Manuscript Releases, vol. 21 [Nos. 1501-1598]

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MR No. 1582—Financial Straits Near Cooranbong in 1896

(Written May 7, 1896, from “Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, N.S.W., to Dr. J.H. Kellogg.)

We received your letters with pleasure and have read them to others. We have just had a most interesting and profitable Bible Institute. We know that much good has resulted from this meeting. We know that Professor Prescott worked under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God. He is giving the trumpet a certain sound. For fully one month the Word of God was studied, and an interest has been awakened in this place. 21MR 394.1

I will send you some copies of letters written to others. Our camp meetings held in Melbourne have been doing their work. The influence of camp meetings is lasting. It is not always readily discerned, but they are doing a good work. Last year only two were held, one in Armadale near Melbourne, and one in Tasmania. These meetings were excellent. We considered the meeting held in Armadale has been and still is exerting its influence in regions round about. The work has to be carried on in any way that will arrest the attention of the people. 21MR 394.2

You speak of Brother Semmens working more largely in a sanitarium. We have tried our best to secure a location for a sanitarium, but some were not suitable and others required more means than we were able to furnish. If we had only one quarter of the advantages which you have in America, it could be done. I have to stand as a bank to uphold, borrow, and advance money, and I turn and twist every way to do the work. Others will take hold and do something when they see that I have faith to lead out and donate. 21MR 394.3

A few days ago one of our faith, an excellent family, sent their two little girls, ages ten and thirteen years, about two miles with a note to me. They came carrying between them on a long stick a large bunch of bananas. It was a hot day and they were very tired tugging their burden. I just pitied them. They handed me a letter from Sister Q. I read in this letter as follows, “We are in trouble; our quarterly rent is due and we know not where to get the money to pay it. Could you loan us the money?” 21MR 394.4

We had no money to get necessary supplies for a family of ten. I sent word back, “Tell your mother she shall have the money Thursday.” I had not the slightest idea where I could get the money for them. I had some money in the Echo Office, but they are so hard up that I have no heart to draw on them for what little we have there when they are unable to pay their ministers, and for some time they have had to get along by running bills at the stores. 21MR 394.5

I don't think that we can consent to depend upon the Echo Office for our means to live on. Everybody in this country is poor. When out of means we will be obliged to buy on time. This we do not want to do but I fear we will be compelled to. We cannot possibly wait for prosperity to come through sale of books, that we may receive our pay. Here are all our workers who must be paid. 21MR 395.1

I am heavily in debt in this country to those in other countries. Eighteen hundred dollars from one person—this money has been used up. Five hundred dollars from one in Africa—which is a loan and has been applied in different ways that demanded means to forward the work. I move by faith. 21MR 395.2

In the last Bible Institute I paid the fare of some who wanted to attend the meetings, but were not able. I also boarded several in order that they might have the benefit of the meetings. I do not regret this. I know that such precious opportunities are beyond the estimate of gold and silver. Everyone who attended the meeting was constantly sitting at a banquet from heaven. I could not bear to think of anyone losing the precious things that were presented from the Word of God. This has to be acted over every meeting that is held. 21MR 395.3

We cannot depend upon others. There are but few who can do anything and there are so many ways to apply every dollar that we can obtain, and then many things have to be left undone which ought to be done. We are often put to our wits’ end to know what to do and how to apply certain means where they are the most needed. 21MR 395.4

Several camp meetings are to be held this season and I know what that means—all the money that I can possibly collect from my dues everywhere to invest. When people come to our camp meetings they come all unprepared to care for themselves, and they must be fed, for they have nothing with which to feed themselves. Poor hungry souls, starving for the Bread of Life. 21MR 395.5

There are fine men, several of our canvassers, who are called jewels in the work, who come to these large gatherings almost completely destitute of clothing. I have felt it duty to invest pounds to make them reasonably comfortable. I have expended much means in these lines. Yet not one penny do I regret. I am determined to use all that I can possibly spare in these ways. God helping me I will reach everyone possible to reach. 21MR 395.6

Besides paying the board of several and the expenses of some, I have boarded a number at my own table. Dr. Kellogg, I am working in every way possible to the very extent of my ability. 21MR 395.7

I was consulting with Brother Prescott about the case of Brother J, who was unable to pay his quarterly rent of three pounds. I told Brother Prescott that I must have the remuneration for my past year's labor else I would be brought into very miserable circumstances. “Here,” said I, “is three pounds that we must raise for this poor family. They ask it as a loan, but they will be no better able to pay the next quarterly rent than they are now. This means a gift. I have done this before and it is our duty to do it again.” Well, before Professor Prescott left Cooranbong he sent me three pounds, one from himself, one from his wife, and one from Grace Prescott. I was relieved, for I could see no possibility of procuring the money. 21MR 396.1

Now I find Brother Pocock, an excellent, intelligent man, reduced by the hard times to poverty. He has a family several miles from here. Has four or five children. His wife is a very economical woman. One day when Sarah and I were out riding we went round to the sawmill on the school ground and had a talk with Brother Hare, the manager at the mill. I asked him what wages Brother Pocock was receiving per day for his work on the school land for taking out the trees. So much per tree, but he does the work so faithfully that he cannot earn much. How much, I asked, does your contract allow him? Three pence per tree. In American money this would be six cents. I asked, How much does he earn per day? Brother Hare said, About fifty cents, sometimes sixty. I asked him, Could you live and support your family on that much, Brother Hare? No, Sister White, but money is so scarce that we do not know where it is coming from. Well, said I, This will never do; pay the poor man four shillings per day, and if you cannot do that I will be responsible for it. 21MR 396.2

Brother Pocock came to me afterwards with tears in his eyes and thanked me, and said he had been living on the smallest amount possible in order to send any money home to his wife, and she had written him that they could not live on the amount that he was sending them but had been obliged to borrow from their neighbors to have enough to supply their needs. He said he thought they could get along with the one dollar per day. This is a sample of the cases we find everywhere. 21MR 396.3

I have been furnishing work for boys and young men. One fine-looking, intelligent young man came to us almost destitute of clothing. Willie lent him his coat and I gave him a pair of pants that cost one dollar which I had bought for such purposes. We made him a home in a tent and kept him for some time, paying him five dollars per week and board. Last February he left us well clothed and in good health. Still another and another we have taken in and paid them wages and let them [remainder missing].—Letter 58, 1896. 21MR 396.4

Ellen G. White Estate

Silver Spring, Maryland,

May 9, 1991.

Entire Letter.