Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 30, 1903

Murphet, E.

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

January 28, 1903

Portions of this letter are published in CD 178; 3MR 329-330.

Dear Brother Murphet,—

I often think of our meeting in Tasmania, where we first saw you. The Lord was present at that meeting. We were glad to meet you, the Lord’s aged servant, and we have since felt so grateful that you were willing, in a time of great stress, to be His helping hand. We have rejoiced that you were moved by the Holy Spirit to acknowledge your stewardship by supplying means to help in establishing the work in Australia, and especially the work of erecting the Wahroonga Sanitarium. You will receive a blessing from the Lord, and so also will your son, who has stood by your side, to aid you in carrying out the purpose of your heart to advance the Lord’s work. Your assistance has greatly encouraged the workers, who have often been greatly perplexed, and indeed, put to their wit’s end, to know how to obtain the means necessary for the advancement of the work. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 1

Let these words of Holy Writ be your consolation: “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.” [Matthew 7:24, 25.] 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 2

In responding to the call to give of your means to help forward the Lord’s work in a time of great necessity, you have been laying up treasure beside the throne of God. Neither flood nor fire can consume this treasure. It is laid up in heaven “where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” [Matthew 6:20.] 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 3

You have invested your money in the establishment of an institution that will bring into the truth those who will be producers as well as consumers. May the Lord in His providence lead you to see what He has wrought. May He lead you to realize that you have invested your means in a line of work that He has ordained should be done. In the Sanitarium that your money has helped to establish, workers are to be trained to be laborers together with God, to carry out the teachings of the great Medical Missionary. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 4

Christ desires His people to be medical missionaries, able to do His will because they are acquainted with His principles of healing and are prepared to use the remedies that He Himself has provided in the form of sunshine, pure air, and water. Thousands who go down to the grave might be healed if they would go to the Lord’s dispensary rather than to the drugs that man provides. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 5

Lately I have read in the daily paper of the death of many men in important positions in this country, men forty, fifty, sixty, and seventy years of age. Their death is almost always attributed to failure of the heart, but in reality it was caused by intemperance in eating and drinking. Doubtless many of these men were smokers and liquor-drinkers and by the use of tobacco and liquor had poisoned the system. Had their habits of eating, drinking, and sleeping been regular, and in accordance with the principles of strict temperance, they might have lived for many years longer. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 6

“What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] O that our sanitariums all over the world may reveal that they are founded on the principles of health reform. The light on health reform that the Lord has permitted to shine upon us is very precious and is to be appreciated and followed by all who accept the truth for this time. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 7

The Lord forbid that for the sake of obtaining patronage, those in charge of the Wahroonga Sanitarium should allow in the institution that which is contrary to the principles of health reform. May this Sanitarium be a place in which Christ can abide, the healing, restoring influence of His life pervading every room, for the restoring of soul and body. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 8

Brother Murphet, I address you and your son. Thank God for our Sanitarium in Australia. And may the Lord, who moved upon your hearts by His Holy Spirit, giving you a desire to be His helping hand in returning to Him His own, greatly bless you, my dear brethren. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 9

I thank the Lord for the health that He gives me. I can walk up and down stairs as quickly and easily as a young girl. I eat only two meals a day. But I do not think that the number of meals should be made a test. If there are those who are better in health when eating three meals, it is their privilege to have three. I choose two meals. For thirty-five years I have practiced the two-meal system. The Lord preserves my brain power and enables me to write, and I thank Him with heart and soul and voice. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 10

In the Word of God we have most precious truth. Let us praise and glorify His holy name. We are almost home. A little while longer, and we shall see our Redeemer. We may not live till He comes, and yet we may, though old age is telling upon us. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 11

May the rich blessing of God rest upon you, and upon those associated with you in family relation, is my earnest prayer. 18LtMs, Lt 30, 1903, par. 12