Tait, A. O.
Avondale, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
February 17, 1896
Previously unpublished.
Elder A. O. Tait
Battle Creek, Michigan
Dear Brother:
Your letter was received in due time. I thank you very much for the interest you have taken in Edson White. Nothing is so injurious to him as to know his brethren have no confidence in him. If he is treated with kindness, no one in the world would appreciate the blessing more. I know the whole history of his life, for I am his mother. He is full of ardor. When he was misjudged in Battle Creek, and treated as not one of the purchase of the blood of Christ ought to be have been treated, he became desperate, feeling himself condemned by all without a candid, kindly interested investigation. It would have had no special weight, I knew, upon the minds of those with whom he had been connected, for me to tell them that which after a time in my great bodily suffering, the Lord had presented before me. He was wrong, but those who should have helped him and so tried to save a soul from death drove him to pursue a course which he would not have done had they not driven him upon Satan’s battleground, and then left him to die. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 1
But the Lord gave me light in regard to this case. His own arms were open to receive the one who had lost all confidence in men, and had no hope in God. The word to me was, My loving kindness shall be toward him; I will seek and I will bring back the lost sheep. I, his Redeemer, will take him into favor and comfort him; for he has been driven away from the fold. I will lay open before him the treasures of My grace. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 2
Those who have manifested unkindness, who have been unmerciful, ready to destroy and not restore, have lost their own love for God, lost the attributes of the character of Jesus Christ, and are in no sense merciful, compassionate shepherds, seeking to save that which was lost. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 3
The terrible denunciations against the Jewish priesthood and the rabbis was on account of their disregard of the sufferings of humanity. Suffering souls were all about them, but they denounced as sinners those who did not please them, and the very ones who needed their help as priests of the Most High God, because they were sinners, they turned from them, gathering their Pharisaical garments about them, and leaving the sinners in their great need. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 4
No man or woman can grieve the heart of God more deeply than to help Satan in his work by making souls unhappy and wretched and hopeless, and then leave them to perish. Christ was accused of eating with publicans and sinners. He turned toward them, while divinity flashed through humanity, and with a voice of authority, said, “I came not to call the righteous” (those who feel whole), “but sinners to repentance.” [Mark 2:17.] As one who has a right, He encircles the erring and lost with His human arm, while with His divine arm He firmly lays hold of the throne of the Infinite. The radiant glory above the mercy seat is approachable unto Him whose attributes and mercy in behalf of man placed it there. It will never dim; it will shine as long as there is a soul to look and live. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 5
Christ came in human form, the express image of the Father’s character, to restore the moral image of God in man; and yet poor, fallen humanity exhibits the spirit of the fallen order to oppress and to destroy. Christ came to work as a restorer. He is the Desire of all nations, the Wonderful, Counsellor, the Prince of Peace, the glory of the world, yet He speaks, and let every finite man listen to His voice. Isaiah 55:6-9; 57:15. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 6
I feel every day of my life so thankful that we can have the Word of God to encourage us. Isaiah 50:10, 11; 51:7-16. Christ is the desire of all nations, but men do not look to Him and trust in Him, but look to the human for help. Christ is the star that should arise out of Jacob, and the one in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed, as the first born of heaven, and the only begotten of the Father, filled with all the treasures of eternity. He assumed humanity, and impressed upon it the glorious image of the everlasting God. Then how dare men, who are brotherhood with humanity, act with so little tenderness toward the purchase of the blood of Christ? How dare they do what many have done—be unkind, unfeeling, cold, harsh, criticizing, accusing, revealing themselves to be imbued with altogether another spirit than that which dwelt in our Redeemer? 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 7
The life of Jesus, from its commencement to its close, was a glorious track of light for all humanity. That light shines for all benighted souls in order that they shall not be led into dark paths by their fellow men, whom Satan works through as his agents to darken and discourage. Oh, my heart burns within me as I think how many souls have been left to die that might have lived if men would be as they profess to be—Christians, pointing every tempest-tossed soul to the Lamb of God, who is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto Him. Jesus is our example. If men would but follow Him, no one would walk in darkness because they carry no light. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 8
The great end of Christ’s mission was to be a sin offering for the world, that by the shedding of His blood an atonement might be made for the whole race of man. With a heart ever touched with the feelings of our infirmities, an ear ever open to the cry of suffering humanity, a hand ever ready to save the discouraged, despairing soul, Jesus is our Saviour. He was their Saviour. He went about doing good. His words ever inspired hope, His precepts awakened men to faith, and caused them to put their trust in Him, and never to give up in despair. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 9
Who are co-workers with God? Who are imbued with His Spirit? Who are working out in their lives the mission of Jesus Christ? All such will sit with Christ on His throne as overcomers. But all who exalt themselves, all who oppress their fellow men in any wise, do this to Jesus Christ, for every soul has been purchased with an infinite price, and through faith in Jesus Christ is capable of receiving immortality, to live through eternal ages. How long will God bear with heartless indifference in the treatment of men toward their fellow men? We cannot determine; but that which every man sows, he will reap a harvest of the same kind. But if men sow deeds of love and compassion, words of comfort, hope, and encouragement, he will reap that which he has sown. Every deed is passing in review before God, every action is being weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 10
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book, according to their works.” [Revelation 20:12.] “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” [Daniel 7:9, 10.] 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 11
These things are soon to come to pass. When? When? “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” [Revelation 22:11.] This decision is passed in heaven before Christ shall come. “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” [Verses 12-14.] 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 12
P.S. Brother Tait, I have written as I had no idea of writing when I began, but the Spirit of the Lord has been moving me to write. I send to Edson in this mail a large package of matter. I shall write to him to read it and send you a copy if he pleases. I cannot send off so much matter in the mails without large postage bills. We must save every penny we can. Times are hard and money scarce, and we seem to be tied up for want of means. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 13
In love. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 14
P.S. I [am] not sending this letter to Edson. You may send it to him; it may be a help to him. 11LtMs, Lt 101, 1896, par. 15