Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Lt 107b, 1900

Brandstater, Brother

Geelong, Victoria, Australia

March 22, 1900

Portions of this letter are published in 4MR 67.

Dear Brother Brandstater:

I have some things to say unto you. The work in which you are engaged is a work where God must have recognition. Never leave the principles of truth in your learning or in your continuance of the work. Do not feel that you are to be bound in any way or necessarily to confederate with unbelievers. It is well always for ministers to make friendly visits with ministers and to seek by that friendly acquaintance to discern opposition. The same with the physician. There is too much keeping apart with association with both parties. But association does not mean confederacy. You must not confederate with unbelievers or give them preference to our own people. I am very thankful that the Lord has given you success and will give you success if you will keep close to His side and let Him work you. Your dependence must be upon the Lord. 15LtMs, Lt 107b, 1900, par. 1

My brother, now that Brother Braucht has come to New Zealand will you not manifest to him all that friendship of brotherhood? Be kind, courteous, and open-hearted as Christians should always be. And do not for Christ’s sake draw apart. We have enough of this class of workers to contend with and the cause and work of God is not strengthened as God would have it, because of difference of opinion and a willingness to work independently. You need Brother Braucht and Brother Braucht needs you. You can link up together if Christ is abiding in the heart. 15LtMs, Lt 107b, 1900, par. 2

There needs to be great caution used on the part of Brother Braucht to not take upon himself difficult cases of operations, for he will be in danger of feeling fully competent to perform operations that he has not a practical education and experience how to carry through with success. Therefore, he must be willing to be present where there are dangerous and critical operations to be performed and to silently learn, and not be in too large a hurry to distinguish himself as an operator. Success will attend the efforts of you both if you in the fear of God shall seek to in one sense sink self out of sight and work intelligently—not to experiment unwisely but to use the utmost caution—[use] moderation in all things and [be] careful every time concerning use [of] the instruments upon human bodies. The Lord is to be your Counselor. The Lord is to be your Helper at all times. Be kind, truthful, faithful one with the other, and do not for Christ’s sake dishonor God by variance. 15LtMs, Lt 107b, 1900, par. 3

I send to Brother Baker a communication I wish you both to see, and I wish you not to exercise a human sympathy to the man to counteract the reproof God has given. Unless he change his spirit and is converted, the Lord will not encourage his being maintained in the ministry, because he feels the burden to draw upon the sympathies of others while [he] himself will give undue, inappropriate sympathy to those who in no way deserve it. Thus he makes himself more like Absalom than like the true, firm, open, decided, unselfish friend. The Lord would have straightforward work with every one of His servants. There must be no conniving at evil, calling good evil and evil good. A living connection with God will produce the best of influence with one another in the families that are visited. Elder McCullagh tells me he sees his course, in obtaining sympathy from the church members, was altogether wrong. This ground Brother Steed is going over to his own injury. You need to be guarded on every point, that the Lord can work with you and for you. 15LtMs, Lt 107b, 1900, par. 4

Those ministers who think they must draw upon others for sympathy and live by every one petting and giving them what they desire, will find the Lord has very little use for such material. The church will become weak and inefficient and wholesome in the sight of God. I have a deep interest in you that you shall prosper and have the blessing of God upon all you undertake. Let Brother Baker be your counselor; he will not lead you astray. 15LtMs, Lt 107b, 1900, par. 5

I must not prolong this letter. I leave today for Melbourne to speak at North Fitzroy and at Windsor on the Sabbath, and back at Geelong to speak to the people here on Sunday. Be sure to move in the counsel of God. Do not follow the methods of Dr. Kellogg, for he is not doing the work God has appointed him to do. He has not followed the counsel of the Lord, given him to practice by, and his colleagues have not been faithful and true as steel to principle. The work, with Dr. Kellogg and his physicians connected with him, is best described [as] “deceived and being deceived.” [2 Timothy 3:13.] Deception never pays. It is a terrible school, in the end, for any one to diverge from the straight, Thus saith the Lord, “It is written.” God will help everyone who loves Him and fear Him. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Work and work in the fear of God, in unity and love one with another, and never suffer wrong to go without carefully shunning. You will not sustain wrong but will be a worker together with God to refuse any connivance to hurt one another. 15LtMs, Lt 107b, 1900, par. 6

In love. 15LtMs, Lt 107b, 1900, par. 7