Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 146, 1896

White, J. E.

Sunnyside, Avondale, New South Wales, Australia

March 1, 1896

Previously unpublished.

Dear Son Edson:

I have not been able to sleep since half past one o’clock. I have some things burdening my mind which I dare not withhold from you. I have had warnings given me which I must write you, for they are connected with you before and after we left America. 11LtMs, Lt 146, 1896, par. 1

When you were departing from light which the Lord had given you, there were those who encouraged you in a certain course of actions on your part. They thought to help you. You were sanguine yourself, and the words that were given you encouraged you in making ventures which proved unsuccessful. One word of encouragement led you to feel that you were sustained. From the little encouragement that was given, you ventured much further in schemes of your own devising. Then when you began to borrow and venture to accumulate debts, those who should conscientiously have helped you, by their counsel, to get out of the difficulty, withdrew wholly from you and left you to sink or swim. 11LtMs, Lt 146, 1896, par. 2

Had some of those with whom you were connected been walking carefully before God, preserving correct principles themselves, they could have helped you by precept and example, but everything was turned out of the course of correct, righteous principle. The fear of God was not before their eyes. Selfishly they went on in their own forward way, grasping the largest wages and ignoring the principles the Lord has plainly set before them. All His work in connection with His cause is sacred, and must be handled with clean hands and pure hearts, and carried forward upon Bible principles. All the light given was ignored. All the extra wages they received have been a curse to them and not a blessing. Are they not reaping the harvest they have sown? The rebuke of God is upon them. The Lord has given me messages of warning for them. Your name and the name of Frank Belden have been mentioned to them, that their manner of dealing in these cases testified that the principles of injustice were leavening the institutions at Battle Creek. One dishonest action God condemns. These things have been repeated over and over. 11LtMs, Lt 146, 1896, par. 3

Where is Captain Eldridge, who received thirty dollars per week, and then received [means] from other things that he did, in addition to this sum for the work for which he was paid? He is not made rich by the large amount of money he received. He is poorer today than when he worked for twelve dollars per week. Himself and family would be no richer if they had fifty dollars per week. Money in any man’s hands is a temptation to misappropriate it. This means was not his own to spend as he chooses because he has it in his hands. It is God’s money. His wants are to be bound about, because he, as a professed servant of Jesus Christ, must give an account of his stewardship. Those who had much less wages, but who trusted in the Lord and used their means economically, are able to live comfortably—much more so than the Majesty of heaven, who was the example Man of the human family. 11LtMs, Lt 146, 1896, par. 4