Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 89, 1893

Olsen, O. A.

Wellington, New Zealand

June 8, 1893

Previously unpublished.

Elder O. A. Olsen
Battle Creek, Michigan

Dear Brother Olsen,

I received and read the letters addressed to Willie and to me. I am not at all surprised at your letter—of seeing so much to do—and that you were being pressed beyond measure. But as I have given you, as a conference, the light which the Lord has been giving me for the last twenty years on this subject, what more can I say. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 1

If there is so wide a departure from the Lord’s plans, then the sure result must follow. I would, if before the conference, inquire from whence they received their wisdom; certainly not from God, for He does not contradict Himself. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 2

Before the General Conference, there was more responsibility placed upon the general workers; but the president of the General Conference had need of the best men, to be connected with him, that the believers in the truth could furnish him; and he must in no wise be deprived of his help. Now, they have ignored the principles the Lord has given them over and over again, and that is to bring in men and place them in responsibilities as Christ did. After Christ sent out the twelve disciples, He sent out seventy men to go everywhere preaching the kingdom of God, the gospel of truth, and He was in the world to follow after in every place where these men should be sent. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 3

All tell of the descent of the Holy Spirit, in your conference. I believe the testimony. Did you or our brethren think, after all this manifestation of the Spirit of God, that those who received this blessing were less capable of being trusted than before this light and power from heaven was bestowed, that you went back to bring [in] the very men, in nearly every place, and selected no new ones who could be coming up and obtaining an education, as to how to take care, learning the trade under direction? 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 4

You are chosen as president of the General Conference. This is quite enough. You, of yourself, cannot possibly do all [that] this means. You should be able, with your experience, and under the influence of the Spirit of God, to educate, a large number of workers. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 5

I read of a man who employed a director to keep twelve men at work. The one who employed these workers came on the ground, and saw twelve men looking down into an excavation that was being made. He did not see the overseer. He drew nearer and looked down and saw the director hard at work, but the twelve men only looking on. He called him up and paid him for his time and discharged him and said, “I hired you to keep twelve men at work. I pay these twelve men for their time. I find you, one man, at work and the twelve idle. I have not employed you to do the work for which I pay twelve men. I employed you to oversee these men, and instruct them, and to see that every man is doing his duty. I will now find another director.” 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 6

Now, I do not see, with the light of the experience of the past, how you can repeat the same mistakes, with the result of such plans and devising before you. You have the sad result of Elder Butler’s case before you. If he had been willing to follow the light given him of heaven, and unload, placing the extra burdens upon others, then he would not have become unbalanced in mind, and his help, which is so much needed today, would not have been lost to the work. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 7

My dear Brother Olsen, if I had my letterbook which I had in Europe, I would send to you warning after warning that was given to Elder Butler. Notwithstanding these warnings, he went on and on pursuing an opposite course until the result followed which you know. I have given you similar warnings about bearing too many burdens. When our conference placed on you so many burdens, they evidenced a lack of faith in God. It is positive unbelief. We have, as a people, been earnestly praying for the Lord to raise up laborers for the harvest. Then, can you not take them, and in faith place upon them responsibilities? Perhaps they will show lack of wisdom; nevertheless, they should be educated to bear responsibilities. If you continue to load down yourself, and those who bear heavy burdens, and bring no new men in to lift the loads, the present burden-bearers will soon be gone, and who shall we have as directors? We would be obliged to take the haphazard work of new uneducated recruits, and no one to direct them as overseers. Will you look at this matter as it is? I am pained at that which I know is a device of Satan to kill off yourself and others, just because men do not hear and obey the warnings the Lord has given them. I looked with intense interest to see not less than a score of men to share the burdens, but lo, the heavy loads were weightier than ever. [They] are placed on a few who were already bending and fainting under that which they carried. I would say to the General Conference, I do not admire your judgment, and I feel pained at your misjudgment. What do you propose to do? 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 8

Willie is not with me. He left Wellington in response to an urgent plea from the Australian Conference Committee one week ago last Friday. He said at Sydney. I consented to be left here, for I knew he was needed at Melbourne. I suspect the work there will require two months of his time. The interest to hear the truth in Wellington is small. There is a little interest in Petone, seven miles from here. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 9

I received a letter from Bro. Philip Wessels saying that we should begin to build our school. He donated five hundred pounds sterling. He thought others might do something towards it yet. He wrote an excellent letter. It was all alive with cheerfulness, happiness, and thankful praise to God. He said he would send the money to Australia to Battle Creek to be sent. I would enclose you the letter, but I’ve sent it to Willie. I feel so thankful for this much. I wish it was a much larger sum. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 10

Willie sent you a long letter last month, so I’ll only send you a short one now. My heart is filled with gratitude to God for His lovingkindness and goodness to me. I’ve been unable to write part of the time on account of infirmities. I feel such exhaustion, and my head would not work. But the Lord is good. I am trusting in Him who has never failed me, and He will not disappoint me now. Good is the Lord and greatly to be praised. I will not be discouraged, because Jesus is my everlasting Friend. 8LtMs, Lt 89, 1893, par. 11