Ellen
G. White's Last Recorded Letter
Ellen G. White's Last Recorded Letter
St.
Helena, California, June 14, 1914
My Dear
Sister:
The Lord
has given me a message for you, and not for you only, but also for other faithful souls who are troubled by
doubts and fears regarding their acceptance by the Lord Jesus Christ. His word to you is,
"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou
art Mine." You
desire to please the Lord, and you can do this by believing His promises. He is
waiting to take you into a harbor of gracious experience, and He bids you,
"Be still, and know that I am God." You have had a time of unrest;
but Jesus says to you, "Come unto Me, . . . and I
will give you rest." The joy of Christ in the soul is worth everything. "Then are they glad," because they are
privileged to rest in the arms of everlasting love.
Put away
your distrust of our heavenly Father. Instead of talking of your doubts, break
away from them in the strength of Jesus, and let light shine into your soul by
letting your voice express confidence and trust in God. I know that the Lord is
very nigh to give you victory, and I say to you, be helped, be strengthened, be lifted out of and away from the dark dungeon of unbelief.
Doubts will rush into your mind, because
Satan is trying to hold you in captivity to his cruel power; but face him in
the strength that Jesus is willing to give you, and conquer the inclination to
express unbelief in your Saviour.
Do not
talk of your inefficiency and your defects. When despair would seem to be
sweeping over your soul, look to Jesus, saying, He lives to make intercession
for me. Forget the things that are behind,
and believe the promise, "I will come to you," and "abide with
you."
God is
waiting to bestow the blessing of forgiveness, of pardon for iniquity, of the
gifts of righteousness, upon all who will believe in His love and accept the
salvation He offers. Christ is ready to say to the repenting sinner,
"Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe
thee with change of raiment." The blood of Jesus Christ is the eloquent plea
that speaks in behalf of sinners. This blood "cleanseth
us from all sin."
It is
your privilege to trust in the love of Jesus for salvation, in the fullest,
surest, noblest manner; to say, He loves me, He receives me; I will trust Him,
for He gave His life for me.
Nothing
so dispels doubt as coming in contact with the character of Christ. He
declares, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no
wise cast out;" that is, there is no possibility of My casting him out,
for I have pledged My word to receive him. Take
Christ at His word, and let your lips
declare that you have gained the victory.
Is Jesus
true? Does He mean what He says? Answer decidedly, Yes,
every word. Then if you have settled this, by faith claim every promise that He
has made, and receive the blessing; for this acceptance by faith gives life to the soul. You may believe that
Jesus is true to you, even though you feel yourself to be the weakest and most
unworthy of His children. And as you believe, all your dark, brooding doubts
are thrown back upon the archdeceiver who originated
them. You can be a great blessing if you
will take God at His word. By living faith you are to trust Him, even though
the impulse is strong within you to speak words of distrust.
Peace
comes with dependence on divine power. As fast as the soul resolves to act in
accordance with the light given, the Holy Spirit gives more light and strength. The grace of the
Spirit is supplied to cooperate with the soul's resolve, but it is not a
substitute for the individual exercise of faith.
Success in the Christian life depends upon the appropriation of the light that
God has given. It is not an abundance of
light and evidence that makes the soul free in Christ; it is the rising of the
powers and the will and the energies of the soul to cry out sincerely,
"Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief."
I
rejoice in the bright prospects of the future, and so may you. Be cheerful, and
praise the Lord for His loving-kindness. That which you cannot understand,
commit to Him. He loves you and pities your every weakness. He "hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." It would not satisfy the heart of the Infinite One to
give those who love His Son a lesser blessing than He gives His Son.
Satan
seeks to draw our minds away from the mighty Helper, to lead us to ponder over
our degeneration of soul. But though Jesus
sees the guilt of the past, He speaks pardon; and we should not dishonor Him by
doubting His love. The feeling of guiltiness must be laid at the foot of the
cross, or it will poison the springs of life.
When Satan thrusts his threatenings upon you, turn
from them, and comfort your soul with the promises of God. The cloud may be dark in itself, but when filled with
the light of heaven, it turns to the brightness of gold; for the glory of God
rests upon it.
God's children are not to be subject to feelings and
emotions. When they fluctuate between hope and fear, the heart of Christ is
hurt; for He has given them unmistakable evidence of His love. He wants them to be established, strengthened, and
settled in the most holy faith. He wants them to do the work He has given them;
then their hearts will become in His hands as sacred harps, every chord of
which will send forth praise and thanksgiving to the One sent by God to take
away the sins of the world.
Christ's
love for His children is as tender as it is strong. And it is stronger than
death; for He died to purchase our salvation, and to make us one with Him,
mystically and eternally one. So strong is His love that it controls all His
powers, and employs the vast resources of heaven in doing His people good. It is without variableness or shadow of turning--the
same yesterday, today, and forever. Although sin has existed for ages, trying
to counteract this love and obstruct its flowing earthward, it still flows in
rich currents to those for whom Christ died.
God
loves the sinless angels, who do His service and are obedient to all His
commands; but He does not give them grace; they have never needed it, for they
have never sinned. Grace is an attribute
shown to undeserving human beings. We did not seek after it; it was sent in
search of us. God rejoices to bestow grace upon all who hunger and thirst for
it, not because we are worthy, but because we are unworthy. Our need is the
qualification which gives us the assurance that we shall receive the gift.
It
should not be difficult to remember that the Lord desires you to lay your
troubles and perplexities at His feet, and leave them there. Go to Him, saying:
"Lord, my burdens are too heavy for me to carry. Wilt Thou bear them for
me?" And He will answer: "I will take them. 'With
everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee.' I
will take your sins, and will give you peace. Banish no longer your self-respect;
for I have bought you with the price of My own blood.
You are Mine. Your weakened will I will strengthen.
Your remorse for sin I will remove."
"I,
even I, am He," the Lord declares, "that blotteth
out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put
Me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be
justified." "I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the
earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me
in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right."
"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of
the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Respond to the calls of
God's mercy, and say: "I will trust in
the Lord and be comforted. I will praise the Lord; for His anger is turned
away. I will rejoice in God, who gives the victory."
Printed in Testimonies
to Ministers and Gospel Workers, pp. 516-520.