Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Lt 135, 1900

Robinson, Brother and Sister [A. T.]

Crystal Springs, St. Helena, California

October 24, 1900

Portions of this letter are published in CM 19. +^Note

Dear Brother and Sister Robinson:

We have not yet heard anything from Australia. We expected mail yesterday, but were disappointed. Perhaps it will come today. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 1

I will send you a few lines, to let you know that we have not forgotten you. We take you and all your interests to the Lord in prayer, and we are comforted by the thought that the Lord our God is just as near to you as He is to us. Therefore He will be your Counsellor, your Refuge, your Stronghold. In all times of trial, in every emergency, He is near. If we individually act the part He designs us to act, we shall be living, working agencies for the advancement and upbuilding of the interests of the kingdom of God. We shall employ every capability and talent to His name’s glory. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 2

God has a spiritual church on this sinful world. He has a work for each and all to do. It is pleasing to Him who gave His life a sacrifice for the world that His power, His purity, His perfect obedience, His efficiency may become our power and our efficiency; and it will if we do not fail or become discouraged. The great Master-Teacher has been and ever will continue to be the Light of the world. The Sun of Righteousness, He is prepared to quicken every soul that opens the door of the heart and invites His presence. He has been drawing the world by the golden cords of His love, and everything essential for perfection of character He has made available for those who will come to Him in faith, accepting Him as their personal Saviour. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 3

We have lost the moral image of God, but we may be full of comfort, for the great Restorer will imprint His divine image upon those who are obedient to His law. It is by the co-operation of the human with the divine, through the grace given by God, that the work is accomplished. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 4

When in our world, the great Educator of the human family held in His hand the entire map of truth. He unrolled it and made known the essential parts of the great plan. He has marked out in distinct lines the path to heaven. He might have opened to the minds of men truth deep, broad, and without limit, but He only revealed the plain, straight, simple path which leads to heaven those who are willing to follow in the footsteps of their Leader. “He that will come after me,” He says, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” [Mark 8:34.] He reserved much that He longed to communicate, saying, “I have many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now.” [John 16:12.] The minds of His disciples were not prepared to make a right use of the truths He could have opened before them, but did not, lest they should become entangled in a labyrinth of speculation, when they should have been advancing in the narrow path that leads to eternal life. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 5

Today there are altogether too many superficial things brought in to confuse the minds of those who want the truth. Direct, simple appeals should be made, leaving unsaid the many things that might be said in man’s wisdom. Point all to the open path, saying, “This is the way; walk ye in it.” [Isaiah 30:21.] So much hay, wood, and stubble is brought in to be laid upon the foundation. This material, composed of human theories, maxims, and tests will be consumed by the purifying fires of the last day. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 6

There are those who have left the simplicity of the gospel, and brought in the productions of their own theories which have been prepared for them by the great founder of evil to impart to others, and thus help him in his work. Some of these inventions are supposed to be new light and are received as great wisdom; but they are strange inventions, which occupy the thoughts and lead away from the truth into erroneous suppositions, which are not based upon an “It is written.” Many souls will be so confused by the suppositions received from the author of all evil that if they are saved, it will only be as by fire, as brands snatched from the burning. Man’s natural inclination to out-step every other man in bringing forward some so-called new truth, makes of none effect the truth of heavenly origin which is required for this time. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 7

In His parable teaching the Lord has presented lessons of heavenly truth. By the things of nature the great Teacher illustrated the truths of the gospel. He taught pure and unadulterated truth by a practical doing of this truth. He is, in word, in life, in character, an exposition of all truth. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 8

To His disciples Christ gave the commission, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:19, 20.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 9

Let the teacher be sure that he has learned lessons from Christ. Then he can teach others. Mark bears his testimony, “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” [Mark 16:14-16.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 10

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem: and ye are witnesses of these things.” [Luke 24:44-48.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 11

These were Christ’s last words to His disciples before He ascended to heaven: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.” [Verses 49-53.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 12

Preach that which Christ has commanded. This is our work. Nothing is to divert us from the special work which God has given us to do. There are those who will hear and receive the Word of eternal life. Then let these words be dwelt upon more. Let there be less of the suppositions and explanations of men, which confuse minds in the place of explaining what is truth. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 13

We have a work to do. Educate, educate, educate young men to give themselves to the ministry of the Word. Educate them to become canvassers, to sell those books which the Lord by His Holy Spirit has stirred minds to write. This reading matter will thus be given to a large class of people who would never hear the truth unless it was brought to their doors. This is the work of the evangelist. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 14

The Lord calls for all who will come to Him just as they are. He promises to renovate the soul through the medium of truth. “Sanctify them through thy truth,” Christ said: “thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so I have also sent them into the world.” And now comes the great lesson for every individual in regard to practical godliness and the influence of example. “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” [John 17:17-19.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 15

The Lord desires every religious teacher to be sanctified through the influence of the truth. “Neither pray I for these alone,” Christ said (to his believing disciples), “but for them also which shall believe on me through their word: that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee that they also (the future converts to the truth) may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory (character) that thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” [Verses 20-22.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 16

Let us often repeat this prayer. Let us strive to realize the purity and holiness that we must reveal, by which we may show the world that God gave Jesus to save fallen human beings. He will accept the truly converted soul who trusts in Him, and will give them the Holy Spirit, that they may be united with Him through His Son. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 17

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” [Verses 24-26.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 18

Shall we not seek to understand this prayer and to answer it? We can do great honor to the Lord Jesus if we live this prayer. Shall we not try? Shall we not strive to be one with Jesus as He is one with the Father? Let us contemplate this great advancement in spiritual character-building. By revealing the sanctifying influence of entire obedience to the truth we confer an honor on our Redeemer. Then no part of the soul is palsied or unclean. Christ diffuses life and activity to every part and function of the being, so with the whole man we serve the Lord perfectly. This is growing up to the full stature of a man in Christ Jesus. We glorify Him by obedience to the truth. We are accepted in the Beloved as we represent Christ, teaching the truth, the everlasting gospel, the last great message of mercy to a fallen world. 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 19

Christ prayed that His disciples might give to the world an example of His power to mold human beings into His own image. His Holy Spirit changes those degraded by sin, restoring them to holiness. Cannot we see and understand that Christ teaches us by His own example to count all things but loss for the riches of His grace and the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord? Does He not show us by His wisdom, by His obedience to the law of God, that this is the sum of all science? “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart, the commandments of the Lord are pure, enlightening the eyes.” “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.” [Psalm 19:7, 8; 119:1.] 15LtMs, Lt 135, 1900, par. 20