Long-Standing Adventist and His Mistress
121
expenditure of money, your associations with the vile and corrupt; and
yet God is willing to pardon even you....
Had it not been for your unlawful, unholy connection with Miss L,
you would not have pursued so unnatural a course toward your own
children. You have felt hard and unreconciled with [your daughter]
Lucinda, but clung all the time to a harlot, and your commerce with
her was of that character that your God-fearing children had none of
your love, your sympathy. But my letter is not to condemn you, but to
awaken you to repentance. I hear Anna has professed to be converted.
This is the only time I dared to write to you or to her, knowing it would
not do a bit of good, for the hardness of both your hearts and your
stubbornness to pursue an evil course have been marvelous.
Jesus, Only Hope of Sinners—The bewitching power of Satan
has been upon you. But make no delay; Jesus is at the right hand of
God and mercy still lingers. “Come now,” says the Lord, “and let us
reason together; ... though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool”
[
Isaiah 1:18
]. Yes, Jesus is the sinner’s only hope. “Ho, every one
that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money (no
goodness, no righteousness, nothing to recommend him to God); come
ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and
without price” [
Isaiah 55:1
].
[143]
Cannot you come just now, just as you are, saying, “In my hand
no price I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling”? “Wherefore do ye
spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that
which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which
is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear,
and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make
an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David”
[
Verses 2, 3
]....
A Change of Heart Versus Suicide—Consider these words:
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened; and another book was opened: ... and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the books, according
to their works.” “And whosoever was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire.” [
Revelation 20:12, 15
.]
Do not, I entreat of you, sit down in hopeless despair and do
nothing. Do not heed any further the great tempter, that it is no use for