Letter To James White in Which Writing on the Life of Christ is Mentioned
W-13-1876
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Oakland, California,
(9MR 242)
April 21, 1876.
(9MR 242)
Dear Husband,
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Mary has just been reading to me two articles, one on the loaves and fishes, Christ walking on the water and stating to His hearers He was the bread of life, which caused some of His disciples to turn from Him. This takes fifty pages and comprises many subjects. I do think it the most precious matter I have ever written. Mary is just enthusiastic over it. She thinks it is of the highest value. I am perfectly satisfied with it. The other article was upon Christ going through the corn field plucking the ears of corn and healing the withered hand—12 pages. If I can with Mary’s help get out these subjects of such intense interest, I ...
(9MR 242.1)
[Page 243 is a reproduction of the handwritten original for the above paragraph.]
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Line for Line Transcript of Page From the Huss Manuscript
[What, John Huss, have you] not one murmuring reflection against God, not one word of bitterness on condemnation of your enemies—the heads of the nations as the shadow of death already has fallen upon you. Yet he manifested the spirit of his master Jesus Christ when he was betrayed and condemned. He did not complain and murmur at his lot. He had not preached Christ in vain himself, had tasted the powers of the world to come and he now in his last hours enjoyed a feast of heavenly peace and love. In his prison he was cheered with the prophetic glimpse of the dawn of better days that would certainly open upon the church of God on earth, and he felt the loss of his own life would would indeed be seed for the church. Once in his sleep he thought he was again in his own beloved Chapel of Bethlehem. Envious priests were trying to efface the figures of Jesus Christ which he had painted upon its walls. He was filled with sorrow. But next day there came painters who restored the partially obliterated portraits so that they were more brilliant than before. Now, said these artists, let the bishops come forth; let them efface these if they can, and the crowd was filled with joy. Occupy your thoughts with your defence rather than with visions, said John Chlum to whom he had told his dream. And yet replied Huss I firmly hope that this life of Christ which I engraved on men’s hearts at Bethlehem when I preached his word will not be effaced and that after I have ceased to live it will be still better shown forth by mightier preachers to the great satisfaction of the people, and to my own most sincere joy, when I shall be again permitted to announce his gospel, that is when I shall arise from the dead.
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[Page 245 is a reproduction of the handwritten originial for the above paragraph.]
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Line for Line Transcript of Page 3 From Luther Manuscript
.... interest and that of the reformation. The elector saw what the future foreshadowed. A still darker tempest was gathering over the reformation and that nothing would satisfy Worms but the blood of Luther. He saw that his fate was sealed and a most decided and yet secret effort must be made to rescue him from the jaws of the lion. As soon as Luther left Worms an edict was procured against him to which was affixed the emperor’s signature and the seal of the empire See (“Words that shook the world” 240 pages) The emperor himself had spoken and the Diet had ratified the decree. The whole body of Romanist who had no desire for light who loved darkness and the practice of iniquity rather than God’s word which enjoyed purity and holiness of character, rejoiced greatly at this excommunication. The tragedy they thought was over. The reformation stood in great peril and the superstitious heard the name of Luther spoken with horror associating him with Satan incarnate whom the emperor had pointed out as Luther clothed with a monk’s habit. Now was the time for the elector to act.
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[Pages 247 and 248 are reproductions of handwritten originals.]
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