Lt 203, 1904

Franke, E. E.

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

October 1, 1903

Portions of this letter are published in 6MR 243-244.

Elder E. E. Franke,—

I have a message for you. During the night season I was in a meeting where you were speaking of Elder Haskell the words which your irritated imagination had been framing against him. There were evil angels in the congregation, who were presenting before you suggestions in accordance with your utterances. The human impulses were awakened, and your words revealed the venom of a heart controlled by evil angels. Had you been under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you would have looked upon the aged servant of God with tenderness and love, seeing the good accomplished by the stern, hard, earnest, constant labors put forth by him and his wife.19LtMs, Lt 203, 1904, par. 1

The success that has attended Elder Haskell and his wife has not been used to glorify themselves, but to glorify God. They have sought to bring souls under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and God has used them as channels through which to send light and truth to those in darkness. He has made their efforts successful, and they have been the means in His hands of opening the understanding of many, leading them to work for the salvation of others.19LtMs, Lt 203, 1904, par. 2

In the meeting there were not only evil angels, but good angels. One of dignity and authority addressed the meeting, speaking words of instruction to those assembled. He said that a rebuke should be given to the one who had spoken against Christ in the person of His saints. “The one who has spoken thus,” He said, “has so long indulged appetite that his stomach and nerves are diseased; and he speaks words that are cruel and untrue. A man who can give expression to sentiments such as he has given expression to at this meeting should cease all evangelical labor until he can understand that by his course he is lowering the tone of Christian character. His prejudices are unjust and without foundation. His mind has become diseased, so that he cannot distinguish between that which should be condemned and that which should be approved. The Word of God gives no one liberty to speak as he has spoken in any assembly where God is worshiped.”19LtMs, Lt 203, 1904, par. 3

Our Counsellor continued, “Call the most thoughtful, spiritual-minded of the church together, and lay the matter of grievance before several men of truth and righteousness. Let calmness and kindness prevail. Let the facts speak for themselves. Let confessions of errors be made. Then if there is not a clear and decided settling of the difficulty, tell the matter to the church, and let the voice of the church be heeded. But if any man refuse to hear the church, let him be set aside until he shall understand the true Christian methods of dealing with others.19LtMs, Lt 203, 1904, par. 4

“A minister of the gospel who acts as those act who have not the fear of God in their hearts, bringing in confusion and hindering the work, should no longer be granted credentials, unless he repents and gives evidence that an entire change has taken place in his heart. A man who follows such a course should not be acknowledged as a minister of the gospel; for his work is against the truth.”19LtMs, Lt 203, 1904, par. 5

The light given me is that our churches must not be spoiled by the unchristlike course of unconsecrated men. I shall have to make more public than I have done my letters of reproof and correction, because those who are reproved make known those portions of the testimony that encourage them if they will follow the course outlined by God and withhold the plain words of warning and caution. Such a course as this makes it necessary to present matters as they are, that the enemy may not be permitted to work his will upon our churches by leading them to suppose that Sister White’s testimonies justify a man who wounds and bruises the souls of his fellow men.19LtMs, Lt 203, 1904, par. 6

Recently letters have come to me asking if I have condemned Elder Haskell and encouraged Elder Franke in the work that he has been doing against Elder Haskell. No, indeed! The light that has been given me is that Elder Haskell was not sustained by his brethren as he should have been during his labors in New York. It is the Lord’s will that when His servants shall go into fields as difficult as New York, that they shall receive encouragement and help for the doing of that which needs to be done.19LtMs, Lt 203, 1904, par. 7