Haskell, Brother and Sister
St. Helena, California
February 8, 1906
Portions of this letter are published in 7MR 266-267.
Dear Brother and Sister Haskell:
We missed you very much after you had gone. I have been busy ever since. For a week I have not slept as much as usual. The night before last I was not able to get to sleep until eleven o’clock. And I awoke at one. I worked all day, and last night retired at half-past seven, awoke at two, and began writing at three. Before breakfast, which comes at half-past seven, I wrote eleven pages. Maggie copied it, and I sent it to Elder E. W. Farnsworth, who is now in Battle Creek. I will send you a copy. I worked hard to get this matter finished before breakfast. Between breakfast and dinner, I wrote four pages to Brother Magan and four pages to Edson. I sent Edson a copy of the manuscript sent to Battle Creek. From the time I got up until dinner time, I wrote as fast as my hand could go over the paper. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 1
We have had very nice weather. Only twice since you left have I had a fire in my room. I rode out yesterday; there was a mild breeze, but the sun shone brightly. The ride refreshed me, and I was glad that I went. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 2
Today the morning was foggy. The fog cleared away partially during the forenoon, but it gathered in again about dinner time. This afternoon there is a little mist, but no rain. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 3
For some reason, I have not much courage to expect much from Battle Creek, but I hope and pray that the Lord will melt and subdue hearts. I long to get to my home in heaven. At times, as I read of the visions of St. John, there seem to come to me songs from heavenly beings. And my mind goes out to join the heavenly choir in the worshipful song of praise. There are the choristers that rest not day nor night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and which is, and which is to come.” [Revelation 4:8.] Thank God that we have an open door, and that we can catch as it were the sound of the heavenly song. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 4
We do not begin to know what heaven is. No tongue can describe it. But heaven will be our home. The classes of the great unknown take their places with the angels and the elders and express in words of thanksgiving their appreciation of God’s goodness. The perfection of His attributes is expressed in language that science knows nothing about. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 5
The redeemed cast their crowns before Him that sitteth upon the throne and worship Him that liveth forever and ever. These are the true ministers of God and of Christ, who represent Him from age to age. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 6
And Christ is there, the minister of God and of the true covenant. But we belittle heavenly things in making any attempt to give an intimation of the exalted position that our Redeemer occupies and the adoration offered Him by the angels. There is no use in trying to speak of these things; for language is too tame. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 7
“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward; how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery ... which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel; whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord; in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 8
“Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 9
“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout the ages, world without end.” [Ephesians 3:1-3, 5-21.] 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 10
Read these words to your hearers and impress them upon their minds. Read also the fourth chapter of Ephesians. Read most solemnly these chapters. The instruction they contain means so much to us. Many have become hard-spirited because they are verily strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit. There needs to be a great reformation in the lives of believers, in their words and works and spiritual understanding. We need to catch the inspiration of the angels in the heavenly courts. We need daily to breathe the atmosphere of heaven. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 11
O how my heart trembles for us all. Unless the hardheartedness is melted away by the grace of Jesus Christ, we shall never know what heaven is. I am pained beyond measure when I see and feel the hardhearted methods of dealing with the Lord’s heritage. I feel so ashamed in behalf of Christ, as I see how little respect and reverence are shown toward the purchase of His blood. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 12
To those who are so free to exercise their human authority, I am charged to say: Go no further until you know how to deal with the purchase of the blood of Christ. There is need of the converting power of God in every family. Were this power present, there would not be seen a lack of sympathy; instead, there would be seen a most earnest receiving of the grace of Christ to impart to others. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 13
Let every root of bitterness be weeded out of the heart. Let most thorough work be done with self. Let the men who are in office keep their hearts under the control of the Holy Spirit. Let them not treat men as if they were hardly a sack of oats—men who have minds that God has been and is working. Let them be careful of their actions. They cannot with God’s approval pull down, uproot, and transplant men who understand what it means to be taught and moved by the Spirit of God. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 14
So much coarseness, such a lack of Christian politeness, has come into the lives of men who stand in official positions that my heart is sick and sore, and I can but weep to see how little of the tenderness of Christ they bring into their dealing with the children of God, the purchase of the blood of His only begotten Son. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 15
Just before our Saviour left this earth, he commissioned His disciples to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” [Mark 16:16-18.] “Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.” [Luke 24:49.] Power to do what? To preach the gospel and proclaim the conditions of salvation. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 16
The disciples obeyed the divine injunction. While they were engaged in prayer, being of one accord in one place, the Holy Spirit came upon them as a rushing, mighty wind and filled all the house where they were sitting. Peter was reanointed with the Holy Unction from on high. So wonderful was the outpouring of the Spirit that “the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” [Acts 2:41.] 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 17
It is this baptism of the Holy Spirit that the churches need today. There are backslidden church members and backslidden ministers who need reconverting, who need the softening, subduing influence of the baptism of the Spirit, that they may rise in newness of life and make thorough work for eternity. I have seen the irreligion and the self-sufficiency cherished, and I have heard the words spoken, “Except ye repent and be converted, ye shall never see the kingdom of heaven.” There are many who will need rebaptizing, but let them never go down into the water until they are dead to sin, cured of selfishness and self-exaltation; until they can come up out of the water to live a new life unto God. Faith and repentance are conditions essential to the forgiveness of sin. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 18
What is needed now are men chosen of God, and precious, who will go forth full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, to proclaim the gospel, calling upon God for His grace to aid them in their work. This is what we need in the place of men being gathered together in Battle Creek or in any other place. The Lord has warned us that a large number of believers should not congregate in one place. Let men go out in the name of the Lord, humble and devoted, as colporteurs and canvassers, to sell the books that will bring light to the souls of those who know not the truth. When this is done, there will be seen striking instances of conversion. 21LtMs, Lt 60, 1906, par. 19