Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Ms 47, 1892

Diary/Regarding Sister Daniells

Adelaide, Australia

November 8, 1892

Not sent, but see Lt 4, 1892.

A letter has been received by me in reference to decisions made that Elder Daniells should accompany us to New Zealand in the place of Elder Starr. In the night season matters were presented before me. The position and attitude [that] Sister Daniells had [taken] when in New Zealand was of that character that it would not be best for him to go with us to these meetings, for he and his wife were severely criticized. In the place of Elder Daniells being a help he would be a hinderance to our accomplishing the work essential to be done in our meetings in New Zealand. I wrote to Willie I would not consent to the arrangement, and in a few lines by letter mentioned how the matters stood in reference to their influence in New Zealand. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 1

I must now state some particulars. Sister Daniells is not calculated to deal with human minds unless all [who are] in her family are her equals. Unless she shall be in every sense a true missionary for the Master, fulfilling her duties religiously in educating and training those whom she can educate by precept and example, she will far better avoid temptation in the line of having boarders, except those [who] are [her] equals and [for whom] she feels under obligation to treat with [the] courtesy and Christian tenderness which she considers is her right. It is never her place to order or dictate; therefore the class of humanity that needs to have missionary labor in every respect are not the ones to become members of her family. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 2

[Sister Daniells,] you are to be courteous to all, to set yourself above none. If our lives have been cast in more pleasant places than some others, then give all the glory to God. But Sister Daniells, your glorying is not good. You have taken it on yourself to be a guardian of your husband. This was far more seemly when he was young and you first married him, but you have thought it essential to dictate, to exhort, to uphold him, as if your experience was superior to his. But it is a mistake. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 3

When the committee came to me for counsel as to who they should select as president, I suggested Elder Daniells. They looked at me with surprise. “Why he is the last man we should have thought of putting in as a president.” I said, “Brethren, he is not qualified for a president, but who of the believers in Australia is qualified? He will have to learn many things.” The council said, “One thing he must learn, that his wife is not [to] be his oracle. Here is the one grave objection in our minds, [that] Sister Daniells will run the conference. She will feel that she must say for him, [and] suggest to him, which is all right if she does not rule his mind. This she must not and cannot [do]—that she shall rule the conference through her husband.” I said, “I know how you feel in regard to Brother and Sister Daniells, for I have been there. Some things you have a right to question and some things you had best let alone. The Lord's hand is over the work. I dare not say to you that Sister Daniells is correct in her ways and deportment. You would lose confidence in me should I say this.” 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 4

Sister Daniels has much more influence over her husband than she should have. His spirituality is far in advance of Sister Daniells, and she must not feel that she is educating him as a teacher would educate a child. She has plans which will confuse his mind. I have been shown matters in New Zealand and the prejudices of the Brethren Hares and others in the churches. [They] are so thoroughly dissatisfied with her that we could not gain the access to them which we ought to have in order to do them good. There are those who are displeased with his being put in the position of president in the conference. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 5

I have a work to do for the churches, and I want to come close to them in order to do this. Sister Daniells has exalted her spirituality above that of her husband. She has been learning some lessons, but her influence has not been altogether savory in the churches. She has manifested that self is not crucified. She has been jealous for her husband, thinking others are receiving too much attention. And [she] has not acted in many things as the wife of a missionary should conduct herself. There has been unseemly behavior, and while she has been highly esteemed by her husband, she has not been the help in the right way that she might have been. I hope [that] in the providence of God she will have the opportunity to redeem herself in the minds of those who know her. She has certainly hedged up her own way by not walking and working in wisdom. There is altogether too ready an expression of what she supposes is the individual character of professed Christians. Self-esteem and self-love have stained the pages of history. [She] entertains fears that she will not remain young looking, and there has been a departure from simplicity of dress since she came to New Zealand. Now, the Lord God of Israel takes notice of these things, and the churches take notice of them, so that while they may treat her courteously, they cannot admire her judgment in many things. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 6

Sister Daniells has a perfect right to cherish self-respect, because we are bought with a price, even the precious blood of the Son of God. Therefore, her great anxiety should be hourly, momentarily, to be unreservedly the Lord's—soul, body, and spirit—and to seek to be in character just what the Lord would have us to be, and which we must be if we shall be laborers together with God. The jealousy that Sister Daniells has indulged has defiled the soul temple. Her husband is not elevated and ennobled by her course of action in New Zealand. The suspicion of others will be brought into the home life unless there is more decidedly a constant, firm control over the thoughts and imagination of the heart. Every thought must be brought under control, in captivity to Jesus Christ. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 7

It is not the outward adorning that will preserve your freshness, my sister of faith. It is the inner man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is, in the sight of God, of great price. Give heed to thoughts which shall undermine your faith in God and in men and women. Put away your suspicioning, my sister, for it makes you unhappy. You must not come to your husband with the light in which you view characters, for you have done harm to souls through your construction of actions and motives. If you desire to help your husband in his line of work, believe in God, believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. Thousands have attained in thus doing, and through faith and the surrendering of yourself to God, you may attain a freshness of thought and true goodness. Believe you will not be baffled or defeated, but reach [for] purity, amiability, and Christlikeness—that meekness and lowliness of heart which will ever precede the soul-hunger after righteousness and true holiness. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 8

All the arrangements of dress to appear younger than you are will be of no avail. The suppression of every defect of character, the love of Christ pervading the soul, opens the door of the heart to Jesus, and you will have His attributes. You can only expel evil from the soul by getting more and more of Jesus, [and] less and less of self. Grace and love abounding in you can make the fruit you bear wholly good. Love and mercy dwell in light. Welcome these attributes. Every breath of self is a stain to the character and excludes the Holy Spirit. If you place any idol in your heart, you cannot entertain Jesus. You have made your husband your idol, but some things were opened before me. He cannot sustain your spirit and your influence without sacrificing principle. You have placed him in very trying places. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 9

Your pride has held you in a vice from doing the things you ought to have done to free your soul from guilt. If your husband has been led and has a special work to do for the Master, he must have the moulding influence of the Holy Spirit of God. And if he shall receive your ideas and your mould, the Lord will leave him to make mistakes. The Lord would not have you come between your husband and Himself. Let him come to God for himself and do not think you must keep him in hand else he will make some terrible blunder. He must not feel that he is indebted to you for growth in knowledge and grace. The Lord loves you both, but He would have your love for Him pure, sweet, and unalloyed. The supreme affection to be given to Him is His, for He has purchased it. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 10

I would have you both love one another, but every moment consider that God claims the undivided affections. Sister Daniells, God is not pleased with the example you have given in your religious life in this country. The Lord Jesus is not pleased with the tenor of your thoughts and conversation in regard to your husband. And He will stretch out His hand to work in a way that will call you, Sister Daniells, to your senses, that you shall make altogether a different history than you have hitherto made. 7LtMs, Ms 47, 1892, par. 11