Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Lt 265, 1907

White, W. C.

St. Helena, California

August 26, 1907

Portions of this letter are published in 3SM 51-52.

Dear Son W. C. White:

I have just read your letter to May, your wife. I am glad for these few lines. We do not expect you to write long letters, but a few lines is better than nothing. I have expected you would push on to Colorado, and have sent a large amount of matter to meet the emergency. I sent in a letter to Edson that I had sent letters to you abundantly (they must open the package, I think). I send a batch of precious matter to you to be read in the meetings you may have. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 1

I have carried so great a load on my soul that I have not been able to sleep at all last night. I am pleading with the Lord to take things in His own hands. I shall do what I possibly can to guard the flock of God on the right hand and on the left. We must take a proper stand to draw the minds of the people away from human counsel and judgment and to fasten their souls to Jesus Christ. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 2

Night before last I could not sleep until twelve o’clock. Then I gave the people the warning that has been repeatedly given to me. There are some who would crowd down the very men the Lord is using with success. They are forbidden to look to men for their light, for the very men placed over men have not a rich, full experience themselves. Our light must come from God. The very best experience and education that can be given to those men who have figured to be eyesight and reason and judgment for other men—and are certainly in need of one to educate these very counselors—is to make sure work for their own souls, else they will be found wanting when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened. The harm that already has been done, we must pray and trust in God to make of none effect. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 3

These words I find in writings published in Testimonies for the Church 7:176. The Lord has given these words: “His gifts are committed to men as individuals. Every man has been made a steward of sacred trusts: each is to discharge his trust according to the direction of the Giver; and by each an account of his stewardship must be rendered to God.” The Lord does not give the work and duty to any other man to order the one God has in hand. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 4

“In all this, God is seeking to bring the human into association with the divine, that through this connection man may become transformed into the divine likeness. Then the principles of love and goodness will be a part of his nature. Satan, seeking to thwart this purpose, constantly works to encourage dependence upon man, to make men the slaves of men. When he thus succeeds in turning minds away from God, he insinuates his own principles of selfishness, hatred, and strife.” 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 5

We are the Lord’s stewards. We are to look to our God. If our people would make a study of the testimonies! 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 6

Here I fell asleep while writing, and I lay down and had a short nap. You do not tell us when we shall see you. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 7

I have just found in copies all prepared most splendid matter of instruction. Dores is to prepare it for sending today, if possible. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 8

I hope and pray that men may consider they are only men. Position does not qualify men to rule their brethren, or place on them the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Every man is to work out his own salvation with fear and with trembling. Christ has been ordained to be the head of all the working forces. His holy angels supervise the work in every department, for every disciple of Jesus Christ, and God has ordained that His work shall demonstrate the superiority of Christlike, heavenly principles over worldliness and every human agency. Every soul in all our institutions should realize that his words and his spirit are to be under the sanctifying grace of Jesus Christ, who has bought us with the price of His own blood. He wants not one to come short in being laborers together with God to unify the churches. Speak not one word that will lessen the importance of individual influence. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 9

New churches are to be raised up. Lift up your heads, and see the fields all ripe for the harvest. Every human agency is to add his force in communication with the churches, and the last message of mercy to a fallen world is to go forth from sanctified lips to make plain and distinct the message that shall prepare souls for the heavenly garner. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 10

Publishing centers must be very careful not to introduce cheap, common repetition of matter that disseminates no light. Missionaries in far-off lands are watching to obtain food, spiritual food, to nourish the soul. Missionaries in foreign fields want to have the truth in simple language. All our publishing houses were founded in self-sacrifice, and the same principles must be manifested in establishing new centers in other fields. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 11

Let all dress plainly. Let all become missionaries in self-denial, for the end is very near now. And watch in your influence that not a word shall be spoken to grieve your accompanying angels. They have to watch over you constantly, else Satan shall take advantage. Not an institution is to become self-centered. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 12

Many can do large good by handling Christ’s Object Lessons, and this will explain better than many sermons. When one institution becomes out of debt, then keep on your work in selling Ministry of Healing. Do not lay them aside, but use them; present them to whomsoever you can in the streets, in whatever places you can, in every institution, and to every individual. You receive to impart. Just as soon as one object is gained in successfully overcoming the debts and gaining a standing place for itself, there are other places. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 13

I wish to present the Madison needs. Will our people rise up with a will and sell Ministry of Healing, that this sanitarium may extend its work to others places, and make it an object now to do that which ought to have been done long ago? There is no time or place where there is a greater necessity. The books are waiting as if crying out, Sell me. The people need the truth found within my covers. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 14

The virtue in the books will bring the truth to many souls who will give time to this work. Most precious, simple, elevating truth is in these precious volumes. When writing these precious books, if I hesitated, the very word I wanted to express the idea was given me. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 15

Will our young people and the older people now make Madison a specialty? Young and old, you can in every place use these precious books. They shall not lie unused. God calls for unselfish self-sacrifice to get these books before the people. It is the glory of the gospel to bring the sacred truths to hundreds and to thousands. The angel of God certainly helped in the preparation of these books. Now use every facility to get them in circulation, and let the people know it is to sustain children in school, to obtain an education to do missionary work. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 16

Now Madison needs help. The school is doing a grand work. Who will help in this matter—men, women, younger members of the Lord’s family? This kind of helpful work will accomplish much if you will not fail or become discouraged. This is a work founded upon the principles of restoring the fallen race. This I ask, that those whose tuition I have paid in school pay me back their school bills by handling Christ’s Object Lessons. I want to be able to feel authorized to place children of all ages in the Madison school. Help me in this work. I have donated the book. Will you sell the book? 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 17

The first thing is to work modestly and confidently in the name of the Lord. In this work you are learning how to approach the people. You testify that there is among God’s people that faith that works by love and purifies the soul from selfishness. You will be helping a school founded on self-denial and self-sacrifice. The law of God is a law of love to God and to man. God’s work is to be taken hold of to respond to God’s plans. And you will certainly obtain a rich experience, placing before the people an example of self-denial and self-sacrifice and bringing in resources for the advancement of the Lord’s work. The Lord would have every hand possible at work to put His people in possession of these two books, The Ministry of Healing and Christ’s Object Lessons. Let these books and the precious books on Christian education be circulated, for all three books need to come to the people. The book on education I want to be largely circulated, for I greatly need the means to invest in other branches of our work. These books are to be handled as a message to come to the world to prepare a people to stand amid the perils of the last days. I solicit all who have an interest in the truths for these last days to do a good work in canvassing for our books and papers. 22LtMs, Lt 265, 1907, par. 18