Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)

Lt 35a, 1899

Loughborough, J. N.

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

February 19, 1899

Variant of Lt 35, 1899. Portions of this letter are published in PC 140.

Elder J. N. Loughborough:

Dear Brother: I have received and read your letter. I am very thankful for the loan of $500 which you have sent me. In the same mail we received $100 from a sister in St. Louis, Missouri. This money will be a great help to us just now. Some weeks ago I received some money from California, and you cannot tell how glad I was to get it. I sent 50 pounds to Brisbane, to help build a meetinghouse there. The heavy summer rains have set in and they cannot continue the meetings in the tent without endangering the health of the people. These newly come to the faith have helped to purchase the land. The building is now going up, and we are so thankful, for the sake of the people and the workers there. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 1

Fifty pounds of the money received from California I shall give to help build a meetinghouse in Newcastle, and fifty shall I give to the hospital there. Then I shall lend the hospital 50 more. The remainder I shall hold to appropriate in small sums where needed most. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 2

The interest in Newcastle is wonderful. The Sabbath has been presented to the people, and the week from today twenty-five will be baptized. I shall speak there next Sabbath and Sunday. We are trying to raise money enough to purchase an old stone church in Wallsend, a suburb ten miles from Newcastle. The floor is gone and the windows smashed, but the location is excellent. It can be bought for about $300. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 3

The medical missionary work has taken well with the people in Newcastle. Some of the leading men in the city are enthusiastic over the subject. Dr. Caro lectures there twice a month on alternate Thursday evenings. Dr. Rand will secure an office and locate there. Cooking classes will be organized and held each Thursday in the tent. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 4

Instruction in medical missionary lines is greatly appreciated by the people of Australia. Wherever presented in connection with our camp meetings, it creates a deep interest. It is allied to the third angel’s message as surely as the right arm is joined to the body. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 5

A new tent had to be purchased for the work in Newcastle, and I gave ten pounds of the money received from California. Not one dollar of this money shall go to any personal use. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 6

As regards the money that I invested in the mission school in Chicago, I should not have called for it had it not been for the necessities of the work here. Years ago, when I was in Illinois, the work came to a deadlock, and I was led to pledge one thousand dollars, as an example and encouragement to others. I had to hire the money, and paid seven per cent interest for two years. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 7

Just at that time the devil was influencing minds to hold back my books published at the Review & Herald. Those at the head of the work there discouraged the agents about handling Patriarchs and Prophets and Great Controversy, the very books which the people should have had at once, and concentrated their efforts on Bible Readings, promising that at a certain time they would concentrate their efforts on my books. But this promise they never kept. At the very time when Great Controversy should have been circulated everywhere, it was lying idle on the shelves of the Review & Herald and the Pacific Press. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 8

The manager of the Pacific Press urged me to accept a reduction of royalty on these books, promising that they should be pushed to the full extent of the ability of the office, but this was not done. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 9

Then the word came to me, Take your books in your own hands. I tried to hire money, but could not; and the light given by God for the people was hidden away in the printing houses. The inner working of this matter was presented to me, and I saw that the very men who said that the canvassers would not handle my books were themselves arranging matters so that they should not handle them. They told me falsehoods. I was in great distress of mind and could not sleep. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 10

For two years I stood, trying to counterwork those who were working at cross-purposes with God. From time to time their double-dealing was presented to me, and I had no confidence in some of the men who composed the book committee, for their effort was to get all they could from authors by underhanded schemes. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 11

You may ask, Will the investigation now being made reveal this matter? No; it will never be revealed as it was. We cannot now see the injustice, the swerving from right, the intriguing methods, the overbearing, dictatorial tone assumed by these men to those who were their superiors in intellect and moral worth. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 12

I had to stand and see men triumphing in their evil work. The Lord said, “I will punish for these things.” Then the word came to me, “Make no large concessions. There are those who will not appreciate any sacrifice you might make. You must maintain principle. Take your books out of the hands of those who are not right with God, for they will harass and perplex you. The Lord desires you to be a steward of means; He will be your Counsellor. Trust not in men; nor in the word of men; for they will fail you. The Lord would not have you brought into strait places; for this will prevent you from doing the work which I have commanded you to do. You are not to be placed where those who are reproved will be gratified by your dependence. You are to lead out; you are not to be led.” 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 13

The Lord is a sufficiency. I do not want means to gratify myself, but that I may lead out, that I may have something to invest in the work that is started in new places, and that I may help those who are cast down and oppressed, who need to be helped to help themselves. This we have done in many cases, and the Lord has made us a blessing. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 14

In regard to the one thousand dollars which I invested in the Chicago Mission, when the mission house was sold, I thought, Why could not the brethren in Illinois transfer the one thousand dollars to this new field, and help us here as I have helped them in a time of need, at great inconvenience to myself? When I was at the Illinois camp meeting, I thought I should make this donation, it would open the way for others to give and a large sum was given by a man and his wife whom the leading brethren thought to have nothing. Thus my donation helped to bring in several thousand. And now, in this new world, we certainly need help, for we are in the ABC of our work, whereas, in America, our brethren have buildings and facilities which we have not. I also understand from your letter that the board was agreeable to the proposition. This is my explanation. But as the matters now stand, I shall not urge the return of the one thousand dollars. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 15

As regards the principle that should guide our people in such matters, I have been instructed that wherever by self-sacrifice and urgent labor the work necessary for the establishment and advancement of the cause has been done, and facilities provided, and the Lord has prospered, those in that place should give of their means to help God’s servants who have been sent to new fields to go over the same experience, beginning at the ABC of the work. Those living where the work has been established on a good foundation should feel themselves bound to help those in need by transferring, even at a great self-sacrifice and self-denial, a portion or all of the means which in former years was invested by those living at a distance in behalf of the work in their locality. Thus the Lord designs that the work shall increase. The talents given to His servants are to be doubled by being put out to use in gifts and offerings and the bestowal of influence. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 16

This is the law of restitution on right lines. One portion of the Lord’s vineyard is worked and brings in fruit. Then another portion is taken up, and it is the Lord’s plan that the new, unworked part shall receive help from the part that has been worked. Thus the work in every part becomes a success. The help thus rendered should be given with cheerfulness. When the principles of the law of God are thus practiced, the work moves forward with solidity and double strength. Then the messengers are enabled with great power to proclaim the third angel’s message and the soon appearing with power and great glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 17

P.S. Brother Loughborough, This letter was mislaid and forgotten and it has just come to the front again. Elder Irwin is here, and we are very busy in council. The Avondale Health Retreat is prospering well. The frame is up and soon the roof will be on and the building enclosed. We shall hope to have a printed prospectus to send you soon. We are all busy preparing for the soon-coming meeting of the Australasian Union conference. 14LtMs, Lt 35a, 1899, par. 18