Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 3 (1876 - 1882)

Lt 7a, 1878

White, W. C.

1878

Fragment. Portions of this letter are published in 8MR 412.

Dear Father is kind, patient, and now at the present time very cheerful. He is gradually coming up. If he had faith and would work according to his faith, he would be a well man. But a sleepless night, constipation of the bowels, or any disagreeable sensations he cannot divert his mind away from himself. He will try to meet every difficulty, anticipating serious evils that would not be likely to be realized. His active mind is studying this and that and dwelling upon himself. God alone can control this working mind, and we pray much for the Lord to work for us. 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 1

I hope I shall be patient and wait the Lord's time. Willie, next spring, I shall feel that I must attend the camp meetings. God has given me a testimony which I must bear. I cannot let Satan triumph over us. I do not know in regard to Father, whether he will go or not. One thing I am confident, we did not manage right. Sister Ings should have been with me. I could then have been at liberty to go or stay. Now I am hedged in on every side. I was so fearful of balancing her mind in the wrong direction. I let her alone, and she thought it was the expense that stood [in] her way from coming here. But the matter is as it is. Now I must wait and watch and pray. 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 2

I hope you, Dr. Kellogg, and all who are in danger of overwork will see and feel that it does not pay to overwork. There is an expenditure of strength that is never recovered. God does not lead to these extremes, working day and night, and then break down and become an invalid and be helpless and make others helpless by caring for the sick. 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 3

Sometimes things look very blue to me, but I hope that my dear Saviour will give me wisdom and sanctification and righteousness and perfect repose in Him. But I hope you will do what you can well do without becoming exhausted and stop when you should stop. These overstraining points where there is a snap in the machinery because of too great pressure never, never pay. This turning night into day and day into night is poor policy. Regular hours should be preserved for sleep and work, and in no case to depart from it unless a case of life or death. God took six days to make our world when He could have spoken it into existence in one. I have had a fearful experience on these points. None but the Lord knows how trying has been this experience. 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 4

You can do double-good, healthful labor to stop when nature says, Stop. You require regular hours of sleep and must have it in order for your mind to be in a healthy state to do your work with efficiency and have strength in the bank of health to draw from. God help you to feel it your duty to preserve your powers. 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 5

Father says, I can’t, Ellen. I must be on hand to do this, or it will not be done. Who does these things now? Two of us are out, can do little or nothing because of this insane idea of working and not observing periods of rest and sleep. I feel deeply on these points. I know, and therefore I speak. I have a right to urge you and Dr. Kellogg to preserve your health and strength and do what you can do without exhaustion and let the rest go undone till you can do it without exhaustion. My soul is burdened on this point. I prayed, I counseled, I entreated your father. I told him how it would be, but he refused my counsel; and now months he can do nothing, and I am unable to labor also, for I must take care of him. Oh, this is Satan’s work, this rush and hurry. God help you to make haste slowly. 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 6

In much love, 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 7

Mother.

You and Dr. Kellogg can put a heading to my Reform article. 3LtMs, Lt 7a, 1878, par. 8