Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 3 (1876 - 1882)
Ms 8, 1879
A Dream Regarding the Pacific Press Office
NP
1879
Previously unpublished.
A Dream
I have had several striking dreams in reference to the office at Oakland. A young man who for years has instructed me in dreams came into the room where I was, and said, “Follow me.” He looked inexpressibly sad. He passed slowly through each room in the office. He examined and criticized the work of each and seemed to be taking notes of the work each was doing. He first entered the job room. Said he, “There are leaks in this room. This business is not managed to be profitable to the office. In the present management the outgoes are more than the incomes. Your work will be much better done with less of this kind of help. Your bills are not promptly collected. Some will be an entire loss. But this is not the greatest evil. Here the name of Christ is not exalted, but ridiculed. The religion of Christ is mocked at. The office is defiled with these reckless, unprincipled workmen.” 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 1
He then stepped into the compositor’s room and said to Brother Glenn: “One man’s judgment will fail to manage this office wisely and judiciously. In a multitude of counselors there is safety. There are those connected with you in the work who have the same deep, living interest in it that you have—those whose experience you may prize—for it will be of the highest value to you. Counsel together, and do not move out on your own individual responsibility. Move as one mind and one judgment. In every department of the work there should be an acknowledged head, and yet that head is not alone sufficient to control matters of an office like this. All who are in responsible positions, who have knowledge and experience, who fear God and respect the truth should share the responsibility of all the plans that may be devised and arrangements made for the prosperity of the office.” 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 2
The young man stepped to the side of Mr. Johnson, looked compassionately upon him, and said, “There is a leak here. He is not profitable to you. In the providence of God he was brought in connection with this office, that he might see and accept the truth. He has seen it; he has been convicted by the Spirit of God, and he has refused to walk in the light. He is following in the strong delusion. His influence will become stronger and stronger to resist light and the influence of truth. His heart is set to pursue his own course.” 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 3
He then stood by the side of a young girl, a stranger to me. He looked up at Brother Glenn and said, “Here is another leak. For every dollar that has been invested here, you will receive no equivalent in return. She renders no service; she is useless to the office, occupying a position that a more profitable hand might fill with acceptance. When you knew this hand had no adaptability for the work, why did you retain her? You have not moved promptly and decidedly to save the interests of the office, but to save unpleasant personal feeling you have neglected a plain duty. You must in these matters be a man of decision and firmness if you would please God.” (Brother Glenn has stated since he discharged this girl, that if she had been a Sabbath-keeper he would have discharged her long ago; but he was afraid she would think he discharged her because she was not in the faith; therefore she has been kept for months with no prospect of becoming useful or of value.) 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 4
The young man then passed to Ollie White and said, “Here for the present is another leak, but you may count on her help if she will determinedly follow with faithfulness in the path of duty rather than the path of inclination or pleasure. There is good material here.” 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 5
He said to Mary Overshiner, “Your mind is too easily diverted from the work. For this reason you will fail to make a success in filling important positions of trust. Inclination will be followed rather than the path of duty. You have a limited experience in true godliness. Your standard is too low. Elevate the standard and come up to it, or your life will prove a failure. Your mistakes will be more apparent here and will tell with more sad consequences than in any other position.” 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 6
He then passed to the folding room. After his eye swept over the room, he wrote very earnestly. He said to Lizzie Ward: “The light of truth and duty has been plainly shining upon your path for some time. Jesus has been inviting you to yield your affections to Him. You were at first influenced by the light and were gaining precious victories. At one time you associated with those who love the world and its pleasures and not the path of truth and light. Selfishness and stubbornness have characterized your life. For a time after you connected with the office, you made improvements in the direction of right. You were invited to come into harmony with Christ. But you turned your back upon Jesus. You associated with Belle Pratt, a girl of frivolous mind. You strengthen one another in your folly, and you have both become bold in your frivolity. Your conversation has not been elevating and ennobling, but of a cheap order. Jesus and the truth became disgusting to you as you filed under the banner of the great adversary of Christ. You have controlled the influence in this room. You have sought to close the door against Jesus and have invited Satan to come in. You have been desecrating this room; you can do so no longer. Your sport, your ridicule, your jokes have been painful to those who have serious minds and who love God. This shameful folly, low fun, and coarse jests have been the fruit borne, determining the character of the tree. Angels of God have turned away in sorrow from this room, and evil angels have exulted around you. This leaven of careless mockery and dissipation has had its influence upon others. 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 7
“This office is a sacred place. It has been dedicated to God. But your course of conduct has been to dedicate it to Satan. As your spirit in no wise harmonizes with the work of God, you should have no part in it.” 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 8
He turned to Brother Glenn and addressed him: “You knew the spirit of these workers; you knew their levity, their coarse, rough behavior. Why did you permit this office to be thus polluted by these untamable spirits? They should have been disconnected from the work when they showed their disrelish for religious things. There has been a serious lack. This office has not been conducted on religious principles. You have not put that difference between sacred and common; you have not honored those whom God has honored. You have made confidantes of those not of our faith. 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 9
“There are many who embrace the truth who are in consequence deprived of employment. These need help, need to be instructed how to help themselves. All who are in responsible positions should share the responsibility of deciding who shall be connected with them in the work in the office. Those who after a trial manifest no adaptability for the work should not be retained to burden the office. The decision should ever be made in favor of those who are loving and fearing God. This is the mind of Christ and in harmony with the character of the work. Those who have a part in Christ and in the work in the office should feel an individual responsibility in all that concerns the prosperity of the office. Every one employed in the office should come under the control and discipline of the office.” 3LtMs, Ms 8, 1879, par. 10