Lacey, Brother and Sister [Herbert and Lillian]
Sunnyside, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
March 22, 1897
Portions of this letter are published in 2MR 31-32.
Dear Herbert and Lillian:
We were highly gratified to receive encouraging letters from you today. My heart is full of thanksgiving to God that He has been so merciful to you. Truly He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 1
“The Spirit itself helpeth our infirmities.” [Romans 8:26.] “The Lord is good, and greatly to be praised.” [Psalm 96:4.] I have faith that the Lord will carry on the work in your behalf unto the victory. He wants you to put away all anxiety, all worriment, from your mind; and as you commit the keeping of your souls to Him, His peace will flow into your mind and heart. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 2
Elder Haskell, his wife, and myself, are planning matters in regard to the school. We have sent a most urgent request to Brother Skinner to come to Cooranbong, not as a cook, but as an educator, to teach classes [in] how to cook. We need his help, and I believe that he will come. But now we leave everything in the hands of God. He can see all our necessities, and He will be our Supreme Helper. This work has not been undertaken to acquire money, or to please and glorify ourselves. It is to save the souls that are ready to perish. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 3
The work is the Lord’s and we will trust in Him, and He will bring it to pass. Our feet shall be placed in a large place. At present we seem to be cramped and hedged in, but the Lord will give room for His own purposes to be accomplished. The words spoken to Christ’s disciples come to us through their words. The Comforter is ours as well as theirs, at all times and in all places, in all sorrows and in all affliction, when the present outlook seems dark, and the future perplexing, and souls feel helpless and alone. These are the times when the Comforter will be sent in answer to the prayer of faith. There is no more encouraging promise than this: “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” [John 14:13, 14.] 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 4
Earthly comforters may do their best, they speak to the ear, but there is no comfort like Christ’s, so tender and so true. He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. His Spirit speaks to the heart. Circumstances may separate friends; the wide, broad sea may roll its restless waters between us and them. Their words and sincere wishes may still exist, and yet they be unable to demonstrate them, and do for us that which would be pleasantly and gratefully received, but no distance, no circumstances can separate us from “the Comforter.” [Verse 26.] Wherever we are, wherever we may go, He is there, always a presence, a person connected with heaven, One given us in Christ’s place, to act in His stead. He is always at our right hand, to speak to us soothing, gentle words, to support, sustain, uphold, and cheer. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 5
We are often in perplexity. We desire to keep the way of the Lord. We will to do justice and judgment. The unseen is close at hand, the Comforter. He is our appointed teacher. Said Christ, “He shall teach you all things.” [Verse 26.] The blessed Son of God in person taught His disciples while He was with them. But He was soon to leave them, and He told them, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” [Verse 15.] These are the conditions He places on all His followers. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 6
While they reveal their love for their Saviour by their obedience, through inconvenience, trial, and loss of earthly things, He assures them, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye (who do my will, and keep my commandments) see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” [Verses 16-21.] 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 7
Precious assurances. We will evidence that we appreciate them. We must cling to the promise so graciously and abundantly expressed. As we read these words, it seems that there is no vestige of reason for entertaining doubt. We are to comply with the conditions. To every promise given there are conditions, and where heart and soul comply with the conditions, we shall obey all the commandments of God. We are to take the words of Christ, in all that He has promised, as verity and truth. We are to rest in the promise, knowing that He who is back of the promise, is our very best and truest Friend. He has given us so many tokens of His love that they cannot be reckoned and estimated by figures. When we contemplate the cross of Calvary, we are lost in wonder and amazement at the great love wherewith He hath loved us. With reverential awe we exclaim, “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” [John 1:29.] 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 8
We can honor our Lord best when we rest with quietude in Him. He has spoken words that we can appropriate to ourselves, and trust. He left words with His disciples which, if received as they come to us, will be our hope and assurance forever. Then let us rejoice in faith and hope, and thus make manifest that we believe in Jesus. Then we shall trust in Him as our sufficiency, our all and in all. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 9
Dear children of the Lord Jesus, God has a tender affectionate interest and loving care for you. He careth for us all. I am very thankful for the interest and care and love given you by the dear friends where you are. The Lord has used them as His instruments in co-operating with Him for your recovery; for we expect you to be restored to soundness and health. We do not want you to be in any way in a hurry to take hold of responsibilities again. “Be still, and know that I am God.” [Psalm 46:10.] Take good care of the Lord’s property. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 10
Your personality and self are safe only as [they] are lost in God, surrendering all to Him. Your whole being is His. He has purchased you with His own blood. You are not your own; you have been bought with a price. The conditions your Saviour has made are nothing less than to love God supremely, and your neighbor as yourself. Identified as one with Christ, means to be in full love and willing obedience to the Father. It may be a severe cross to you to wait long enough to get strong, but the peace that Christ gives will come to you. Wait patiently for Him, and He will give thee the desire of thine heart. You will need to recover your lost strength. The Restorer will give you rest and quietude in Him. We pray for you every day. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 11
In love. 12LtMs, Lt 89b, 1897, par. 12