Thank you for your letters. The last scrap of a letter I wrote you was under difficulties. My hand was very tired, and I was interrupted again and again and then had to close it at once. All has been in confusion of preparing for the camp meeting—shipping goods. These things now are nearly closed up. We shall go on the ground today. We think, or I do, it is not right to keep pulling you to come to Newcastle. If your duty is there, which everything seems to indicate now; then that is the very place for you to be. Israel’s God will be with you and will work to His own name’s glory. We must trust in God under all circumstances and trial. There is no excuse in this warfare. The Lord will direct your course of action. He will demonstrate His divine power in our emergency. We will not fret, we will not be discouraged. We will make the very best use of the means God sees fit to provide.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 1

The Lord often sends warnings for His people to prepare for attacks from the enemy, to be wide awake and diligent, to be on guard, to keep ready for any danger that disobedience to the divine Word would cause, and that would, not supersede, but presuppose faith; then we know we have the divine blessing on our undertakings.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 2

Our Lord will work. I have now drawn the line at a venture and written to Brother Irwin and Elder Loughborough who is now in California, to set things right in my business, which I understand ought to have been done long ago. They could have relieved me of this burden if they had [had] a disposition to do this. I have written to Dr. Kellogg very decidedly in reference to his launching out in his gospel wagons. The light God has been pleased to give me is: they could have helped us long ago if they had chosen to do so. That the starting and helping of the sanitarium should not have come from the limited resources we had in this country, but that these resources should be employed to help the work in new places to advance.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 3

Whether my letters will be laid away in the drawer, I cannot say; but I sent Brother Irwin a copy of the letters written to Dr. Kellogg. I told Brother Irwin notwithstanding we had been pressed on every side in regard to means and the unbelief which some kept on hand to manufacture walls of difficulties, we must take our place individually in the work and keep our plans, abiding at our post by what may seem cross-providences. Now I am going to wait, and watch and pray, and trust the Word of God. I cannot do more.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 4

The Lord would not have us plan and devise, but He will surely plan for us, and will be our present help.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 5

I am certain of one thing: we must “be still and know that I am God.” [Psalm 46:10.] The work from the first has moved with difficulties in this country. The Lord’s eye is upon His work; Satan’s hosts are many, and we are to learn our lessons to link one with the other in faith and trust in God, with every jot of ability and capacity we possess wholly sanctified. Our state of mind is not to be relied upon; but a “Thus saith the Lord” is worth something to every believer.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 6

We may discern nothing where God sees great possibilities in human souls and begins His gardening. Ye are God’s husbandmen, Ye are God’s building. Who has placed the possibilities where it is hard for human minds to discern them? Did not God? The Lord sees and we must work on the Lord’s sight, not on our sight. You are in a trying place.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 7

Brother Pallant called to see me yesterday. I see how he longs to press into the work. He needs the healing power of God. He advised with me [whether] he should attend the camp meeting. I said, “What does your heart say in this matter?” “Well I would be very much gratified to stay a few days.” I answered, “Try it, my brother, and the Lord may meet you on the campground and heal your difficulties.” He seemed greatly relieved, and returned yesterday to Newcastle.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 8

One thing, God is certain; we must believe God to be. He is, and a present help in every time of need. In and through Christ we must be one. Our own peculiar feelings are not to come in and make divisions. We must learn these lessons from the great Teacher. All men are not cast in the same mold. We will thank the Lord for that. He has a place for every man and has a work for every man. Because one man cannot discern the work God has given the next man, he is not to place him as nothingness. This has been repeated over and over again on this ground, and this problem remains to be dealt with. This has been my burden: we must have love in the heart one for another. Blessed is the man, blessed is the woman, that gets some glimpse of God’s vision of hope, and will treat one another with respect and tenderness. When this love is cherished one great barrier is broken down that prevents the deep moving of the Spirit of God upon the human hearts. We may then love as Christ loves us.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 9

What does God see? “Whom he did foreknow, he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” [Romans 8:29.] We must have this transformation, else we shall be subject to great vacillation in our minds.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 10

I have been deeply impressed in regard to this matter, and I am obliged to be because of the want of Christ’s love in the heart, one for the others, of those who claim to be Christians. But the Holy Spirit must come into every heart and then there is peace and rest. If our becoming Christlike depends on this “I have planned it,” we might as well give up life. But if our hope is that “I am not to rule myself, for God has planned for me; I will then in meekness take my place to be molded and fashioned after the divine similitude.”13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 11

He sees in us, whom He has chosen, the possibilities of being like Christ—even one with Him. Christ says, “I will take man with all his defects of character and I will transform him; I will work the human heart after my own heart, then the thoughts of man will be the thoughts of Jesus.” But I saw that as I talked these things to Brother Hare, he seemed not to comprehend anything I said. I tried to show him he could never, never act in harmony with his brethren until the Holy Spirit came into his heart and took possession of his whole mind, and then God would let him plan for himself the very thing God had planned for him. The great trouble with you, my brother, is that you and God have been working at cross-purposes. God means one thing for a man, and the man means another thing for himself, and that makes you have a hard time.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 12

We are to respond to every touch of God, then we will have a harmonious life. When we pray we are to pray not that God’s will may be conformed to our will, and our plans, but that we may be brought into conformity to the will of God. If we work at cross-purposes with God, we spoil the web of character. I live, says Paul, “Yet not I, for Christ liveth in me.” [Galatians 2:20.] I have given Myself for you that you may give your entire life to Me. I have given Myself for you that you may give yourself for Me to image after the similitude of God. If you do not give yourself to God to be worked by Him, then He cannot—will not—rule you, for His love will not be a controlling power to subdue self. When self dies, then I, Christ, live My character in your character, and your character is blended with My character.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 13

“I will set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved; therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope.” [Psalm 16:8, 9.] Sin has expelled from the heart the love of God. “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another; by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. ... This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” [John 13:34, 35; 15:12.]13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 14

Supposing I said to Brother Hare, “We begin to work earnestly to get out of self into the doing if the Word just as it is written, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ [Verse 13.] You seem to justify your own course of action; you see not how you have grieved the heart of Jesus Christ; you are not accepted of Him until your own spirit is softened and subdued by a sense of that love of Christ that is without a parallel. We are running the race of life; shall we obtain the crown, shall we be victorious. As a people we will have to come where the Holy Spirit will work every power we possess. Religion is not, my brother, a tame thing; it is up and doing. In everything concerning the eternal interest of man, she leads to the front, but is militant and aggressive upon self and all that is unlike Christ. But I have no more to say on this point.” He went away just as he came—without softening a particle. In regard to his past actions, he feels just as he did.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 15

But now in regard to meetinghouse: we must have care and the Lord will help in this work. In the very opening of the prophetic roll announcing the advent of Jesus Christ, it is written that He should preach the gospel to the poor, and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord; that He should set judgment in the earth, and the isles should wait for His law; that the gentiles should come to His light, and kings to the brightness of His rising. And as this was the earliest work, so also will it be the latest work—the work to close the last chapter of this world’s history. The Sun of Righteousness is to arise and shine upon His ancients gloriously.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 16

The Lord, I believe, would have a house of worship; and be assured, I will do my best to help in the matter. Means, now, are very limited, but I believe all the strings I have set in drawing, something will come of it. I trust in God. Christ is seated on the right hand of the Father, and He knows what we need.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 17

We have an Advocate with the Father, and He has promised whatsoever we ask in His name it shall be given us. Now we want our sick healed, and it is God’s will that they should be healed, and I have not a doubt but He the Mighty Healer has come into your midst.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 18

Now we need a house of worship in Brisbane. Shall we not ask the Lord in faith for this blessing? Let us do this trusting in God the Mighty Healer, that He will do this thing also.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 19

But I must close this letter now. I meant to have written to Brother Wilson but unforeseen things do arise that admit of no delay, so let you all bear in mind that we present your case by name to the Lord that the Lord would bless you and preserve your health.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 20

I have written in haste, excuse all mistakes. In much love.13LtMs, Lt 133a, 1898, par. 21

Lt 133, 1898

Lt 133b, 1898