’s experiences during His life on earth are lessons for those who love and obey the truth. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 4

There is to be and must be a great work done for the churches in this Conference. The church can grow only as it receives and imparts the love which Christ brought to our world. The members are to be God’s light-bearers to the world. Christ made a propitiation for us, not merely by the bare exhibition of His grace, but by passing through every phase of the experience through which we must pass. Thus He sought to plant in the human heart the principle of divine love. The church is the agency which He employs for the benefit of the world, and He has given it the power of propagating itself. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 5

The Lord would not be pleased to have you leave the Sanitarium. This would not be for your good. It would place you in a light unfavorable to yourself and unfavorable to the future of the medical missionary work. Do your very best, and all the time you may be gaining an experience of the highest value. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 6

If you desire to place yourself above the strife of tongues, above human opinion and criticism, you must needs go out of the world. If the Majesty of heaven while in this world was not free from unjust accusation, can you expect to be free? 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 7

I have counsel to give you. Hold fast whereunto you have attained, and the way will open. As you pass alone, the love of Jesus in the soul will be a rich reward. My brother, God will help you right where you are if you will trust Him, believe in Him, walk humbly with Him. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 8

With much interest in the present and future of your work as God’s medical missionary, [end of letter]. 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, par. 9