I have not written to you as I should, and my conscience is troubling me. I will now try to write you a few lines. I am glad to see by your reports in the papers that you are making progress. God says to His missionaries, Annex new territory. By uniting with Christ, the soul gains strength for the conflict with the world. You can do a precious work by not confining your labors to our churches as closely as many of our ministers do. They ought not to do this. God has given them knowledge, experience, and a belief that gives them confidence in things not seen.17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 1

Train young men to be workers for souls. A mere assent to the truth will not answer. Many have but a cold belief in the truth, but this is not so with you. You feel an intense burden for souls, because you have a deep conviction of the importance of the work of soul-saving. The Lord desires you to draw many souls to a belief in the truth and then set them at work to draw still other souls to Him. But you must not overwork.17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 2

I am very glad to be able to tell you that my health is good, and that I am still able to engage in camp-meeting work. We are now attending the Los Angeles camp-meeting. I have spoken seven times since the meeting began. The attendance at the camp-meeting has been good, especially on Sabbath and Sunday. Not all our people could attend during the week, but all came on Sabbath, and many stayed over Sunday to hear the words of the Lord’s servants.17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 3

May the Lord help us to understand that we must be laborers together with Him. Thorough consecration will bring believers to God in humility, and He will receive them and strengthen them for service. The Lord knows our infirmities, and He will help us if we will give ourselves to Him, body, mind, and soul. We are to ask earnestly for help, remembering that “the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” [Romans 8:26, 27.]17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 4

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference; and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.” [Jude 20-25.]17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 5

My brother, a much more serious work is before us than we have done in the past, and we are to be ever on guard, praying, and watching unto prayer. Let us pray that the Searcher of hearts shall enlighten our minds and soften our hearts, that our desire may be quickened and our yearning intensified to be laborers together with God; and that our faith may be strengthened to grasp things not seen.17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 6

Pray, yes, pray with unshaken faith and trust. I am glad that you believe that an Angel of the Covenant, even our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Mediator who secures the acceptance of the prayers of His believing people. I pray “that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breath, and length, and depth, and the height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.” [Ephesians 3:16-21.]17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 7

I should be so glad to see you and your family, my brother, and the new churches that have been raised up by your labors—you and your fellow workers, [who] are built “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” [Ephesians 2:20-22.] I should be pleased to hear from you. We are heart and soul in the work of the Lord and are in no way discouraged, only that we should be so glad to see those in God’s service more intensely interested in the work of saving those who are out of Christ.17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 8

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. ... In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will; that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” [Ephesians 1:3-7, 11-12.]17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 9

In much love,17LtMs, Lt 147, 1902, par. 10

Lt 146, 1902

Lt 148, 1902