Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Lt 104, 1886

White, J. E.; White, Emma

Basel, Switzerland

July 28, 1886

Previously unpublished.

Dear Children:

We arrived home safe from our journey to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. We had a very favorable trip, and speedily. We were on the cars and boat two days and one night, and we felt thankful to be at home again. I have not spent any time in visiting places for my own gratification. I have not allowed myself but one ride in a carriage for recreation. In Copenhagen, I was in much better health than at Orebro, for which I felt grateful to God. We feel so thankful to be home again. We would make no complaints, but we find many inconveniences and discomforts in traveling that are taxing to the strength and health. But soon we must go again to England and shall leave here in about six weeks. My whole burden is for the blessing of the Lord. If I can have the presence of Jesus, all is well. 4LtMs, Lt 104, 1886, par. 1

The work is great and more and more solemn as we near the close of time. I want to do my work well, else I shall not hear the “Well done” from the Master. [Matthew 25:21.] I see these large cities like Copenhagen full of pleasure seeking and merriment. If we had a little of that [which] has been used in pleasing self, we might find so many places for to use it. I think of my carriage in Battle Creek. I wish it could be sold. I wish you would speak to Henry Kellogg about it. I feel that I need it—the means might go to paying my debt at the Review office. I see the statement of accounts showing your financial standing has come. There is a little advance which is good, but I wish it were better. I hope, my dear son, you will not become encouraged as you see that you improve a little and will launch out to go into new enterprises and obtain credit to invest more means. You have passed over this ground so often to afterwards feel the biting sting of financial pressure that I hope your lesson is learned not to have imaginary wants and let your imagination see a large field. You can manage, and all requires means. Bind about your desires. Work to the one point to become a free man. But Satan watches you with vigilance as he sees you making any success toward freedom. Then he has another pleasing, attractive scheme which will be presented, which he flatters you will only cost a limited sum to be invested which is like the thousand-dollar hand irons, requiring more and still more invested. 4LtMs, Lt 104, 1886, par. 2

I have just read a note in the Battle Creek paper, “J. E. White will put a steamer in Goguac Lake for his own private use. It will be a fast boat and carry about twenty persons.” I cannot think this is you, for in the first place you have not one dollar to invest in such an enterprise. Second, you would not do this because it would not have a good influence. I have too much confidence in your desire to avoid even the appearance of evil to do such a thing yourself and to encourage others to do this. We are responsible for the influence we exert over others. If we take a self-indulging course, we stimulate others to go still further than we. They will not generally stop where we may stop. We want to live as in the sight of the Lord. We want to be cheerful, kind and courteous, but have the true, dignified nobility of heaven. As sons of God, heirs of the kingdom of heaven, we should have our lives characterized with sobriety and yet true manliness, walking the earth as ever, looking beyond heavenward, communing with God as we walk by the way, as we associate with others, praying with faith to be kept from falling into Satan’s snare, grasping the hand of Jesus that He may guide us over all perilous and difficult places. 4LtMs, Lt 104, 1886, par. 3

Your work is not [to] be self-pleasing, but to draw nearer to dear Jesus, who loves you and who gave His life for you, catching His spirit, His manner of work, and your soul strong in His strength, firm in His courage. You may be happy, you may be favored of God in a marked manner. You may be showing forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Talk the truth, live the truth, talk faith, act faith. O it is your privilege to have your life hid with Christ in God, that when Christ who is your life shall appear, that you also may appear with Him in glory. Look to the great beyond. Let every thought, every action be in reference to the future, immortal life, that you will not be ashamed of the record that is kept by the heavenly messengers. Only a little longer to toil, only a little longer to fight the battles against Satan, then it will be victory eternal, complete, not to war any more, but peace and righteousness and joy be ours ever more. 4LtMs, Lt 104, 1886, par. 4

I want to meet you, my children, in the city of God. Happy, happy shall we be then with nothing to mar our peace. 4LtMs, Lt 104, 1886, par. 5