Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Lt 185, 1905

White, J. E.

Takoma Park, Maryland

June 26, 1905

Portions of this letter are published in ML 52.

J. E. White

My dear son,—

It is high time that you heeded the cautions and warnings that the Lord has given you in regard to borrowing money. One caution from the Lord ought to be enough, but you have borrowed money again and again, and you spend large sums in unwise investments. Thus you weaken your influence, and you also weaken the influence that the Lord would have your mother exert. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 1

You should not permit your course of action to tear in pieces the work of other men. You should not try to build yourself up as a one-man power. This God forbids. If you do not change, you will hurt my influence and weaken my hands in the much-needed work of raising means for foreign fields and for needy missionary enterprises in the Southern states. I cannot and will not allow this to be done. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 2

Consider, my son, how much sorrow and how many sleepless hours you cause me, and not me only, but yourself and others. You are inclined to take everything into your own hands. You do not seek for and listen to the counsel of your brethren. By following your own counsel, you are doing more than anyone else to block the way of the book that I am preparing on the work in the South. The course that you are pursuing, while regarding yourself as superior in judgment, is contrary to the will of God. By this course you are hindering your own work and making my way exceedingly hard. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 3

Your separation from the Southern Publishing house, and your setting up of another printing office, was not the wisest thing. You have injured the publishing house by separating from it and establishing a separate business. You may justify your course in doing this, but it is not right, neither is it just. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 4

You can be out of the city to do much of your work, but to go as far as you have gone in separating your work from the office that you yourself were foremost in establishing in the city of Nashville is something that the Lord disapproves. Often you have condemned when you ought to have approved. You have drawn off when you ought to have exerted your influence to bring about unity. You should now labor to bring heart and mind and soul into union with your brethren. They should not be expected to do all the unifying. As a Christian you have an important part to act in the effort for unity. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 5

When you receive upon mind and voice and character the mold of the Holy Spirit, the Lord will sustain and bless you; but when you try to make yourself a complete whole, drawing apart from your brethren, you separate from God. You should not count it a little matter to be at variance with your brethren. You should not permit yourself to cherish feelings that no man can cherish and still retain his influence as a Christian. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 6

If you would retain your influence, you must carry your work forward in the simplicity of true godliness. If you will do this, there are several branches of work in which you can help by your judgment and counsel. But if you feel that you do not need the counsel of your brethren, you will close the door of your usefulness as a counselor to them. Sometimes you have despised the counsel of those who would have been to you a savor of life unto life. It is your duty to receive counsel from your brethren. You should appreciate their advice. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 7

There are distinct branches of work in which you can reflect light, if you will show a right spirit. You can be an educator in several lines, and you can be a great blessing, but other minds and other voices must be blended with your mind and voice. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 8

Study David’s experience. “I said in my haste,” he said, “all men are liars.” [Psalm 116:11.] But this was a speech calculated to do much harm. Words spoken in haste place men on the stool of repentance. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 9

Afflictions are the portion of those who love God and keep His commandments. If your season of trouble does not lead you to love God, does not soften and subdue your heart, what will? If your affliction at the hand of God does not lead you to humble your heart before Him as a little child, what will accomplish the work? If by these troubles your heart is not quickened into self-searching under the Holy Spirit’s influence, what will bring this about? 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 10

O my son, never, never will you improve your talents and your gifts as the Lord would have you until you lay aside the burdens which you gather to yourself, but which you need not touch. God would have you review the past and humble your heart before Him. Again and again the Lord has set before you the need of reviewing, step by step, point by point, your own experience, but you have not obeyed. If you do not decidedly change your course of action, you will do more to weaken the confidence of the church in the integrity of the testimonies than all other influences combined can do. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 11

O how many there are far from the path of truth, doing unrighteousness, who might be saved if they would disrobe themselves of their ambition and their pride. In the judgment, how plainly, how distinctly all these mistakes will stand out. How clearly then men will see the consequences of stubbornly following their own way. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 12

God calls upon His workers in the Southern field to unify and become a complete whole. “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me,” He says, “for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” [Matthew 11:29.] Why do those who have the same truth and the same Christ frame cruel yokes for their necks, refusing to subject themselves to the Saviour’s yoke. When you accept one half of the messages sent you, and refuse the other part because it does not favor your plans, you are refusing to wear the yoke and bear the burden of Christ. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 13

O Edson, my son, how is it regarding the means that you have invested in ordinary business? Do you act with the strictest integrity in all your contracts, all your negotiations, all your payments? Do you labor to keep clear of debt, as Christ would have you? What pattern are you giving to others? How is it with your tongue? Do you bring it under the rule of Christ? How is it with you on other points? 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 14

O the forbearance—the forbearance of Christ toward us. O the greatness of our debt to Him! May God help you, that you may not show yourself fickle. Stand up in the name of the Lord, and make thorough work for eternity. The Lord has allowed disaster to come upon you that you might be led to repent. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 15

Edson, with all your religious experience, unless you deny yourself, and lift the cross of self-sacrifice, you cannot live with Jesus in the heavenly courts. God calls for a much higher consecration than you give Him. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 16

Recently, in the night visions, we seemed to be in an assembly. Some plain questions were asked those present. A hand was laid upon your shoulder, Edson, and the words were spoken, “Have you on the wedding garment?” [See Matthew 22:11, 12.] Still more earnestly the question was repeated, “Have you on the robe of Christ’s righteousness? How is it with you in your ordinary business? How is it with your temper?” 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 17

I dare not withhold these things from you. Everyone who has any connection with the work of God is to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 18

“I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, in all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 19

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 20

“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the gift of Christ. Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ... And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints; for the work of the ministry; for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly framed together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” [Ephesians 4:1-8, 11-16.] 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 21

These words outline the work that should be done in every church. God’s people are to come into unity. Love is the law of Christ’s kingdom. The Lord calls upon every one to reach a higher standard. The lives of His people are to reveal love, meekness, longsuffering. Longsuffering bears something, yea, many things, without seeking to be avenged by word or act. 20LtMs, Lt 185, 1905, par. 22