Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 3 (1876 - 1882)

Lt 16, 1878

White, W. C.; White, Mary

Healdsburg, California

March 13, 1878

Previously unpublished.

Dear Children, Willie and Mary:

We received your very welcome letters last evening, giving some account of meetings. It has been so long since we had heard from you we were becoming not a little anxious. But these letters received on the night of our return to Healdsburg are a great relief. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 1

Father left Oakland Sunday. I had an appointment Sunday night and could not go. We were broken up after our house was rented, and this almost made Father sick. He felt shut out from his home. But he is all right here in this humble dwelling. He sleeps well nights and sleeps some during the day. I am more and more settled that he must not be where there is any care. He feels called out and exercises his brain too much. He wrote too much for the Signs and did altogether too much brainwork at Oakland. He was not as well when we left as when we went to Oakland, as far as nervousness is concerned. I am confident there can be no traveling for us this summer. Were Sister Ings with me I could go, but Lucinda must not leave the office. She is needed there. She fills a responsible place. I will write on [Spirit of Prophecy] Volume IV and be company for Father. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 2

My health is good. I can perform a great amount of labor. I sent for my manuscript to publish my book here, but I have more fully considered the matter. Mary Clough has promised to copy for me. If she is with me we can publish the book at Battle Creek, and she can keep straight all the perplexing matters of proof sheets. You can do it better at Battle Creek than they can in this office, and with a saving of expense to us. Will you write us, children, at once, and tell us what you think of this matter? When would it be wisdom to print this book? You have critical proofreaders and good critics that would make it safer, we think, than to have it done here. We shall not be in Oakland when the book is published. We would feel as safe to trust the mails to Michigan as from here to Oakland. Lucinda thought it a good plan to set the book up in wide measure for Signs and then make it up in pamphlet. But the last five weeks spent in Oakland has led me to distrust the efficiency of those in the office to take the charge of so important a book. What do you say? 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 3

We think you did right in working up as far as you could in the pamphlet setting ahead of [Spirit of Prophecy] Volume IV. We think the book all right. Go ahead and send us a few more copies at once. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 4

We have been laboring earnestly for the office the past few weeks, especially the last week. We called all hands in the truth together before Father left Sunday morning, and we talked out the state of things very plainly; then Father prayed, pouring out the burden of his soul with deep feeling and many tears. That was a good start, and still I was not free. Dreams were given me, burdens pressed me. It seemed that Satan ruled in the office, that his spirit was gaining the supremacy to a great extent. My soul was bowed down with so much pain and grief I could not sleep. I finally talked with Frank Belden with weeping. He said it was no use for him to try to be a Christian, he should not succeed. I pressed him until he promised not to break another Sabbath. He would advance no further. We hope and pray for poor Frank, and that is all we can do. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 5

I then talked again with Brother Glenn quite pointedly in reference to his letting things go on in the office when he knew to what pass things were going. He had not counseled with anyone, but moved perfectly independently in getting what help he pleased; and when he found they were a detriment to the office, he would not take the responsibility to discharge them. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 6

One, Mollie, was an acquaintance of his. Her family were some of his old friends; and although he knew she was a nuisance to the office, and her proofs a terrible annoyance, yet he let her stay; he hoped she would leave, wished she would leave, but would not lead out to tell her she could not make a typesetter. Dell has lost her self-control several times over this case, having to be annoyed and burdened with her terrible proofs. Lucinda has been very much tried and has spoken plainly to Brother Glenn, but he has excused the girl. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 7

A few days since, when they found her proofs so fearful, they carried them to her and told her she must correct them herself. On the same galley were Bostwick’s and Ida’s proofs, which had both been read and corrected, and the proofs were clean. She stood over the galley; and when the proofs were taken the second time, Bostwick’s and Ida’s proofs were as bad as hers. They were placed beside the former proofs, and the vast difference was too apparent. Lucinda called to Bostwick to know if he had pied his type. He said, “No.” Ida said the same. “Well,” then said Sister Hall, “it remains to be seen who has tampered with this galley.” She was the only one who had the galley. The matter was not followed up. It was evident she either did this out of spite or she wished to show that others could make and present as bad a proof as herself. Glenn said there was no doubt but that she had done the mischief, yet he kept her still until the last talk with him alone. Tuesday morning he discharged her. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 8

Bell Pratt and Lizzie Ward have carried high sail in the folding room. They will both be discharged with Jenny Newman. There will be a weeding out of this ungodly element. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 9

Tuesday morning I called all hands together and read the following dream. It is not completed yet. Elder Loughborough was present. Simon Loughborough [?] and Sister Baker will work in together in the folding room and will get a couple of apprentices to help do the work and learn all that there is to be learned. Lizzie [Ward] and Bell Pratt would joke, laugh, and talk all manner of nonsense so that George refused to stay in the room. He left and was gone more than a month in the country. If Sister Baker or one of our faith introduced the subject of religion, Lizzie would say, “That talk must stop; we won’t hear it.” 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 10

My soul is stirred with indignation. I knew nothing of the facts, outside of my impressive dreams, until after these dreams were related and read. No report had come to me from any quarter. All were mum. But now I am determined to make clean work or that office had better be closed. We will not bear with this ungodly element any longer. A change must be made and at once. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 11

Johnson is a sly, cunning spiritualist. He made the remark at Brother Gillet’s table that he had lived through the Miller excitement and he thought he should live through this holy excitement. There has been no excitement from first to last. But the spirit of these men is becoming more and more bold and daring. God is dishonored and the office polluted with this miserable class of workman. But the burden is on me, and my soul is mightily stirred within me, that no voice has been raised to silence this satanic spirit which has triumphed in the office. My soul has been grieved beyond expression at this state of things. But God is at work. This is a copy of what I read yesterday morning. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 12

Mother.

I will send dream in next mail. 3LtMs, Lt 16, 1878, par. 13

Mother.