Lt 54, 1890

Loughborough, J. N.

Battle Creek, Michigan

February 11, 1890

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother Loughborough:

I mailed to you a registered letter about three weeks since I have expected to hear it was received, but no sign yet that it has been received. In that letter were copies of letters that I had sent to Elder [E. P.] Daniels. I requested that you copy these letters and keep them at hand, [and] send copies to the responsible ones in the churches. This cost considerable labor and I thought was necessary in order to guard the churches from being deceived by Elder Daniels.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 1

He will make statements entirely untrue; and I wish if these statements are made concerning me, that my brethren should give no credence to them until they first find out from myself whether there is any truth in them. He has made several statements in reference to things I have said which I have told him were not true. He knows that these statements have not a semblance of truth in them.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 2

I have not confidence in the man. He will make statements recklessly, anything that comes into his mind, with such assurance that even those who have been deceived by him heretofore will be very liable to be deceived again.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 3

I sincerely hope that the church at Fresno has some discernment and will see that if they sympathize with E. P. Daniels they will greatly dishonor God who has been sending him warnings for years, which warnings are found in Testimony No. 33 [now in Volume 5], and in the letters I now send to you.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 4

We hope that no one will be so unwise as to sympathize with him in his wrong course and blunt the edge of the testimonies that the Lord has sent to save the poor, deceived, deluded soul. Notwithstanding the appeals made by the Spirit of God to him, he has not reformed, he has not heeded reproof, and I greatly fear he will be lost. I hope that none will feel that it is Christlike charity to cover up and excuse his wrongs as he has done for some time past. His only hope is to see himself in the light which God sees him. If he falls on the Rock and is broken, then he is saved. Without this he is a lost man.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 5

I deplore the great want of wisdom in the church at Fresno and other places in lending money to him and in encouraging him to engage in real estate business and in mining interests. All this was a snare to his soul. Obtaining thousands of dollars for which he returns no equivalent was a species of gambling and took him captive. Satan rejoices; angels weep.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 6

Then the churches incurred the frown of God in exalting the man, praising the man, and putting him before them in the place of God, calling for him, expecting that a great work be done through him—he must remain with them else the interest would die. They thus depended blindly on the man in the place of looking entirely to God and believing that God would work for His church through its consecrated God-fearing members. This is our sin as a people, trusting in man and making flesh our arm. God sees these things and it displeases Him. He has let the man reveal what spirit he is of, and are there any so blind that they cannot see this? O, that this lesson may be for the instruction of all churches not to idolize any man that lives, but to let him hold his position not because of his drawing big congregations, but because he is an humble, God-fearing man and fears to offend God.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 7

Who has inward integrity and the graces of the Spirit of God? There are so many [who] can get up an excitement like a flashing meteor and flash and go out in darkness. The everyday piety is wanting. The Lord can do without the help of Elder Daniels, but O, how will he get along under the frown of God.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 8

I send you now my last copy by Brother Curtis. Please see that it is returned to me again at as early a date as possible. Please keep me informed in regard to Elder Daniels’ movements. I learn that he has taken a position against the testimonies. Is this so?6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 9

I must now put this in the hands of Bro. Curtis for Elder Loughborough. I received the copy of testimony to Cady and other letters.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 10

I will say trust in the Lord always.6LtMs, Lt 54, 1890, par. 11