Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Ms 82, 1893

Diary, July to August 1893. With the Brown Family at Long Point, New Zealand.

Long Point, New Zealand

July 27 - August 7, 1893

Portions of this manuscript are published in 3MR 210-211.

Thursday, July 27, 1893

Long Point, N. Z.

I have not been able to sleep since two o’clock. It is cloudy and now about four o’clock is raining and there is a sound as if hailing. We shall rejoice when July and August are over. It is very sickly. The measles is doing its work. There are many deaths among children. Influenza is uniting with the measles. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 1

We left Wellington in company with Emily and Elder Israel for Long Point, twenty miles. We rode on the cars and arrived at Long Point. We arrived at the station Paremata. Sister Martha Brown came to the station with the trap and Elder Israel drove the horse and luggage. Emily and Martha walked one mile to Martha’s home. We were heartily welcomed by the entire family. Sister Brown gave us a most cordial welcome. They have two unfortunate children. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 2

The eldest daughter, now 31 years old, was playfully tossed up by a man and the ceiling was low. Her head came with force against a beam and blood poured from her nose and ears and mouth. She was ruined for life. Until seven years old, she preserved her speech and intellect partially, but never has spoken a word since. She is happy all the time. Makes no trouble, but can do nothing. Her intellect is gone. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 3

Another young man, nearly thirty years old has asthma difficulties. He is not of sound, growing intellect. He has grown in stature and years but is a child in understanding. He is always cheerful and happy. He sings much of the time. Last evening Martha played on the piano and all the children and mother and Elder Israel united in singing. Although the son cannot read a word, yet he has a fine ear for music. He sings base, beats time. You would not know [he cannot read], but he calls the words. He is an excellent singer. His voice and rendering are good. I tell Sister Brown that she should feel thankful that this young man is always her innocent child, always kind and affectionate, never unhappy, but full of joy and gladness of heart. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 4

Two of her children are God’s innocent lambs, never cause her one anxious thought. Oh when Christ comes they will be restored and inherit the future immortal life. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 5

Friday, July 28, 1893

Long Point, N. Z.

It seems rather strange this morning to wake up in a strange place. The morning is cool. Heavy frost last night. It is clear and bracing. We are close by the beach. It is a romantic home. The impurities of the city of Wellington are left behind, and if the Lord favors us with His presence, we will be blessed in every respect. We had a precious season of prayer this morning with the family. It is quite a large family of children. Two young men and one young girl are absent. The family numbers ten at home. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 6

This is a large, roomy house. Sister Brown is a very mild, modest, good-looking woman. She has had twenty-two children, fourteen of whom are now living. We had a very enjoyable ride in the trap seven miles and return which makes fourteen miles. The road winds like a letter S around the rocky beach road. The bay road is very pleasant. The two younger children, eight and eleven years old, walk three miles to school and back, six miles. Frequently they are fortunate enough to catch a ride. In returning from our ride we took them in from the school room. We enjoyed the ride. Although the two-wheeled trap was not an easy phaeton, yet I enjoyed the ride, jolting and all, for I can only walk a little ways on account of my hip. I shall take all the rides I can in this trap and know it will do me good. The scenery is very nice and we had sunshine all the way. And now the Sabbath is drawing on and I must lay aside my diary. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 7

Saturday, July 29, 1893

Long Point, N. Z.

It is a pleasant morning. Slept well during the night. Was up at four o’clock. I thank my heavenly Father for His great compassion and mercy and lovingkindness to me. We had a precious season of prayer at morning worship. I read and explained the Scriptures. My heart was drawn out in prayer. The Spirit of supplication was upon me. I feel deeply for this family. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 8

We had a religious service. I spoke to them from 1 John 3. I spoke with freedom and with as much spirit as if speaking before a thousand people. All seemed much interested. Even John, who is an imbecile, seemed to catch the spirit and be intensely interested. Oh, I inquire, what can be done for this family? What can we say to them? What can we do for them? They have not heard preaching—with the exception of the mother and Martha and one sister besides, named Bell. We had prayer at the close of the Sabbath. I read 1 Peter first chapter and explained it to them. The Lord indited prayer, and I felt the strong moving of His Holy Spirit. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 9

Sunday, July 30, 1893

Long Point, N. Z.

Slept well during the night. It is pleasant today. Mrs. Lund, a lady seventy-four ... [Incomplete.] 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 10

Monday, July 31, 1893

I awoke this morning at four and arose, lit my fire and after a season of prayer commenced my writing. It is stormy today. It has rained very hard until about one o’clock and has commenced raining again. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 11

Thursday, August 3, 1893

We designed to return to Wellington today, but the storm is very much opposed to this. We decided to wait until Friday. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 12

Friday, August 4, 1893

It is not raining so hard. We prepare [to] go to the depot. We find that all is uncertainty in regard to the cars. There is a heavy washout between Palmerston and this station called Paremata. We waited at the station—which affords no conveniences for travelers—in the trap, covered with burlaps to keep dry. After waiting two hours we decided to return to Sister Brown’s. Between two and three o’clock the train that left Wellington returned from the place of obstruction, and we could have gone to Wellington had we waited. We concluded the Lord would have us remain here over the Sabbath. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 13

Saturday, August 5, 1893

Long Point, N. Z.

The past night has been to me one of deep, earnest solicitude in behalf of this family. The family were together for religious worship. The season of prayer was, I felt, a solemn time. We were reading in Acts of the working and development of the Christian church after the ascension of the Lord Jesus and the bestowal of His Holy Spirit upon His disciples that they might be witnesses for Jesus that He was the Prince of life. I see these seasons of prayer are having their influence upon the members of the family. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 14

At 11 a.m. the family gathered together in the spacious diningroom for religious service. My subject was upon the validity of the fourth commandment, that the Sabbath according to the commandment was not the first day but the seventh day, as is plainly given us in the fourth commandment. What power changed the seventh day to the first? It was the papal power that thought to change times and laws. And this is the only authority for the observance of the first day of the week. This change destroys the sacredness of the Sabbath, for human authority has substituted another day for the day God made holy, sanctifying and blessing it—the seventh day. He placed it as the memorial of His making the world in six days and resting upon the seventh day. Satan’s work was to destroy that memorial and obliterate from the minds of human beings the only true and living God, and substituting human beings and idols to be worshiped, which is, to all intents and purposes, accepting the prince of darkness as their god. And in Exodus is plainly presented the Sabbath of the fourth commandment as the genuine Sabbath and it is the seal of the living God, the sign between Him and His people. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 15

Sunday, August 6, 1893

This day I was engaged in writing essential matter for the individual cases whom God was reproving for their irreligious life while they were professedly serving God; but they had changed leaders, for this their course of action plainly testifies. Some were corrupting their ways before God and walking in the light of the sparks of their own kindling and not in the divine light. Their works testify against them. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 16

Monday, August 7, 1893

We make one more attempt to return to Wellington, but in the night season I have been solemnly addressing the family of Sister Brown. I have labored faithfully for them while with them. The efficiency of the church in this house will be precisely what the zeal, purity and intelligence of its members make it. The Christian enterprise will remain in a feeble condition unless the moral power is brought to combine with human effort. The moral and religious element will surely retrograde and become a dead letter unless there is progress. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 17

Under the present circumstances, they cannot hold their ground against opposing forces of sin and error, which will not be wanting. The Lord by His Holy Spirit is at work to recruit and reinforce the Lord’s army by enlistments, in order to hold the fort. The accession of members is essential, to bring their fresh minds as a reinforcement to breast the difficulties which must be met. If these young minds will walk in the light, they will have clear conceptions of their individual responsibilities and duty. They will have zeal for Christ and in connection with the present pressure, communicate a new spirit to the entire family, which so much need the fresh, vitalizing power from above. There will be pressure from outside influences, but the unity from the forces within will stand against the pressure from without. The additional impetus given by the members of the family who should decide to stand under Christ’s banner, if they are true to principle in the spirit and efficiency which Jesus gives, will put everything in motion and triumph over the powers of darkness and the obstacles Satan presents. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 18

At family prayer the Lord wrought. I called for a decision, commencing at Bell, who is possessed of much influence in the family and was sufficiently obstinate as to be rather difficult to manage. I set before her the case, and she decidedly assented to take her stand under Christ’s banner. Alex is about seventeen years old. I then asked him if he would confess Christ and enlist in His service. He decided he would. Then Victoria, a noble girl about fifteen years old, as I put the question of decision to her, answered promptly, “I will be a Christian.” Charlotte, the cook for the family, is very silent, scarcely saying anything. I addressed her and she responded; so here were four in that family who decided to help the mother and the sister Martha in maintaining the religious services in the family. There is a member of the family, Mrs. Lange [?], who is a Christian. She will help them. She is now keeping the Sabbath. We had a precious season of prayer. We dedicate this home to God. Martha prayed, the mother of the children prayed and Emily prayed. Our hearts were made joyful in God. 8LtMs, Ms 82, 1893, par. 19