Henri Frey, a younger employee of the church's office in Basel, had serious spiritual issues in the areas of relationships and intemperance, as well as a lack of conversion. Ellen White wrote four letters (Lt 36, 47, 48 and 49 in 1887), including one that arguably includes the most important statements made by her on "The Will" (Letter 49). You will recognize some of the statements of the "will" letter because they were included in Steps to Christ and Messages To Young People. The letter, however, includes additional instructive and encouraging statements that you will find most helpful. All of the letters are helpful, the first setting out the need for transformation, the second decrying his poor choice of companions, the third regarding his defiant response to reproof and the final one encouraging him to solicit the power of the will in overcoming. Further notes on each letter follow.
In this letter, Mrs. White admonishes Henri to consider his ways and seek transformation, pointing to the example of Daniel and his friends at Babylon, who remained unsullied in spite of unfavorable circumstances.
In this letter Mrs. White decries his failure to heed good counsel and to make decided persevering efforts for himself, including and especially choosing godly companions. The backdrop to the letter is a trip Henri made to a conference in England, paid for by the office in Basel, ostensibly for the purpose of turning his life around. Instead of gaining the blessings intended, he struck up more ungodly male and female friendships and actually wondered if there was anything wrong with the ungodly relationships. Among the issues mentioned were his failure to distinguish between common and sacred, looking for help from human sources, too much trust in his feelings, the degrading influences of his companions and the diminishing influence of God in His life. His only hope lay in giving up every sinful habit and practice that was hindering God hearing his prayers. He was also called to break away from every association that Satan was using as a snare to his soul, including sentimental unsanctified affections of equally weak women.
There were minor revisions but the message remained the same: He was seeking sympathy and companionship from individuals who would only lead him further from God.
In this letter Mrs. White was writing about Henri's defiant response to necessary godly reproof from the managers of the office in Basel: "He answered not a word ... as a bold sinner would do!" He had continued to choose the society of those without moral strength—she described them as his worst enemies, instead of those who would be of benefit. He had been wrongly complaining of being treated harshly. He was speaking of going to the Review office in Battle Creek, which she assured him would not happen. He also incorrectly believed that his services were so valuable that they could not succeed without him—she differed, saying that even if his services were three times as valuable they would still need to remove him from their workforce. Mrs. White told him that instead of defiantly remaining silent, he should have humbly acknowledged the reproof like David accepting Nathan's admonitions. She also makes a wonderful statement on the power of full confession to eject sin.
In this final and fourth letter to Henri Frey she responded to his feeling sorry for himself and the supposed degradation that would come through his confessing his sins. She advised that he humble his heart and confess his wrongs, asserting "it is a disgrace to sin, but it is no disgrace to confess your sins; rather an honor!" After briefly sharing how to know God's will, she comes to the most important part of all the letters: the victory-bringing role of the will as the governing power in the nature of man. Delineating his discouragement as a result of his weak moral power, lack of control by habits of his old life in sin, and slavery to doubt and inefficiency, he had come to the point of not believing in himself or anyone else. Speaking for herself, Mrs. White said she would not give a straw for his promises that were like ropes of sand. She also immediately asserted, however, that fighting the good fight of faith WITH his will power, would bring success!—she had not the least doubt that he WOULD conquer. She goes on to say, "you need not despair. You must choose to believe, although nothing seems true and real to you."