Name: Testimonies on the Case of Elder E. P. Daniels
Author: Ellen G. White

Earlier text: TESTIMONIES ON THE CASE OF ELDER E. P. DANIELS.

My brother, you know but little about voluntary self-denial. God has held a firm, restraining hand upon you all your life, because he loves you and wants to save you. But with morbid views and impulses, you have sought to break away from these barriers that were holding you, you thought cruelly away from good. It is your salvation to be saved from yourself. You must be sanctified to God, soul, body, and spirit. This is your only hope.

God has given to everyone his measure of power. He has intrusted his children with light which is to shine forth to the world. No one lives to himself. We each compose a part of the great web of humanity. We are to draw nigh to God daily and hourly; to contemplate the life and work of Christ, and then deny self, take up the cross, and follow Jesus, our pattern. We must practice the truth that we preach.

You do some good; but if you were a Christian in every sense of the word, what a power you would take with you in your ministerial labors! You profess to love the truth; I believe you do love it, but you do not reach the Bible standard. God wants all there is of you and yours. Your children are the Lord’s property, the younger members of the Lord’s family, to be brought up, not in the ways and customs of the world, but in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It is your place to learn what the Lord approves and what he disapproves, and not to follow the wishes and pleasures of your children. You should ask, “What is God’s will concerning me and my children?” Has he not admonished

my children in the course they are now taking?”

A voice spoke to me in the night season, while I was in Europe, “Write the things which I shall show you.” Your children and yourself were presented before me, in connection with things that had transpired in Healdsburg. A portion of this I wrote to you, but not all. Now these things are before me, when I see the very same condition actually existing which I saw would meet the disapproval of God, and counteract your influence. God said: “His children are my children, purchased by an infinite cost. The eldest daughter is an offense to me, and her parents are deceived and being deceived, and know not that Satan is seeking to obtain full control of her. She is corrupting her ways before God, doing discredit to her parents. These parents are not wise stewards of the souls of their children.” The Lord holds the parents responsible for the souls of their children. You have neglected your duty, been unfaithful in your home work. Truth is one of the loveliest virtues, but it has not been cherished. Her course is not upright and truthful. God reads every species of dishonesty. I cannot even now say some things to you that were open before me, for you cannot bear them yet. When you made some statements to me in regard to the foolishness of your daughter’s course in Healdsburg, and admitted that she was wrong, I thought to myself, “He does not know, he does not understand the heart of his child.” Evil is carried forward right in your presence, and you do not seem to see or realize it. You are not a faithful watchman to discern wrong. You have taken altogether too

worldly and commonplace a view of the characters that your children should have. I had not seen the face of your oldest daughter, and did not know her by sight (until since coming to California), for her face was covered, or where I could not look into it, but the words spoken of her I shall never forget. Her heart is not right; her lips are not truthful; her habits are not correct. A child of truth is one who is open in all his dealings. There will be no betraying of sacred trust, no doubt dealing, no insinuations. The words of the lips and the conduct of the life will agree with each other. The child of truth will not have one appearance in your presence, and when out of your sight do and say things she would not have you know. When before you she will utter smooth things as though her heart was filled with truth, when she has no love for the truth. You are and have been asleep. You are just as much deluded as Eli was, and this is why I write to you so plainly, for unless I do, you will go on as indifferent, as blindfolded and deceived, as you have been in the past. Should your daughter lose her life as she now is, she would surely come up with the wicked in the second resurrection; for every sinner will find his true place then. Can you not discern the peril she is in? I do not write these things to sting and burn into your heart; I write them that you may recover your daughter from the snare of the enemy, in place of fastening her forever in his power beyond remedy. God says, “I know thy works.” Should anyone else mention these subjects to you as I have done, you would, perhaps, deal with them without mercy. But I must speak, I must tell you these things. The

Scriptures declare, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be made open as the day. Attend earnestly to the welfare of the souls of your children. The presentations and representations made to you by your daughter are fair, but if you knew all you would not feel as easy as you do. I am surprised at your blindness, and at the course you both pursue.

The Lord declares, “Whoso covereth his sins shall not prosper.” The all-seeing eye is upon each of us. Every secret thought and action are known to God. Darkness and night cannot hide them. If this thought does not lead you to arouse, and be watchful and faithful stewards, to guard the younger members of the family of God intrusted to you, then I may have to press the matter more decidedly upon you, whether you will hear or whether you will forbear. Whatever position you may take, I must be faithful. Not one of your children is in Christ; not one of them is in the truth; not one of them is in a position to represent our faith. The relation you sustain to your children places you under the most solemn obligation, an obligation which is plainly enjoined in the word of God. Parents may indulge their natural affection at the expense of God’s holy commandment; you may allow what God has forbidden, you may neglect what he has enjoined; but you must meet your work in the judgment. You are not only to remonstrate with your children, but you are to command them to keep the way of the Lord. You must wake up, for duty imperfectly understood will be imperfectly performed; and unless you heed the true Counselor, and teach your

children to walk in the ways of the Lord, when it is too late you will see reason for great sorrow, and realize your fatal mistake.

It is not enough to have a knowledge of Bible doctrines; the truth must be brought into your home life, and have a sanctifying influence upon the character. I cannot justify your inclinations to mix up with business matters, or say it is well for you to place the hand of your children in that of the world. You have your work to do, and if you do your duty as parents, and teach your children obedience and economy, you can support yourselves comfortably, without receiving presents from your brethren. This practice is a snare to you. Your conversation is too often prompted by selfishness; you seek to draw upon your brethren for sympathy and gifts. You should stand in the sight of God as a true, unselfish Christian, ready to practice as well as preach self-denial. I would not influence you to horde up means—it would be difficult for you to do this—but I would counsel you both to expend your money carefully, and let your daily example teach lessons of frugality, self-denial, and economy to your children. They need to be educated by precept and example.

You should learn to be just before you are generous with yourself. Principle must be observed in making donations for the cause of God. Your brethren’s stewardship belongs to them, and you have a stewardship of your own. God does not make you a steward of their means. May God help you to look upon all these matters in the right light. Wherever you go to labor, and the Lord gives you success, many become attached

to you. When God works with your effort, you can accomplish much good; but when your weakness is developed, and the brethren see that your practice is contrary to your teaching, it throws them into confusion, and begets doubt and suspicion in their minds in regard to your whole ministry, and the arguments you have presented. Those who have genuine belief in the truth say, “I cannot see how Elder Daniels can preach as he does and retain his influence with the people, when he does not practice what he teaches.” Although you may have the sound, ennobling doctrines of the Bible, although you may preach the word, presenting line upon line, and precept upon precept, yet if your discourses are not backed up out of the pulpit by personal piety and devotion, if you do not practice your own teachings, you become a stumbling-block to those who are weak in the faith.

I have been shown that you could do a greater and more substantial work if your life practice was in close harmony with the principles of truth. The power of the Spirit shown in heart and conscience in your home life, and in association with your brethren, will have a decided influence upon others. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” You cannot be mixed up in financial matters without giving the burden of your thoughts to worldly plans and calculations. As soon as you are out of the desk, you become enthusiastic over business matters, and show that you are intoxicated over the matter of obtaining means. An important work has been given you of the Master, to preach the gospel of the Old and New Testament. You are to feed the flock of God. Do not flatter anyone’s

imagination with high hopes of earthly treasure; point men to the heavenly inheritance; call their attention to the mansions Christ has gone to prepare for those who love him and keep his commandments. As a faithful watchman, you are to warn the souls that are in peril through worldliness, of their danger. Supposing it is no sin for those whom God has not called to minister in word and doctrine, to engage in real-estate business and mining stocks, would it not be altogether another matter for you, a watchman upon the walls of Zion, to do so? Your mind should be on altogether different themes. Eternal interests demand your whole soul, your whole might, mind, and strength. You need to be constantly digging in the precious mine of the Scriptures, that you may bring forth from the treasure-house of God’s word things new and old. Great light is opening to all God’s people whose hearts are open to receive it, but those who are satisfied with their present knowledge will not desire the rich blessings God has for his people.

Now, my brother and sister, will you not come into a different position in your family, that you may give the right lessons in religious life to your dear children, and become living epistles at home? By your circumspect conduct teach them to have solidity of character; for we are forming characters here for the future immortal life. Teach them to deny appetite, to be grateful for the plain, simple diet God gives them. It is not for you to allow them to dictate to you what they shall eat, but you should dictate to them what is best for them. It is a sin for you to allow your children to murmur and complain about good, wholesome food, just because

it does not suit their depraved appetites. Practice self-denial yourself. It is sin to use the Lord’s money in selfish indulgence. I have been shown that the Lord has had pity upon you, and used you, not because you were defective in character, but in spite of these defects. He has connected you with himself, that through his grace you might perfect a Christian character. How much better service you could have done for the Master, whose servant you are, if you were well balanced and sound where now you are weak! Will you not remember that it is the Lord’s money you are handling, and that he requires you to use it wisely? You must render an account to God for your expenses.

You have been self-indulgent in your travels; for you do not generally study to save expense to the cause of God. In many ways you needlessly expend intrusted means. You are very deficient in keeping track of your outgoes. You trust too much to memory in keeping your accounts. If you can command money, you will use it for your own gratification and to please the desires of your children. You do not remember that you are handling another’s means. I cannot see how you have any valid excuse in the sight of God for letting Zua attend Snell’s Seminary. Either you or someone else must bear that expense. Your children have both their father’s and mother’s traits of character transmitted to them as their legacy, and how carefully should you educate and train them that these defects may be overcome. I cannot let this matter stand before the people in the light in which they now view it, as though I sanctioned and approved of your management. You have the blessed Bible, you have the

testimonies, which have appealed to you to correct your deficiencies, but if you walk in the light of your own understandings, what excuse can you offer when the books of heaven shall reveal your great loss as God’s hired servant? While you should appear free from everything like stinginess, you must remember that justice in dealing with your brethren comes before liberality. Conference officers are not favorably impressed with the way matters have developed in regard to you. Wages have been paid to you by the Conference, and other means has flowed from its true channel in gifts to you. You keep yourself embarrassed by your own management, you talk discouragingly, and groan over your situation, and your brethren, who are grateful to see that you have success in the pulpit, and that souls are brought into the truth, give you not only their sympathy but their money. Although they have thought that they were doing God’s service in so doing, they have done you a great wrong. You may say, “I put a portion of it into the cause.” Would it not be well to say, “Brethren, will you not place this means which you propose to give to me in the treasury of God yourselves, that you may not lose your reward, but lay up for yourselves a treasure in the heavens?” All the heart is to be given to God; all the mind, all the soul, and all the strength. Until this is done, we come far short of loving God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. Unless the law of God is written in the heart, we do not obey it in truth. The truth of God can only profit and illuminate the soul when it is taken into the heart. There is much guile and selfishness in human nature, but the truth must expel these; then it

will become woven into the character, and the possessor will become a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

I felt sad as I was shown how little you resemble Christ. Instead of being self-denying, you indulge and gratify self on every hand. My brother, you must reach a higher standard, that the truth you preach may be sustained by your influence and example. You cannot remain in your present condition and reach the hearts of the people; for many will stumble into perdition over your defects. Men who profess to be watchmen on the walls of Zion may preach the gospel as well as the law, they may bring to bear on the minds of sinners the love, pity, the self-sacrificing compassion of Jesus, they may make the most touching appeals and urgent entreaties, and mingle them with the most cheering promises, and yet souls may not be reached, hearts may be proof against them all. The Bible truth will not be received, the love of Jesus may not exercise a constraining power, and these souls may perish in their sins. This will sometimes be the case when the Lord’s co-workers do all they can do in the fear and love of God. But if such is the case, they will be blameless. But if God’s ambassador brings the precious, saving truth to bear upon the heart, and yet in his deportment errors are made prominent, then he lays a stumbling-block before the feet of his fellow-men, over which they may stumble into perdition. If souls do accept the truth, the defects in the messenger are in many instances reproduced in their conduct, and the Heart Searcher knows that his professed ambassador is perpetuating sin. The reason of this is that the word of

God has not been received into the heart, has not done its office work upon the soul. The word of God and the testimonies that have been given for the enlightenment of God’s people, are as a dead letter. A nominal assent may be given when the truth is presented, but the heart’s undivided affection is not given to the Lord. His word is perverted, the affections are not set on things above. The heart is the citadel of the man; and unless it is wholly given to the Lord, the enemy will come in and establish himself therein and make it his stronghold, from which no power on earth can dislodge him.

There must be a trimming up with you. You are not guilty of outbreaking sins, but it is the little foxes, the little neglects, the little deficiencies, the little dishonesties, the little departures from the principles Christ has given us, that blind the soul and separate it from God. These little things become larger, and others see the man who is guilty of these things professedly a messenger of God, a watchman on the walls of Zion, a co-laborer with Christ, and they think that they can follow his example in saying and doing things not at all in harmony with the will of God. The practice of evil is positively ruinous to your influence. Christ is dishonored, his name is brought into disrepute, the standard for the ministry is not elevated or sanctified by such a course.

My brother, I must urge these things home upon your soul. You should disconnect with everything that would have the least influence for evil upon your mind and character as a minister of the gospel of Christ. You should drink deeper and still deeper every day of

the water of life. You should be imbued with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. You are greatly lacking in devotion and faith. I cannot lend my influence in any way to prompt you or any of my brethren to gain wealth by speculation and extortion; you are not to be united with those who certainly do this. The men of solid worth are most apt to be found with those who possess little of this world's goods, and what they do possess they have gained by diligence, honesty, and economy, and not by speculation. Those who are suitably remunerated for their labors ought not, if they practice economy, to be in rags, or on the verge of pauperism, or overwhelmed in debt.

Paul charged Timothy to be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. . . . Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

My brother and sister, much beloved in the Lord, I do not want you to lose your reward. Please read and put into practice the following words: “Know ye not that those who run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain.” “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly;

so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” It is the privilege of every minister to consider these words. They are full of warning, counsel, and reproof for those who go contrary to the principles here laid down. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” There is danger that ambition will lead to presumption. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition; for the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” “But thou, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

My brother, I wrote this while at the April meetings in Healdsburg and Oakland, and then so many and severe burdens came upon me I could not venture to gather more upon my soul. I am sorry, very sorry, that I did not give it to you then and there, without further delay. I again caution you in reference to your children. Do not indulge them. How does it agree with our profession of faith and your teaching to

others to do as you are doing? Zua has qualities that with proper education and training, would make her a useful woman. But her parents’ false ideas of life and their vanity in regard to their children are in danger of spoiling her. You now have light on this point, and should work together in harmony. Will you heed this light? I encouraged Sister Daniels to go with her husband in his work, for I thought, yes, I knew, that another influence must be brought to bear upon the children if they were to be saved for the future immortal life. When you take your children with you, and encourage them in self-indulgence, and give to others an example of lax government, then I know your influence will not be as God would have it, and you would all do better to remain at home. You are not able to get your daughter a saddle pony and necessary equipments, neither are you able to get Paul a pony. You should encourage your oldest son to work with his hands. You should encourage your daughter to take up domestic duties. As a poor man’s daughter, she should be useful and bear her own weight. Work will not be unhandy or disagreeable to her unless your own instructions, and the society you place her in, shall give her an education that will mar her prospects for both worlds. E. G. WHITE.

BURROUGH VALLEY, July 3, 1888.

DEAR BROTHER: I have read your letter, and it has made me sad at heart. I asked, Can a fountain send forth from the same place sweet water and bitter? Cleanse the fountain and the stream will be made pure. If the stream coming from the fountain in the letter

sent to me, when tested by the royal law, is pure, then I have altogether a wrong idea of what it means to be a Christian. As a Christian you have no right to write as you do, and manifest so little self-control. I have been shown repeatedly that you must be transformed before you can do the work of God acceptably. You are of an ardent temperament; you view things in an intense light, but the softening, sanctifying influence of the grace of Christ must be made manifest in your life, in your words, in your tastes, in your habits, in your character; and I shall not let the matter rest until I see that you have undertaken the work that must be done in order that you may labor acceptably for souls that are ready to perish.

Stop and think what spirit controlled you when you wrote that letter. I cannot for a moment admit that it was the Spirit of Christ, that you had meekness and lowliness of heart. If you read the Bible carefully, you will see what reformation is needed in yourself in order for you to be a faithful shepherd of the flock of Christ. Compare scripture with scripture, and then open your own heart. Gain light yourself, and then from an experimental knowledge you can set before the people of God what constitutes Christian character. The power of the Holy Spirit will accompany your words if your own life is a representation of the truth which sanctifies the character; for you will then be a living epistle, known and read of all men. You will not appeal to your own sympathies, and seek to excuse yourself for using strong, hard, unbecoming, unchristian language toward your brethren. You have done this many times, and your brethren in the faith commit sin

against God when they listen to you and do not reprove you. Your language reveals the fact that the fountain is not cleansed. When you are under the controlling influence of the Spirit of God, you will be a new man in Christ Jesus. Hereditary and cultivated tendencies will be overcome, and Jesus will be formed within, the hope of glory. Oh, that you would fall upon the rock and be broken!

I cannot encourage you in laboring as a minister until you are converted. You must first be a Bible Christian yourself, before you can lead others to Christ. Take heed to thyself, and then to the doctrine. I long to see you what you ought to be, and what I know you must be, if you are to receive the benediction, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” You must not only be faithful, but you must be good, self-denying, like Jesus. Now is your sowing-time. By precept and example you may scatter the seeds of truth with an unsparing hand. Make no frantic bounds, but in self-abasement go forward intelligently, steadily, calmly, step by step in the grand work of learning self-control. The talents God has given you are not to be abused, perverted or misapplied. He has given them to you for wise improvement. You are not to cease advancing; you are not to become self-confident, careless, and irreligious, while you are professedly a shepherd of the flock. All heaven has looked with sorrow upon your light and trifling ways. I speak to you plainly, for it is my duty to do so.

While the unwise may flatter and praise you, and strengthen in you your large love of approbation, I shall deal plainly and faithfully with you according to the

light God has given me for you, because I have a love for your soul. I shall not try to pacify or pet you, but I will urge upon you the necessity of having a pure heart and clean hands. From a pure fountain will proceed pure and holy streams to refresh others. Oh, will you go on as you have in the past, or will you have steadiness of purpose to put away everything unbecoming to a gospel minister? I cannot allow you to misrepresent the great and solemn truth which we have to represent to the world, which has been committed to us by the Lord. Serving tables, the absorbing cares of temporal life, must not be mixed with your work of ministering; for Satan will make this a means of loss in your influence and to your own soul. Christ said, “Without me ye can do nothing.” You must have far less of self and far more of Jesus. You must meditate, you must pray, you must examine yourself in the light of God’s word. If you lose eternal life, you lose everything. I cannot endure the thought of one soul being lost, but when I think of one who has preached the truth to others becoming a castaway, my soul is stirred with anguish.

My brother, you should not bear down upon others, for you need far more grace yourself; you have much to correct in your own life and character. The work of reformation must not on any account be neglected. When you would cut others, remember this testimony that I have given you from God. There are only two courses which it is possible for you, your wife, or me, to pursue. We must yield ourselves wholly to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or follow our own natural impulses, and these impulses are not as harmless as we

think they are. Things which are offensive to God are often construed by us into virtues. The eyes of the Lord are too pure to behold iniquity; he registers evil as fruit borne by an unsanctified heart. When the heart is fully surrendered to God, and our will is in harmony with God’s will, then the fruit will be good for the wisdom which cometh down from above is first pure, then peaceable, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruit. The grace brought to us through Christ will enable us to be pure, uncorrupted, holy.

The natural man always remains the same; he is what hereditary tendencies, nationality, education, and circumstances have made him. But when the natural man is changed by the grace of Christ, then the transformation is seen in the new man, the new heart, new purposes, new impulses. The word of Christ is received which is spirit and life; then we eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God. Then there is fruit in the heart, fruit in the lips, fruit in the character, some bearing thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred fold

It is dangerous to be simply hearers of the word and not doers. He that hears and obeys every word that proceeds from the lips of God, is building upon the rock. He that hears but does not bring the words of God into his life practice, builds on the sand, and will surely fall. Everything is to be shaken that can be shaken. We shall realize this in our experience.

Brother and Sister Daniels, you must have a firm hold from above; you must hear, receive, and practice the truth daily, applying its sternest requirements to your life, lopping off every offensive branch that makes the tree unseemly and unfruitful, else these branches

will sap the life and nourishment from the tree, and it will wither and perish. The world creeps in stealthily and picks away one precious grace after another, and the heart will be filled largely with worldly schemes, and the truth will not sanctify the character. You need to be changed; in your family you should put away childish things. You need to improve in your manner of preaching. You need greater solemnity in attitude, in voice; in short, you need to practice that which you teach to others. Nothing but true conversion of the whole man will make you a wise shepherd of the flock. Will you fight inch by inch the warfare against your own defects of character? Will you be a man that God shall choose?

There must be more candid thought, more sanctified power in your preaching. You are not what you might be, and what God has made every provision that you should be. Diligent, earnest labor put forth on yourself will not be lost. Your labor will produce good fruit. You can afford to take time, put up your supplications to heaven for that grace which is needful for you, that you may be a successful warrior over your own lusts, and then you will be a winner of souls, and your example will not contradict your teachings. The self-denial and self-sacrifice that others have practiced should be imitated by you. Prayer, sacrifices, and sanctified labors are the conditions of our success, for we shall not be able to give full proof of our ministry unless we are connected with God. We too often regard ourselves as completely our own, the owners of our time, property, speech and other faculties. We are only stewards in trust of faculties and goods that

have been given to us of the Master. He is the source of our power. Not only does God own us, but he alone has the right and is competent to determine what is the proper use of all his intrusted gifts, and he can guide and control them to the very best purpose, worthy of such endowments. The power of social influence is entrusted to us of God, but, oh, how sadly this power is perverted. I appeal to you to dig deep, to lay your foundations sure; draw water daily from the wells of salvation, and the Lord will make you as a spring of water to refresh others.

Now, Brother Daniels, I shall not attempt to answer your letter, for that is impossible. It is the production of your impulsive, erratic nature. But one matter I must set before you as it is. You have surmised evil, but your imaginings are without foundation. Not one in Healdsburg has passed any words with me in regard to Zua. Your own lips told me the only story I know anything about in the matter, aside from the light God has been pleased to give me. No one has talked to me in reference to you, to censure or condemn you, and if you possess no more of a spirit of wisdom, and of self-control, no more of a sanctified mind, than is displayed in this letter, my advice is, Tarry in Jerusalem until God shall give you a better mind, clearer and more sanctified judgment, for it is evident that you have not a living connection with God. It will not answer, my brother, for you to feel at liberty to give loose rein to your tongue, or your pen. If your children have been misjudged, the Lord knows all about it. The Lord understands it; he can work for your good if you rest the case with him; but your feelings are wrought up to a

high pitch, and the letter indicates that your mind is unbalanced. And now I beg in prayer to God that you may have a sound mind. Your feelings are changeable. You want more of Jesus and less of self. Then you will be a happy man, where now you are often miserable.

You may think I am your enemy. You feel desperate, but I will not feel free unless I do my duty to you in the fear of God. I want you to win the crown of life. I have not written to you to make you fling yourself into the snare of Satan, but to help you to help yourself and to help your children. If in Healdsburg they have given you occasion to say all you do say, God knows all about that. That you have been a source of trial and perplexity to them, as well as a means of some good, I know to be the case, and now be careful how you condemn and charge upon them things that your own course has given occasion for. Let us be Christians in heart and in tongue. Do learn in Christ’s school to be meek and lowly of heart, for this will save you from great trials. ELLEN G. WHITE.

Fresno, Cal., July 6, 1888.

DEAR BROTHER DANIELS: I had no strength to talk with you while at Burrough Valley, the action of my heart was so feeble that I dare not communicate that which I inclose in this envelope. You will see I had written before you came. Your letter to me made me very sad, and was an evidence to me that you have not discernment.

Zua mentioned in conversation that she had been staying with a sister who had recently confessed the

truth. This again made me feel your want of discernment and judgment. Cannot you see that Zua’s heart is filled with vanity and self-importance, and that she has no love for the truth? Cannot you see she has her thoughts centered almost entirely upon herself? Your own plans for, and indulgence of, your child and children, are leading them directly away from the great example of Jesus Christ, away from the principles of truth, away from lifting the burdens of Christ. I see this, I feel this, and I am burdened over it, because, as an ambassador of Christ, you are to be an example to the flock in teaching others how to educate their children.

The education of your daughter that you look upon as so advantageous is not so in reality. The very education that she needs now, and has needed in the past, is that which is to be gained in useful home labor, in helping her mother in household duties; for this would be of lasting advantage to the child. I wanted to be pleased with the little present she made me, but I could not. The money spent for the material was spent simply for the making of an ornament. Pretty? Yes, it was pretty, but I had no use for it in my practical life, and I fear that many of the busy activities in which your daughter is engaged is simply to make ornaments. It is your duty and the duty of her mother to direct her energies in another direction. It is the duty of parents to educate, restrain, discipline their children.

Zua thinks she has learned a great deal at Snell’s Seminary; but have you tested the kind of advancement that she has made? You are required to see whether your child’s mind is filled with chaff or with pure grain. She is full of vanity and pride, and studies

how to indulge her wishes to dress like the young ladies of the world. She has not the right stamp of character, and in the day of judgment you will be called to account because you have fostered pride and selfishness in your children.

None of your children are incorrigible children; with diligent training they might develop character which God would approve, but you cannot relax your efforts, for they need to be firmly restrained. With your present ideas, and your present method of training, combined with your spendthrift habits, you will eventually have to leave the ministerial field, as did Brother Morton, because he could not support his family in the style in which they lived. You are not financially able to support your daughter in Snell’s Seminary. Do you expect to subject her to irreligious influences, to pride, vanity, and display, and yet have her come out with good, firm principles and sound morals? It is not possible. She does not see herself as she is, or realize how silly she looks to sensible people with her affected ways. The great burden of her life is how to act the lady, and do you think it is all smart and nice? And will you place her where her vanity will have abundant room to grow, and where everything will work against your teaching?

While in Fresno, Zua made the remark that she wanted to go down the street and purchase a silk duster and a new dress. She also said, “If I had a daughter I would send her to Snell’s Seminary, for it is a superior place to learn good manners.” What does such talk indicate? Does it not show that labor should be put forth to save the soul of your own child? Do

you think that in thus educating her you have placed her where she will love God and the truth? She has only attained a superficial education; real knowledge, which is of more value than everything else besides, she has yet to gain; she has yet to learn her poor self and to obtain a knowledge of her God. As her father and mother, you need to take heed to yourselves that you may set a right example before her. You should be constantly guarded that you do not encourage in her a love of dress. You should learn to know when to spare and when to spend. We cannot be Christ’s followers unless we deny self and lift the cross. You should pay up squarely as you go; gather up the drop stitches; bind off your raveling edges, and know just what you can call your own. You should reckon up all the littles spent in self-gratification. You should notice what is used simply to gratify taste and in cultivating a perverted, epicurean appetite. The money expended for useless delicacies might be used to add to your substantial home comforts and conveniences. You are not to be penurious, you are to be honest with yourself and your brethren. Penuriousness is an abuse of God’s bounties. Lavishness is also an abuse. The little outgoes that you think of as not worth mentioning, amount to considerable in the end.

Children get too much money to spend which they never earn, and of which they never know the value. While at Sister Bowen’s I stepped into the bedroom to lie down and I picked up a sash of highly-colored satin. I said to Fannie Ingles, “Does this Babylonish rag belong to you?” “No, it does not,” she replied. I was made sad to soon see it about the waist of your daughter.

Such articles of finery and extravagance may be in keeping with Snell’s Seminary, but they are not in keeping with our faith as God’s peculiar people, and not in accordance with your own teachings to others, even while in Fresno. When you are tempted to spend money for nicknacks, you should remember the self-denial and self-sacrifice that Christ endured to save fallen man. Our children should be taught to exercise self-denial and self-control. The reason so many ministers feel that they have a hard time in financial matters, is that they do not bind about their tastes, their appetites, and inclinations. The reason so many men become bankrupt and dishonestly appropriate means is because they seek to gratify the extravagant tastes of their wives and children. How careful should fathers and mothers be to teach economy by precept and example to their children! It is not out of your power to do this, unless your habit of loosely spending money is ingrained into your very character.