Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 115, 1905

Diary

Los Angeles, California

August 1905

Portions of this manuscript are published in 10MR 333. +^Note

Last evening I was deeply exercised. I felt a longing desire to see souls freely converted and their hearts changed by the Holy Spirit. 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 1

In the night season I was in a council meeting. Elders Prescott, Daniells, and Washburn, and a large number of others, were present. The brethren named were on the platform. A representation was made of all the discouraging liabilities that we must meet. The most objectionable features were presented, and possibilities of a discouraging nature were presented. This was greatly displeasing to God. Those who spoke of these things could not see the end from the beginning. It is not the Lord’s design that they should. And yet the Lord had not disappointed them. All that had been asked for had been given, and more. And yet those who ought to have been praising the Lord were murmuring over some future possibility of disappointment. Every voice should have been full of gladness and of the praise of God. 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 2

The God of all grace had been with them, helping them in every time of need, guiding them to their present location, placing underneath them His everlasting arms, shedding upon them the light of His countenance, in time of trouble strengthening and encouraging them with words of assurance and comfort, communicating to them the joy of His salvation, aiding them in ways beyond their thought or expectation. What should have been the language of their thoughts? 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 3

One of dignity and authority stood before those present, and said, “Your principles are to be tried and proved. You are to reveal Christ more clearly than in the past. You are to serve God more perfectly. I have not found thy ways perfect before God. There is need of trustful, unwavering faith and joy in the Lord. 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 4

“When will the Lord’s ministers and physicians learn to be submissive followers of Jesus Christ? You have, after being greatly blessed, expressed your dissatisfaction, because a small portion of your blessing is, through the wisdom of God, to be appropriated to a field that has been sadly in need of some of the favors that have overflowed to you in donations. Were you placed where these workers are placed, how would you have felt had you been deprived of the donation so greatly needed? Your part of the field has been amply supplied with the Lord’s entrusted means; and yet, because a small part of the money that has come to you in gifts is to be given to a most needy field, your hearts are made sad, your hope is shaken, and you are unreconciled. 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 5

“This experience was needed that you might see yourselves as you are, to show you that you have not loved your neighbor as yourselves, and have not the full assurance of faith. God would have you show more self-denial. That five thousand dollars of the overflow fund belongs just where it has been sent. God sees that something must be done for the cleansing of heart and mind. His grace must be received and must do its work before He can give you greater evidence of His favor. No selfish act can be done without loss and without displeasing the Lord. All ye are brethren, and the work in other places must be built up.” 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 6

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby do we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk even as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment, which ye had from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” [1 John 2:1-11.] 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 7

There is need of most earnest work being done for our individual selves. We are to be constantly growing in the Lord. We have lessons to learn that we many times neglect to learn at the right time. We allow selfishness to have an influence upon our experience, and this mars the character. The hardest lesson of all to learn is to yield self to Christ, and yet this lesson must be learned. Self has twisted human nature, until an entire transformation of character is necessary before we can enter the holy city, to live the life that measures with the life of God. Without perfect self-surrender we can never see the kingdom of God. 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 8

Read and obey the principles laid down in the seventh chapter of Matthew, if you would have the life to come. Be a true, humble learner at the feet of Christ, beseeching Him to cleanse your heart from all defilement, to rid your character of all deformity. Christ expects you to live lives that will lead others to Him. 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 9

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him.” [Verses 7-11.] 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 10

This wonderful representation should be a keen rebuke to the weak, uncertain faith of those who profess to believe in Christ. That the Lord should be so dishonored by those for whom He has done so much grieves my soul. There is not a clear manifestation of the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. O brethren, we need the simplicity of unfaltering trust. We need the faith that God can honor. God has a storehouse filled with every good thing for those who walk uprightly. Have faith in Him. 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 11

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” [Verse 12.] “When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger; I am the Lord your God. Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God; I am the Lord. Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him; the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God; I am the Lord. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.” [Leviticus 19:9-15.] 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 12

“Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am the Lord. ... Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God; I am the Lord. And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thy self; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord thy God. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have; I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them, I am the Lord.” [Verses 30, 32-37.] 20LtMs, Ms 115, 1905, par. 13