See Missionæren No. 45, 1907/11/07

Thank you very much for your two postcards. The last one just arrived. I see that God is with you, blessing the work as He distributes the gifts of the Spirit. It is blessed to be along in the work of breaking down. The most important thing is that some be given thorough instruction, because one person who is solid is worth more than 20 others who aren’t. Abraham received the blessing through just one—Isaac. It is extremely important to seek God for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. We ought to emphasize this strongly so that others will want to be taught. It was interesting to hear that your companion has received the doctrine God has given you. Instruction is necessary, because most people know nothing about God. What we have freely received, we must freely give. Our last meeting here was extremely good. We now have a room upstairs at my place. We also meet in homes.

The brothers and sisters are becoming more and more established. There were two women who tended to get carried away emotionally in the meeting. They edified themselves without regard for those around them. The one shouted, while the other spoke in tongues. The one who shouted was reprimanded a number of times by her friends, so eventually she became extremely concerned, because she was convinced that she was in the Spirit. She asked God to reveal to her where she had erred, but God referred her to me. She prayed again and received the same answer. One day I had an urge to go over and talk to them. During our conversation, both of them got light over the fact that we can’t just think about ourselves and our own personal edification at the meetings, and that each one of us must do our best to inspire the church and show consideration for the others in all that we do. They both put this into practice at the last meeting, and the meeting was especially good, from beginning to end. I suspect that there are many in different places who suffer under people who only think about their own edification to such an extent that they just disrupt the meetings. Such people must be corrected, because they are often acting out of ignorance. Both of these women were genuinely happy to gain an understanding about this, because they had never even imagined that they were supposed to participate together with all the others. They thought that battling their own way through was the most important thing.

When it concerns the gift of prophecy, we are exhorted in Rom. 12:6 to use it according to our faith. A reminder about this is especially necessary, so that nobody runs wild or becomes spiritually intoxicated and does or says things that have no rhyme or reason.

The gift of prophecy is extremely useful, because through prophecy a person can say things which otherwise could not be expressed.

I’ve written to Missionæren on the subject of “Love.” The article will probably be in next week’s issue. I wrote this because a man had written that there is no love nowadays, that true love only existed in the days of the apostles. This kind of thinking is quite common, which is why I felt it would be profitable to take a look at what love really is. I wrote, among other things, that no one is more useless than people who just sit on their couch and do nothing but cry out for others to show them love. The shoemaker is expected to make them boots for free, the tailor to make them clothes free of charge, etc. In short, everyone is obligated to show them love because they are truly worthy of it. I also wrote that true love never makes demands; it only gives without expecting a reward. Ever since I received God’s Spirit and His love, I have never heard anything other than how unloving I am. Naturally, such people are looking for someone who will love them according to the flesh. And when they don’t find anyone, they conclude that there is no love. The apostle says: He made known to me your love in the Spirit. Such parasites are fit for anything but the kingdom of God. We need men and women in our day who have a fountain of love within to draw from, and enough to spare, even if they end up being ridiculed and spat upon. I didn’t mention the man’s name, I just referred to this matter in general terms.

I haven’t heard any more from Gerrard about the newspaper. I received a letter from Father recently. He asked about you, and I explained to him about the work God has now given you to do in Germany. I believe this will make him very happy.

Hearty greetings from your brother,