Five Letters to Members of the Wessels Family in South Africa
41
more must be done by individuals in economizing their resources that
they may do more for God. I feel deeply over the restricted resources
in this country. There must be help for us to carry forward the work.
All we can do is to pray the Lord to move upon the hearts of men to do
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the work that devolves upon them. Self-indulgence, selfishness exists
to a large degree. May the converting power of God change the hearts
and characters.—
Letter 44, 1892
.
Letter D
Auckland, New Zealand
March 17, 1893
Dear Brother,
In this world we might become hopelessly perplexed, as the devil
wants us to be, if we keep looking upon those things that are per-
plexing; for by dwelling upon them, and talking of them we become
discouraged. In criticizing others because they fail to manifest love,
we shall kill the precious plant of love in our own hearts. Have we
individually appreciated and felt the warmth of love which Christ rep-
resented in His life? Then it is our duty to manifest this love to the
world. Let us fear to dwell upon, to behold and talk of the great mis-
takes that others are making by not manifesting love to their brethren
and sisters. Spend as little time over this question as possible; but be
sure to give due attention to the precious truths which come to us from
lips that have been touched with a live coal from off the altar. Praise
God that light has been sown for the righteous, and gladness for the
upright in heart. Talk of the instruction that you have received that was
to your soul as a feast of fat things. See to it that you bring into your
character-building the solid timbers of truth. Let the exalted truths
you have heard be manifested in the faithful performance of God’s
precepts.
You may create an unreal world in your own mind and picture
an ideal church where the temptations of Satan no longer prompt to
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evil; but perfection exists only in your imagination. The world is a
fallen world, and the church is a place represented by a field in which
grow tares and wheat. They are to grow together until the harvest. It
is not our place to uproot the tares, according to human wisdom, lest
under the suggestions of Satan the wheat may be rooted up under the