Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Lt 131, 1902

White, Emma

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

August 18, 1902

Portions of this letter are published in UL 244. +^Note

My dear daughter Emma,—

It is just a little after four o’clock. I am up, writing you a few lines by lamplight. I want you and Edson to make me a visit as soon as you possibly can. I wish you could come while the fruit is so plentiful. For several months we have had from our orchard all the fruit that we could use. The cherries were the first to ripen. Our three large trees were loaded with delicious fruit. From one of these trees we sold ten dollars’ worth of fruit. This tree of cherries was very early, and we got a good price for them. The Sanitarium took them and paid us seven cents a pound, selling them for ten cents. Before the last of the cherries on this tree were gone, the fruit on the two later trees was ready for picking. We canned over one hundred quarts of cherries from these trees. Later, we bought some cherries for three cents a pound, and now we have about one hundred and fifty quarts canned. These cherries are not the flat, tasteless variety, They are a little acid, and that makes them delicious. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 1

Since the apples grew large enough to cook, we have had all the applesauce we wanted. All our family enjoy this dish, especially Clarence Crisler. He thinks he never before had such a feast of fruit. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 2

Our peaches are ripening fast. They are of excellent quality, though not so large as some. We have had a great many of a white, tender-fleshed peach. Now the yellow Crawfords are ripening. Of these we shall have a ton altogether. They are not very large, but of excellent flavor. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 3

I wish you and Hattie could be here now. You could put up many peaches for yourself if you wished to. You could dry some also, for we have a large brick dryer. I think we shall dry some. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 4

The next fruit to ripen will be the prunes. The trees are loaded, and some of the branches have broken under their burden. You could have all the prunes and all the grapes you wished. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 5

I have written to Edson in regard to coming to California, and I think he will come soon. We wish to talk together about book work. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 6

I want you to be sure to come and make us a long visit. Come and get rested, and then attend the camp-meeting in Los Angeles, which is to be held the middle of September. We shall be so glad to entertain you. I have just had a room built especially for my writing room. It is large and airy, with a fireplace and a bay window. Soon I shall move into this room. When you come, you can have the room I now occupy. Edson can have a room in the office for his writing. Our family is small, and we can accommodate you nicely. Mrs Nelson is an excellent cook and a good, faithful housekeeper. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 7

This is a beautiful place. You would enjoy sitting on the lawn under the elm trees, the lower boughs of which touch the ground, forming a leafy canopy. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 8

Come as soon as you can. I shall be so glad to see you. I want my children with me. It may be the last time that we shall be together. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 9

Yesterday W. C. White received a letter from Brother Butler. He says that Edson is enjoying much of the blessing of the Lord and that he speaks to the people under the influence of the Spirit and power of God. He is attending a camp-meeting some where in the South; I do not remember the name of the place, but I suppose you know where it is. I was greatly pleased with Elder Butler’s letter. He spoke very fully in regard to the blessing that was resting upon Edson and the excellent discourses he was giving in the spirit and power of God. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 10

Brethren Brown and Wilcox were here yesterday to consult with us in regard to camp-meeting. They came up on the morning train, reaching here about half past ten, and went home on the afternoon train, which leaves St. Helena at three o’clock. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 11

I am improving in health. But I find that I cannot presume on my strength without feeling the taxation. Last Sabbath I spoke in the Sanitarium chapel. The blessing of the Lord rested on me in large measure. My voice was clear and strong. I had received a special blessing on Friday morning. I was given the assurance of the presence and grace of Christ. I never felt more deeply the need of a close connection with the Source of all strength than at this time. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 12

Two weeks ago a Sabbath-school Convention, made up of the members of the St. Helena and Calistoga churches, was held at Hitchcock’s Canyon, a grove about four miles from here, on the Healdsburg Road. There were about one hundred and fifty in attendance. They spent the whole day there, taking their lunch with them. The meetings in the morning were made very interesting. I spoke in the afternoon. On Sunday afternoon, the day following, an open-air meeting was held at the same place, and the Lord gave me freedom in speaking to the people. There were about sixty present, among them a number of outsiders from different places. My voice was strong, and the Lord gave me freedom in speaking. As I speak at such meetings as these, I think of the words of Christ, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” [Matthew 9:13.] 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 13

We wish to work some of the places around St. Helena. They are so near us, and yet they seem so far away. We are going to hold meetings in a grove right in St. Helena, to see if we cannot arouse an interest among the people of the town. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 14

We know, by the fulfilling of the signs that Christ predicted, that the end of all things is at hand. “As it was in the days of Noah,” He declared, “so shall it be also in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” [Luke 17:26, 30.] This is a time of marked depravity and sinfulness, when men have no regard for God or eternal realities. It is now that we need the faith that overcomes the world. We cannot afford to be careless upon the very borders of the eternal world. How fearful is the wickedness portrayed in the daily papers! If the judgments of God that are falling on the earth do not arouse the souls perishing out of Christ, what will? Think of the strikes, the confusion in the business world, the thefts, the dishonest practices, the wars and bloodshed, the suicides and murders. Notwithstanding this dark picture, the people are becoming more and more interested in amusements—in ball-playing and other games, in racing, theaters, and many, many other worldly pleasures. Can we not understand that the end of the world has come, as Christ predicted? 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 15

Our churches need now to be aroused; for Satan is stirring up the subjects of his kingdom of darkness to work with intense activity, as he inspired them to work in the days of Noah. Those who now choose to be indifferent in regard to the salvation of their own souls will soon be heard making the fearful lamentation, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” [Jeremiah 8:20.] Let us do all that we can, on our part, to arouse the sleepy ones. The church must be awakened to proclaim with voice and influence not only to those who are nigh, but to those who are afar off, the message, “The end of all things is at hand.” [1 Peter 4:7.] 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 16

Strong faith must now be constantly exercised. An awakening power must be revealed in every believer. We must no longer act like sinners, while as Christians we should be revealing a living, saving faith. Living faith in Christ Jesus will produce fruit. There will be a holy, unwavering devotion to the Lord. Laboring with an eye single to His glory, we shall be sustained amidst the perils of the last days. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 17

What has sustained Christians in every age, amidst reproaches, temptations, and sufferings?—A pure, trusting faith, constantly exercised; a committing of the keeping of the soul to God, under any and every circumstance, as unto One whom they knew would not betray their trust. Our Creator will keep that which is committed unto Him against that day. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 18

Christ, by His sacrifice to save sinners, evidenced His great love for the human soul. He gave His life to secure our salvation. What an insult so many, deceived by Satan’s temptations, offer to the Saviour by abusing their privileges, refusing to acknowledge His loving interest in them. Yet He, their Creator and Redeemer, bears long with them in their persistent disdain of His mercies. As this matter is daily urged upon my mind, I am so astonished that I cannot hold my peace. I long to reach sinners and to cry out to them, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” [Ezekiel 33:11.] 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 19

Christ with His own blood has bought the whole human family. We are His purchased possession. He desires those who claim to believe in Him to receive His power; that in this wicked and perverse generation they may become sons of God and that they may reveal, to a world entranced and corrupted by Satan, that God is love, <and [that] there is a difference, plain and distinct, between him who serveth God and him that serveth Him [not]. The Lord knoweth them that are His.> 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 20

The line of demarcation between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not is becoming more and more distinct. This is as the Lord designs it should be. An active, living faith distinguishes the people of God from the sinful, who by their rejection of Christ <continually> bear to the world a plain testimony: “I will not have this man Christ Jesus to rule over me. I will not eat and drink to the glory of God, but will follow my inclination, eating and drinking as I please. I will not wear the yoke of Christ; I will not learn His lessons of meekness and lowliness of heart; I will have my own way and live in this world a life of pleasure.” 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 21

O, how ashamed the poor, worldly, guilty souls ought to feel! When they will see the righteous saved in the kingdom of God and find themselves outside the gates of the city, what an awakening there will be! But it will come too late. They will have made their choice and decided their destiny. When opportunity was offered them to repent and be converted, they dishonored their Redeemer, scorning mercy, refusing to acknowledge the love of God, and choosing the service of Satan because he wanted them to stand on his side of the controversy. They have been a sad spectacle to angels and to men. With lamentation and woe they will finally acknowledge that they are too late, too late! 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 22

Day and night these scenes are portrayed before me. What can prompt such a constant devotion to Satan and such a persistent scorning of God’s mercies and His love? 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 23

“Ye are not your own,” Christ has declared. “Ye are bought with a price.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] We desire to see poor, deceived, guilty, perishing souls rescued. We desire to see every church member carrying a burden for the unsaved. This the Christian pledges himself to do when he receives baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The three greatest powers in the heavens pledge their sufficiency and keeping power to every soul who in sincerity keeps his baptismal vow to live by that faith which works by love and purifies the soul and to be God’s helping hand to save from Satan’s deceptive power every one whom he can reach. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 24

Why should not believers be aroused? The goodness of God in hearing and answering prayer lays every Christian under obligation to help his fellow men. By submitting to the rite of baptism he testifies: “I am dead to the world. In the likeness of Christ’s death I have been buried in a watery grave. In the likeness of His resurrection I have risen to live alone for Him, my Redeemer. I have pledged myself to labor henceforth for Christ, co-operating with Him in the great work of saving souls.” 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 25

When the eyes of a poor, guilty, rescued sinner are opened to see the sufferings of Christ upon the cross of Calvary, he confesses his faith in the Crucified One as his Saviour, and, ceasing to serve the great apostate who introduced sin into our world, he takes his stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, henceforth faithfully to obey all His commandments, and, if need be, to suffer reproach for His sake. Will there not be joy in heaven over every soul that we as believers have been instrumental in saving to Jesus Christ? One soul, saved, causes great joy in heaven. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 26

“Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel: be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” [Zephaniah 3:14-17.] 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 27

I send much love to your mother and to Hattie. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 28

In love, your mother. 17LtMs, Lt 131, 1902, par. 29