Stowell, L. O.
Los Angeles, California
August 13, 1905
Portions of this letter are published in Te 66, 255. +NoteOne or more typed copies of this document contain additional Ellen White handwritten interlineations which may be viewed at the main office of the Ellen G. White Estate.
Dear Brother,—
I have just received and read your letter. I am glad to hear from you. We find that the time of the meeting at San Diego is uncertain, but I hope to be present. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 1
The Lord has been very good to us, and I praise His name. Brother Dores Robinson recently married my granddaughter, and they both accompanied me to the Los Angeles meeting. We left St. Helena last Thursday afternoon. For two nights previous to this, I had been writing nearly the whole night; and having had so little sleep, I feared that I should be wearied by the changes from one train to another. But during the journey a quiet restfulness came over me, and I felt the blessing of the Lord. During the night we spent on the cars, I slept well and felt well when I reached the camp-ground. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 2
There are about a hundred and fifty tents on the camp-ground here, and it looks like quite a city of tents. Two rooms, pleasantly located near the camp, were secured for me, and I am thankful for such a quiet place. Yesterday I spoke to a congregation of about two thousand people. They say I spoke loud enough so that all could hear. I never saw better attention paid anywhere. Although I spoke for an hour and a quarter, all listened earnestly. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 3
This afternoon I spoke again to a congregation as large as that of yesterday. The Lord strengthened me, and the people seemed as deeply interested as before. I spoke from the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah, and the Lord sustained me wonderfully. I dwelt upon the great work to be done in our world and the evidences that the end of the world is very near. I spoke of the missionaries in foreign countries and of the necessity to economize, that we may have means to use in sending the truth to all the world. I asked the people to think how much they were spending for that which is not bread in the indulgence of perverted appetite. In the indulgence of appetite, men render themselves liable to disease and injury and destroy their strength of character. They weaken their mental powers, and thus disqualify themselves to meet the Lord Jesus Christ. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 4
Many are using the Lord’s money to their own injury. I wish I might be an agent to receive the means that is being misspent and properly use it in the Lord’s work. What a revenue might flow into the Lord’s treasury if His people would deny themselves of everything that is unnecessary or injurious! 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 5
God will not work a miracle to save men from the result of their indulgence of perverted appetite. The use of tobacco and alcohol enfeebles the intellect. Millions of dollars are spent for stimulants and narcotics. All this money rightfully belongs to God, and those who thus misappropriate His entrusted goods will some day be called to give an account of how they have used their Lord’s goods. And those who by their votes sanction the liquor traffic will be held accountable for the wickedness that is done by those who are under the influence of strong drink. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 6
When men repent and become converted, they understand the claims of the law of God spoken from Sinai’s mount. They see the difference between the observance of God’s Sabbath and that of a human institution that God has never sanctified. They know that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” [Exodus 20:10.] One seventh of their time they recognize as God’s, and one tenth of their income they render back to Him to help in carrying forward His work in the earth. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 7
God designs that His means shall be used to benefit suffering humanity, not to destroy. Sufficient money is wasted for useless and hurtful things to relieve all the necessities of the poor. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 8
“Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will preserve him alive in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive: and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.” [Psalm 41:1-3.] 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 9
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” [Psalm 37:3.] 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 10
“Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty.” [Proverbs 3:9, 10.] 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 11
“There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” [Proverbs 11:24, 25.] 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 12
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord: and that which he hath given will He pay him again.” [Proverbs 19:17.] 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 13
“If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” [Isaiah 58:10, 11.] 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 14
God claims as His own a portion of our income. By the tithes and offerings of God’s people, the work of proclaiming His truth to the world is to be sustained. He says: 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 15
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” [Malachi 3:10, 11.] 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 16
Our faith is often tested and tried. Sometimes our soul faints within us, but let us have faith in God. The Christian experience is not merely for our enjoyment, although we shall find true joy in the service of Christ. If we follow on to know the Lord, we shall [see] that His going forth is prepared as the morning. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 17
We must exert a positive influence for good. We are living epistles, known and read of all men. Christ represents His people as the “salt of the earth” and as the “light of the world.” [Matthew 5:13, 14.] The work of the gospel is to be diffusive and aggressive. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 18
Had I time I would like to write much more, but it is getting dark, and I must close. 20LtMs, Lt 243a, 1905, par. 19