Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 33, 1893

Ings, Jennie L.

Napier, New Zealand

September 26, 1893

Portions of this letter are published in WM 330; 7MR 86-87; 9MR 25.

Mrs. Jennie L. Ings
St. Helena, California

Dear Sister,

We sent Brother Anderson, a Dane or Swede, to the institute at St. Helena. I have sent particulars to Brother and Sister Maxson, with the request that you should know its contents so I shall not repeat the matter here. Will you please to do all you can to see that they shall be favorably situated, and made as comfortable as possible. He is a great sufferer. I have appropriated three hundred dollars to this case, although there are many cases where every dollar is needed, but I feel perfectly clear in helping in this case. It is a case where those who love and fear God must show their sympathy in a tangible manner, and bear in mind that Christ identified His interest with suffering humanity. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 1

The conference in New Zealand is poor. They are struggling to keep the conference from being swamped in debt. They sent him to the Hot Springs which are so renowned for curing rheumatism, but it was in the past winter which was not a favorable time. He was no better for all this outlay of means. Today Elders Israel, Wilson, Brother Simpson, and I unite in supplicating God in his behalf. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 2

It appears now that we shall not be able to leave this country for years. As help has not been sent us which we have called [for], for so long, and as the means have not come that we had hoped would [come], we could not conscientiously leave the work in such an imperfect state. So it is quite possible that we may be held here from one to three years. I have decided to sell my place in Battle Creek, the last of the real estate which I possess, and invest the means here now where it is so much needed to make even a beginning. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 3

I am certain, if I ever get out The Life of Christ, [I must] either get a lodge in some vast wilderness, or a place wherein I can hide away and not be called upon to labor here and there and everywhere. Oh, that the Lord would indicate the place where I can be free from perplexities, and constant moving, and be able to complete this work. But I mean to make the best of my opportunities. When we are trying to do so much speaking here and there, filling this and that call, my time is so broken up that I cannot do justice to my writings. Since the fifteenth of August I have spoken seventeen times. Part of the time we were at Hastings and part of the time at Napier. Napier has a church building, and the church membership is about one hundred, I think. Here I have spoken six times. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 4

At Hastings we lived with Brother and Sister Wilson about four weeks, and we hired a buggy for which we paid $3.75 per week. To take me to and from the hall, the place of the meeting, cost $1.25, and every time Emily and I would take the train it cost us about sixty cents hack fare to reach the station. I will not go farther into details, but we concluded that it would pay to hire the buggy, as it would be the cheapest in the end. We had a horse loaned us, about the worst for chronic laziness that I ever rode after, but he would take us from place to place. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 5

We generally left Hastings on Friday, after an early dinner. The bedding would be rolled up and put in the carriage, and after we were snugged in we would drive over a good, hard road to Napier, the distance being about fourteen miles. Then we unloaded at Dr. Caro’s and I had my easy bed made up. I would speak Sabbath forenoon and Sunday evening. Monday morning our roll of bedding is again made up, and Emily and I drive to Hastings. This was repeated again and again. I labored in Hastings through the week, and on two different Sundays. One Sunday evening I spoke to quite a large audience in the Theater Royal. I was during a rainy time so the audience was quite fair. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 6

We had a three days’ council in Hastings after Willie came. Elders Israel, McCullagh, and Brother Simpson came in. According to the arrangements, we would soon have been on our way to Auckland to hold meetings, but for a telegram from Elder Olsen. It stated that he would be in New Zealand the 23rd of November. This delays us in New Zealand two months longer, and camp meeting will be held in the vicinity of Wellington. Willie immediately visited Auckland to lay the matter before the brethren there, and they are agreed that the camp meeting shall be held near Wellington. Wellington is more central, and what Auckland really needs is a ministerial effort. We expect to visit Gisborne before camp meeting, and that will consume about two weeks of our time. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 7

I spoke last Sabbath with my new teeth, and spoke quite well, but my gums are too sore to take much pleasure in them. It will take time to restore health to the gums. I know I shall enjoy my teeth very much, for Sister Caro is a superior dentist. She has all the work she can do. She is a tall, stately woman, but sociable and companionable. You would love her if you should see her. She does not hoard her means; she puts it into bags which wax not old. She handles an immense amount of money, and she uses the money to educate young men to become laborers for the Master. I am greatly attached to her. She holds her diploma as dentist and her credentials as minister. She speaks to the church when there is no minister, so you see that she is a very capable woman. Her husband is a physician and surgeon; he has not been thoroughly converted from his skepticism. He makes all S.D.A.s welcome, entertains them and feeds them, and yet he does not take his position with Sabbathkeepers. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 8

We received the bill of twenty dollars all right. I wish I had twenty thousand. I could use every dollar of it to advance the cause and work in these countries, and yet there would be need of another twenty thousand to make even a beginning in the opening of new fields. We know that God knows all about it, and He has unlimited resources. He will help us in our great necessity. When you see our brethren and sisters launching out in extra adornings in the house and on persons, just tell them that new and untried fields are opening. Every farthing should be carefully cherished to be used in the sending of messengers and the message into new fields to warn, to enlighten, to bless with the message God sends to perishing souls that, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 9

I tell you, Sister Ings, if the churches in America would awaken to their God-given responsibility, if every soul who claims to be a Christian would be thus, in works as well as in profession, we would see self-denial and self-sacrifice in imitation of the life of Christ which would constitute them living epistles, read and known of all men. “Faith without works is dead.” [James 2:26.] Let every true believer reveal that they have that faith that works by love and purifies the heart. Those who will be prepared to meet the Saviour when he shall come with power and great glory will be divested of all selfishness, all bigotry and spiritual pride. They will be imitators of Christ, meek and lowly of heart. They will not make themselves a center, idolize self, and expend on selfish gratifications, for every penny is precious to use to bless others that they shall have the good news carried to them. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 10

The Lord has given His gift, His only begotten Son to save man from ruin. God requires that man co-operate with Him, while divine love has been so fully expressed that nothing is withheld in giving Jesus. All the treasures of heaven were opened to man that human agent should have ample provision to use the gift heaven has purchased them to save perishing souls. The human agent must be willing to co-operate and use every God-given facility to extend the truth. A violation of the law of God is a terrible loss sustained by the disloyal, and the deepest injury that can be done to God for the influence of every transgressor leads and sustains others in the sin of transgression that caused the fall of Adam, and opened the flood gates of woe to our world. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 11

And yet ministers will advocate that we have no law, and misinterpret the precious Scriptures, wresting them to their own destruction. Christ’s death on Calvary’s cross which exalts the law and makes it honorable, testifying to its immutability, is through the lies of Satan presented to the people that Christ’s death on the Cross abolished the law. O, what fallacy, that Christ died to immortalize sin. The only definition of sin is “transgression of the law.” [1 John 3:4.] Therefore, if the law is dead, Satan has had his way, hell has triumphed, and sin, the transgression of the law, has become universal. O, what an awakening there will be ere long, when the transgressor shall meet the great Law Giver over His broken law. What bewitching delusions Satan can manufacture and palm off on the world as truth to be obeyed in order to be saved. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 12

Well, we see the wrath of God is pouring out upon the world for the disrespect for His holy law, which has made the world a second Sodom. God has borne long and “because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” [Ecclesiastes 8:11.] Nevertheless the Lord will punish the transgressors of His law, and He will do terrible things in righteousness. We who claim to believe the truth need to walk humbly with God. All self-sufficiency and self-confidence and uplifting will bring only one result, God will leave the human being to his own weakness, to walk in the sparks of his own kindling and lie down in sorrow because he has not made God his trust, and followed in the path of humble obedience. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 13

I must close, with much love. 8LtMs, Lt 33, 1893, par. 14