Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)
Lt 27, 1893
Hare, Brother and Sister Samuel
NP
March 7, 1893
Previously unpublished.
Dear Brother and Sister Samuel Hare,
My heart is drawn out toward you. Through manifold temptations the enemy has been at work to unsettle your faith in the truth. Now God alone can expel these doubts, the insinuations of unbelief. Will you closely examine your own hearts in the light of the Word of God, which will judge every man’s work in that great day? You have bound up your interests where strong and fierce temptations have come upon you. But if you, my brother, stood firm in the strength of Israel’s God, you could resist every temptation, every device of the enemy. Look carefully and see if it is not through your own departure from the ordinances of God that you have become weak and still weaker, instead of growing stronger, settled and rooted and grounded in the truth. 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 1
My sister, your influence has not been of a character to strengthen and build up your husband in the faith. Will you bear in mind that there is a witness ever present to make a faithful record of the words, the spirit, and the actions that would lead away from the kingdom of God? With those who claim to believe the truth, there has been a departure from the living principles of truth. 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 2
We are living in the last days. The signs are fast fulfilling that precede the coming of the Son of man. “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” [Malachi 3:1-3.] 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 3
Without faith it is impossible to please God. “Without me,” says Christ, “ye can do nothing.” [John 15:5.] “Neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” [1 Corinthians 3:7.] Here is the comparative estimate placed on the human and the divine agency. It is God’s plan that the human should co-operate with the divine. The frail human instrumentality, in and of itself, is nothing; but through connection with the Source of all power, by living faith, the human agent becomes a laborer together with God. All the eloquence and power of the human, alone, can accomplish nothing in the conversion of a soul; but the Holy Spirit of God acts through and uses the inferior instrument for the accomplishment of the work. The divine agency alone can give efficiency. The human worker must place himself in the divine channel. The ministry fills an important place in the divine plan. For “how can they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without a preacher?” [Romans 10:14.] We are dependent upon the Spirit of God. Faith in Christ is essential in every plan, in every movement, even in temporal business. 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 4
On your farm, in every line of business, you need to place yourselves in the closest connection with Christ. The practice of the virtues of Jesus Christ would refine, elevate, sanctify all our temporal affairs. He whose life is thus in harmony with the divine purpose knows the worth of that help which God alone can give. He has a knowledge of the precious accompaniment, he has proved the efficiency of the divine power co-operating with human effort. He is in the school of Christ, and his education is constantly progressing. With such souls there is a hungering and thirsting “that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” [John 17:3.] We must see God in the character of Christ, for this is the only means by which we can have a right conception of God. Our expectations are to be ever fixed upon the life everlasting; this will give vigor and earnestness to our faith. We shall not rest in a dry theory, but shall have a living, working faith. 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 5
“He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” [1 John 3:3.] True faith is a working element; it works by love and purifies the soul from earthliness. The sincere lovers of truth will make constant, earnest, persevering endeavors to subdue every baser element of their nature; they will value their own souls as Christ has revealed that He values them in giving His own life to ransom them. And as they place a right estimate upon their own souls, they will value the souls of all for whom Christ has died. They will be of that number who counted not their lives dear unto themselves, that they might finish their course with joy. 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 6
Those who have loved and feared God have responded to His claims, and in bereavement and sorrow and agony they have bowed before Him with the entire surrender of themselves to His service. The world, with its customs, its fashions, its aspirations, may invite them, but they see its vanity and nothingness. A view of the future, eternal life, the treasure promised to the faithful, creates in their minds and hearts a respect for the recompense of the reward. 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 7
Every trial is God’s workman; it is working out a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory for those who have pressed on with unfaltering steps where duty led the way. When temptations assail, they have with firm, steadfast faith been true to their allegiance, declaring they would serve God, and Him alone. They would stand under the banner of Christ, sacrificing their prospects of worldly gain. For Christ’s sake they give up their own way, their own will, relying on the assurance of God’s Word. They desire a better country, even a heavenly; “Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.” [Hebrews 11:16.] “Where I am, there ye shall be also.” [John 14:3.] Will my brother and sister consider these things? Will they read their Bibles with a purpose to acknowledge the claims of God, and respond to these claims? 8LtMs, Lt 27, 1893, par. 8