Farnsworth, Brother and Sister
“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
March 29, 1900
Portions of this letter are published in Ev 494; 2MCP 797, 799; 1MR 19.
Dear Brother and Sister Farnsworth:
We reached home Tuesday evening. I will not give the particulars of our journey, as Brother Starr will let you read his letter. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 1
I very much wish that I could be with you and bear my testimony to the people. May the Lord give you both His peace and His rich blessing. We are invited to ask for this, and we are given the assurance that we shall receive it. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 2
Brother Farnsworth, I hope you will be very careful of Sister Farnsworth’s health. Do not allow her to work too much on the nerve-taxing strain. You will understand what I mean. She needs to understand that we are mortal and that if we are not careful of our health, we may lose it. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 3
God wants us to shine as lights in the world. He Himself will supply the holy oil if the vessel is prepared for its reception. The Lord would have His message go forth as a distinct, special message, awakening those who are dead in their trespasses and sins. The world has been and still is converting the churches. The false shepherds will keep all the people they can in delusion, leading them to believe errors which have not one vestige of “It is written” to sustain them. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 4
The more plain and simple the truth in regard to true conversion is made to appear, and the oftener it is repeated, the greater power you will have with the people. We must make them understand their relation to the law of God. This is a vital question. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 5
The parable in (Luke 19) is deeply impressed upon my mind—the ten servants entrusted with their Lord’s money, and his charge, “Occupy till I come.” [Verse 13.] These standards are to serve in the place of Christ. In all their trading upon their Lord’s goods, they are to be faithful, having before them constantly the fact that an account must be given to God of all His entrusted capital. When Christ’s disciples received the idea that He was about to set up His throne in Jerusalem, He tried to correct the error, and told them that He was going away to the courts above. But He must suffer, be rejected and crucified, before His triumph could be completed. They thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. Christ sought to impress their minds with the fact that He must pass through a severe conflict before He could complete His triumph. His servants were not to enter into the victory as they supposed. Before they could be honored as conquerors, they must serve in the field of labor and toil and conflict, faithfully making use of the light of truth placed in their charge. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 6
Where there is every advantage of learning and growing in adaptability, would that all who possess these advantages might improve, would that they might grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus! We are placed in possession of physical, mental, and moral capabilities, and these we are to surrender to God for Him to use to His name’s glory. Thus men and women become workers together with God. All our God-given faculties are to be used, and are to increase by use. We are responsible for the use of every faculty. Our talents are to be put to use for the Master. We must render to God an account for every idle word that is uttered, for all hard speeches against Christ in the person of His saints. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 7
How natural it is to regard ourselves as complete owners of ourselves. But the inspired Word declares, “Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] Speech is a talent, and can be used to honor or dishonor God. We are accountable for our use of the talent of words. In our relation to our fellow men we are owners of our entrusted mental and physical capabilities. In our relation to God, we are borrowers, stewards of His grace. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 8
Time is to be used judiciously, earnestly, and under the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We are to understand just what is right and what is wrong to do with property, and with mental and physical capabilities. God has a positive ownership of every power He has committed to the human agent. By His own wisdom He makes the terms of man’s use of every gift of God. He will bless the proper use of every power put forth for His own name’s glory. The talent of speech, of memory, of property, all are to accumulate for the glory of God, to advance His kingdom. God has left us in charge of His goods in His absence. Each steward has his own special work to do in advancing God’s kingdom. Not one is excused. The Lord bids us, “Occupy till I come.” [Luke 19:13.] 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 9
The mail goes. Will write more tomorrow. 15LtMs, Lt 44, 1900, par. 10