Simpson, W. W.
NP
January 30, 1906 [typed]
This letter is published in entirety in MR760 21-23. +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.
Elder W. W. Simpson
San Diego, California
My dear Brother:
I am much pleased that the blessing of the Lord has accompanied your labors in San Diego. I should be much pleased to get a letter from you, giving some particulars of your work. Is the interest still good? It is in just such a place as San Diego that work needs to be done. I have felt so sorry, as I have seen time passing, that so little is being accomplished. I am deeply interested in the work you have been doing in Los Angeles and in San Diego. I rejoice to learn that in San Diego souls have accepted the truth. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 1
I should be very much pleased to visit San Diego and Loma Linda, but it would be very difficult for me to leave my workers must now, and still accomplish the work that I desire to do. There is a large pile of published matter relating to our early experience in the message that should be republished. The instruction given me is that the words of the Lord should not be lost, but should be ever kept in mind, because we are constantly in danger of losing the truth out of the soul, and gathering up things that are out of the line of truth, things that will lead to confusion. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 2
The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in an answer to our urgent prayers. The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy Spirit. Light, precious light from God, established the main points of our faith as we hold them today. And these truths are to be kept before the mind. We must arouse from the position of lukewarmness, from being neither cold nor hot. We need increased faith and more earnest trust in God. We must not be satisfied to remain where we are. We must advance step by step, from light to greater light. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 3
The Lord will certainly do great things for us if we will hunger and thirst after righteousness. We are the purchased property of Jesus Christ. We must not lose our devotion, our consecration. We are in conflict with the errors and delusions that have to be swept away from the minds of those who have not acted upon the light they already have. Bible truth is our only safety. I know and understand that we are to be established in the faith, in the light of the truth given us in our early experience. At that time one error after another pressed in upon us, and ministers and doctors brought in new doctrines. We would search the Scriptures with much prayer, and the Holy Spirit would bring the truth to our minds. Sometimes whole nights would be devoted to searching the Scriptures and earnestly asking God for guidance. Companies of earnest, devoted men and women assembled for this purpose. The power of God would come upon me, and I was enabled clearly to define what is truth and what is error. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 4
As the points of our faith were thus established, our feet were placed upon a solid foundation. We accepted the truth point by point, under the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. I would be taken off in vision, and explanations would be given me. I was given illustrations of heavenly things and of the sanctuary, so that we were placed where light was shining on us in clear, distinct rays. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 5
All these truths are immortalized in my writings. The Lord never denies His Word. Men may get up scheme after scheme, and the enemy will seek to seduce souls from the truth, but all who believe that the Lord has spoken through Sister White, and has given her a message, will be safe from the many delusions that will come in in these last days. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 6
I know that the sanctuary question stands in righteousness and truth just as we have held it for so many years. It is the enemy that leads minds off on sidetracks. He is pleased when those who know the truth become engrossed in collecting Scriptures to pile up around erroneous theories, which have no foundation in truth. The Scriptures thus used are misapplied; they were not given to substantiate error, but to strengthen truth. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 7
So you see that it is impossible for us to have any agreement with the positions taken by Brother A. F. Ballenger; for no lie is of the truth. His proofs do not belong where he places them; and although he may lead minds to believe his theory in regard to the sanctuary, this is no evidence that his theory is true. We have had a plain and decided testimony to bear for half a century. The positions taken in my books are truth. The truth was revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, and we know that Brother Ballenger’s position is not according to the Word of God. His theory is a deceiving theory, and he misapplies Scriptures. Theories of the kind that he has been presenting we have had to meet again and again. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 8
I am thankful that the instruction contained in my books establishes present truth for this time. These books were written under the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. I praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice, and I pray that He will lead into all truth those who will be led. I praise Him that He has so wonderfully spared my life up to this time, to bear the same message upon the important points of our faith that I have borne for half a century. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 9
My health is good and my mind clear. For this I praise the Lord. Generally I write from two or three o’clock in the morning until six or seven at night. On rising, I take a sponge bath, dress, and then build my fire. Usually I write all day. The Lord is good and greatly to be praised. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise His holy name.” [Psalm 103:1.] 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 10
Please let me hear from you. 21LtMs, Lt 50, 1906, par. 11