Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 01:09 am:

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Chap. 5 - To Mary White

W-81-1888
Minneapolis, Minn. Oct. 9, 1888

Dear Daughter Mary:

We arrived at this place yesterday at about ten o'clock A. M. It had rained all night and rained all day Wednesday. Tuesday night we had berths in palace car. There were no berths and we were given berths in the drawing room car. Had nice chance but could not get Will to leave the company and come in the sleeper. And it was not a very pleasant night for those in the day coaches. Passengers were so crowded. (1888 66.1)

We arrived safely and were pleasantly located in two good hired rooms, richly furnished with plush chairs and sofas. Willie's room was next to ours but it did not look just in place to pile all our trunks and bundles in these nicely furnished room. We had to walk a few rods to our meals.


Minneapolis, 1906

We decided to find other rooms and we found rooms in the boarding house, hired for that purpose, and we have, Sarah and I, one room, plainly furnished, but it has the blessings of a fire place which is of value you well know to me. Will has a chamber above with stove in his room. Two brethren sleep in a bed in the same room. Then they have a small room for to do their writing in, and Willie is just as pleased with this as he can be. (1888 66.2)

I spoke Thursday morning. There is a large number assembled of our ministering brethren and I do not know but a few of them. (1888 66.3)



Today, Friday at nine o'clock, I read some important matter to the conference and then bore a very plain testimony to our brethren. This had quite an effect upon them.


George I. Butler

Elder Butler has sent me a long letter, a most curious production of accusations and charges against me, but these things do not move me. I believe it was my duty to come. I worry nothing about the future, but try to do my duty for today. (1888 66.4)


William C. White

I shall have to go to Battle Creek with Willie and (spend) some little time. Since the severe trial I passed through in Healdsburg. I think (67) things of like character will not have such an influence upon me again. I am glad Willie (is) where we can look after him a little and he look after us. I think it bad to be in different houses, but we are hoping and praying to see the work of God move forward just in that manner as shall reflect glory to God and good to His people. (1888 66.5)


Uriah Smith.................. E.J. Waggoner

Elder Goodrich is here from Maine, Eld. Underwood from Ohio, Sands Lane and his brother Otto Godsmark; Decker from Oregon; Corliss, U. Smith, Van Horn, Sanborn, Fargo, Rubert, Dr. Waggoner and wife, many, many I cannot think of now. We do not forget you but we pray for you. We long to see the power and spirit of God working upon the hearts of our ministers. We long to see that humility which we must have to do the work of God acceptably. Everything is done here that can be done to furnish good clean bedding and good wholesome food. (1888 67.1)

Elder Smith and Butler are very loathe to have anything said upon the law in Galatians, but I cannot see how it can be avoided. We must take the Bible as our standard and we must diligently search its pages for light and evidences of truth. (1888 67.2)

Well, the sun is setting and I cannot see very good. Please write us often as you can if it is only a word or two and I will try to write quite often to you. (1888 67.3)

Sunday morning, Oct. 14. Yesterday was a very important period in our meeting. Eld. Smith preached in forenoon upon the Signs of the times. It was I think, a good discourse,--timely. In the afternoon I spoke upon I John 3. "Behold what manner of love," etc. The blessing of the Lord rested upon me and put words in my mouth and I had much freedom in trying to impress upon our brethren the importance of dwelling upon the love of God much more and let gloomy pictures alone. (1888 67.4)

The effect on the people was most happy. Believers and unbelievers bore testimony that the Lord had blessed them in the word spoken and that from this time they would not look on the dark side and dwell upon the great power of Satan but talk of the goodness and the love and compassion of Jesus, and (68) praise God more. (1888 67.5)

At the commencement of the Sabbath Eld. Farnsworth preached a most gloomy discourse telling of the great wickedness and corruption in our midst and dwelling upon the apostasies among us and there was no light, no good cheer, no spiritual encouragement in this discourse. There was a general gloom diffused among the delegates to the conference. But the Lord gave me testimony calculated to encourage. My own soul was blessed and light seemed to spring up amid the darkness. I am not attending meetings today. (1888 68.1)

Last evening we had several of the ministering brethren together and read a long communication from Elder Butler, which kept us up till ten o'clock at night. This morning they had an excellent social meeting. Today they have a Bible reading upon predestination or election. Tomorrow noon the law in Galatians is to be brought up and discussed. There is a good humble spirit among the delegates as far as we can learn. The letter written by Eld. Butler was a good thing to open this question so we are in for it. (1888 68.2)

Charlie Jones came yesterday, Sabbath morning. W. C. W. has gone to visit Eld. Mattison who is in the city two miles from the meeting. The report is he is sick. Eld. Corliss is sick. We fear he may have the run of a fever unless the Lord shall stay the progress of disease. (1888 68.3)

John and Sarah are at work upon notes of the discourses I have given. It is cold and has been foggy here most of the time since we have been here. I shall be pleased to see the beautiful God-given sunshine once more. I wish I knew how many were at the meeting. Perhaps I can tell you in my next letter. I hope to hear from our home across the way soon. I have received no letters since I came here. (1888 68.4)

It is getting dark and I will say good night. Love to all the dear ones in the family. Sister McComber, Babe and the dear children...

(1888 68.5)

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Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 06:58 am:

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Elder Goodrich is here from Maine, Eld. Underwood from Ohio, Sands Lane and his brother Otto Godsmark; Decker from Oregon; Corliss, U. Smith, Van Horn, Sanborn, Fargo, Rubert, Dr. Waggoner and wife, many, many I cannot think of now. We do not forget you but we pray for you. We long to see the power and spirit of God working upon the hearts of our ministers. We long to see that humility which we must have to do the work of God acceptably. Everything is done here that can be done to furnish good clean bedding and good wholesome food. (1888 67.1)

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Posted on Sunday, March 09, 2008 - 09:35 am:

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We need not feel anxious and troubled, as though the work was in our hands alone to manage. The Lord is standing at the helm. The Infinite has His hand on the machinery. If we humbly do our work with fidelity, the Lord will take care of the results.

Have faith in God. This faith will enable us to have perfect trust and to look upon every movement in God's own light. Nothing that is taking place or that can take place need to excite in us fearful apprehensions, for God the great Master (72) Worker has charge of His own work; and if man will not interfere, but leave the work to God's own control, He will do this work well.

Now, Christ would have you who minister in sacred things to be holy as He is holy. Do not forget that your power is in God. Be sure that if God has called you to open His Word to the people, He has called you to purity and goodness. (1888 71.4)

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This is true today, in my part of the Lord's Work, as it was in 1888. As I work, teaching, it is true for the success of God's cause in my classroom. It is true for you, whatever you do for God, as well. Humbly do my work. I can do that. Kind of hard to be humble. Humanity uplifts itself. We are not messiahs, just humble workers, doing merely a small task in the overall work.

God has charge of His own work. Do I believe that? Does this truth relax me? Comfort me? If I don't interfere? What is this interference? God energizes His people. If I am able to help you follow God's leading of you, I am helping. If I oppose you and your presentation of truth, I interfere with God. Ellen White opposed administration micro-managing the worker in the field.

Part of my responsibility in my local church is to invite people to teach in the Sabbath School. There are checks and balances, of course, but my responsibility remains. We have two young adults who have recently rediscovered God's message and its power. Their renewal of faith seems deep and profound. Their families hold strongly to God's Word and message. I believe that my invitation for them to teach is part of helping God.

There are risks, it seems. What if they get on some tangent, some strict, Christless message, for example? Then, what is my responsibility.

They present a rather conservative message. I sat in their class this last Sabbath. They defended the 'Integrity of Ellen White'. They worked from Testimonies Volume Five and, in the light of all the controversy out there, it was very positive and uplifting.

Each week they present, they will learn more. If I let God work, leave it to His control, the impressions He lays on the heart of these young men will have an avenue. God can work on them and on us who hear and discuss with them.

This is for all of us who 'open His Word to the people'. It is true for me in the classroom with the high school people as well as these young adults in their Sabbath School class. We are all called to purity and goodness; to keep ourselves 'unspotted from the world.' As my mother would admonish, 'Keep your nose clean.'

God's Work suffers if those who 'Open the Word' are not 'pure' or 'good' in their behavior. This goodness is practical, behavioral goodness, not theological goodness. My theological goodness is in Christ alone. But, I must be good in my sphere in order to serve God well.