Olsen, O. A.
St. Helena, California
November 15, 1906
Portions of this letter are published in 4BC 1178-1179.
Elder O. A. Olsen
My dear Brother:
I wish to write you that Brother Faulkhead should not be required to make a confession. There are men who cannot be trusted with any secrets. They might make bad use of any information you might give them; for they desire to hurt and destroy. Do not try to make your terms with Brother Faulkhead. He has reasons for keeping silent, and they are good reasons. You may trust him. For him to say any more than he has said would be unwise. You have need of his capabilities in the office. I have had no word from him, but I know of what I speak. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 1
Study the instruction given in the third chapter of Zechariah: 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 2
“And he showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at His right hand to resist Him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel.” [Verses 1-3.] 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 3
The one termed Satan may have been one possessed with the spirit of Satan and speaking the words that Satan had put into his mouth. Christ knew the heart of the one before Him. He was no longer to bear the shame of filthy garments; for his sins had been repented of. He represented those who had been tempted by the enemy, and over whom Satan rejoiced, because of sins committed. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 4
“He answered and spake unto those who stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angels of the Lord stood by. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 5
“And the Angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, If thou wilt walk in My ways, and if thou wilt keep My charge, then thou shalt also judge My house, and shalt also keep My courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” [Verses 4-7.] 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 6
The one who was clothed with filthy garments represents those who have committed wrongs, but who have come into so sincere a position of repentance that the Lord, who forgives all sins that are repented of, was satisfied. Satan seeks to place in a humiliating position those who have truly repented of their sins. And those who are continuing in a wrong course of action are prompted by Satan to tantalize the one who has repented. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 7
“Hear now, O Joshua, the high priest, and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men wondered at; for, behold, I will bring forth My Servant the BRANCH. For, behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.” [Verses 8-10.] 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 8
Read also the fourth chapter of Zechariah. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 9
Men who have gone to great lengths in transgression, and who have never confessed their sins, will seek to bring all the reproach possible upon those whom Satan has worked to destroy, but who have repented and humbled themselves before God, confessing their sins to the sin-pardoning Saviour and receiving pardon. Men who have not repented of their sins, and have not received pardon, will tantalize the truly repentant ones, repeating their wrongdoing to those who knew nothing of the wrong done. They accuse and condemn the repentant ones as if they themselves were guiltless. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 10
It has been shown me that the experience recorded in the third chapter of Zechariah is now being acted over, and will continue to be while men, making profession of cleanness, refuse to humble the heart and confess their sins. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 11
“And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, ... Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother; and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 12
“But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent in His Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as He cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts.” [Zechariah 7:8-13.] 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 13
I send this word to you, Elder Olsen. May the Lord give you wisdom to move discreetly. I am sorry that I cannot write more. But the work that I have tried to do in San Francisco has made it impossible for me to do this. Two people have just accepted the Sabbath truth in that city, and we believe that a good work has begun. In Oakland fifty have accepted the truth. No special effort has yet been made in San Francisco, although meetings are being held in the place of worship that my husband and I and about three others raised the means to build. This church was not hurt by the fire. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 14
I must now close. Since my last visit to San Francisco, I have been sick with influenza. The Spirit of the Lord was with us there. Be of good courage. 21LtMs, Lt 360, 1906, par. 15