Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 146, 1905

The Work in and About Nashville

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

July 25, 1905

See variant Ms 146a, 1905. Portions of this manuscript are published in 8MR 130. +^Note

This morning I arise at four o’clock. I am thankful to my heavenly Father for His great mercy and love, which He so bountifully bestows upon me. A sense of His goodness and love calls forth from me continually thanksgiving. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 1

Yesterday I received a letter from Elder G. I. Butler, telling of the needs of the work in the southern field, and my heart is deeply stirred. I cannot but feel the deepest sympathy for my brethren in the South, who have been laboring earnestly and untiringly to carry out the directions given, that in Nashville the truth is to be proclaimed. Elder Haskell and his wife and Elder Butler have been and still are most earnest, self-denying workers in that field. Brother and Sister Haskell rented a house in one of the best parts of the city and gathered round them a family of helpers who, day by day, go out giving Bible readings, selling our papers, and doing medical missionary work. This is in accordance with the light given. The Lord has blessed their labors, and quite a number have embraced the truth. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 2

I must speak especially of the work of Sister Wilson, who for several years has worked in Nashville giving Bible readings. She has done most earnest, thorough work, and God has made her a successful laborer. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 3

This morning my prayer is, God bless these faithful workers, and impress the hearts of His people throughout the United States to send them help; for they are greatly in need of means with which to carry on the work. I have faith and hope that at this time of need, means will be sent directly to the workers in Nashville. Formerly it was thought best to have the means go through Washington. Light has been given me that thousands of dollars of the money thus sent in has been appropriated to various places in the South, but not to Nashville. The very work that most needed to be done was held back for want of means. The money ought to have been sent to the place where it was needed the most, where the necessities were the greatest; but the money was sent in with the direction that it was “for the southern field,” without any more explicit specification, and it was sent to other places in the South. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 4

The money that should have gone to the work in Nashville has not gone there, and we now ask you, my brethren and sisters, to send of your means to the workers there; for they are greatly in need of help. This morning I have been asking the Lord to move upon your hearts to do this, that His work in Nashville may not be hindered. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 5

We must all look to God. We must all present our necessities to Christ our healer, the One who knows the great burdens that are borne by His servants in Nashville and who knows how greatly they need help just now. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 6

I am pleading with God to enlighten our brethren in all matters, that they may understand the work that needs to be done in the important city of Nashville. My prayer is, “We come to Thee, O Thou Saviour of the world, pleading the promise, ‘Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ [Matthew 7:7.] I ask sincerely, earnestly, because I believe Thy Word. Help our faithful, aged workers in Nashville, Tennessee. I, Thy dependent, believing child, take Thy words and call upon Thee to open the hearts of thy people and lead them to send in their offerings to Nashville now, just now. Help Elder Butler and Elder Haskell in their tent effort. Help them to secure means to pay for the meetinghouse and to set it in acceptable order, so that it will make a presentation corresponding with Thy directions. In Thy lessons to Thy disciples Thou didst say, ‘What man is there of you whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?’ Thou hast said, ‘If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him.’ [Verses 9-11.] 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 7

“My heavenly Father, we ask Thee in Christ’s name to give to the workers in Nashville the things they so much need to advance Thy work. Encourage the hearts of Thy servants to do this work, to look to Thee, to ask of Thee the things they need, to believe in Thee. Sustain their faith and courage. Sustain their courage and indite their prayers. Keep them ever looking to Thee, ever believing and receiving Thy promised gifts. Keep them glad, hopeful, rejoicing, that their words may glorify Thee. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 8

“O Lord, I do believe. O Lord, Thou wilt hear. Make Thy servants strong in faith, strong in hope, strong in courage, mighty in word and deed to proclaim Thy truth. Amen.” 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 9

I now ask, my brethren and sisters all over the field in every place, will you send to Nashville a portion of the means that the Lord has entrusted to you. Let the money be sent directly to Nashville, according to the directions given. The southern field in its destitution calls for your contributions. In the providence of God our brethren there have secured a good house of worship in an excellent location. They had decided that they could not afford to buy land and build a meetinghouse because of the cost. This church was offered to them for five thousand dollars; and after making a careful examination of the property, the brethren decided that it be purchased. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 10

The building is in need of some repairs, in order for it to correspond with the directions God has given regarding the places in which His people meet to worship Him. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 11

The opportunity to purchase this church property is one fulfilment of the light given me by the Lord that to our people would be offered, at a price far below the original cost, properties that could be used in our work. It was in the providence of God that our brethren obtained possession of this house of worship in Nashville. The means to pay for it will come in, because we have solicited it, and God has signified that it will be sent to the workers in Nashville. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 12

Again, at Madison, only eight miles from Nashville, Brethren Sutherland and Magan are struggling with all their power to establish a school. They bought a beautiful farm of four hundred acres and are now trying to raise means with which to erect the necessary buildings. When they asked me about purchasing the farm, I advised them to secure it by all means; for every acre of it would be needed in the work to be done. It is most essential that the buildings necessary for this school work be put up at once, that those in charge of the school may go forward with their work of training laborers to present the truth in the cities of the South. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 13

The Lord has certainly directed in the purchase of this school farm. The work has been delayed for lack of means to put up the buildings. We do pray most earnestly that these brethren may have complete success in their efforts to train workers to labor for the white people in the South. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 14

The sanitarium in Graysville is also in need of funds. This institution cannot be completed without financial assistance. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 15

The Huntsville school greatly needs better facilities for its work. The preparation of the buildings does not correspond with the work that the Lord has outlined to be done by this school. An orphanage for the care of colored children is needed there, and humble, but neat, cottages should be put up to accommodate those who desire to bring their children to the church school. Improvements should be made on the school buildings, and in this there should be no delay. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 16

These places that I have mentioned must have their quota of means, else they cannot do the <work of the> Lord that they should do. I plead for Huntsville. An orphanage and a small sanitarium are greatly needed there, and the school should be made all that the Lord has declared it should be—a training school for the education of colored workers. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 17

I have still another important matter to bring before you, and that is the sanitarium that must be built near Nashville. For a long time Brethren Hayward and Hansen have been carrying on the work in treatment rooms in the city of Nashville and in a rented building about four miles out of the city. The difficulties and inconveniences against which they have had to contend have greatly retarded their success, making their work doubly hard. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 18

Recently a beautiful location for a sanitarium building has been found and purchased. Of this Brother Butler writes: 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 19

“You will have learned ere this that the sanitarium board, all being present, Hayward, Spire, Haskell, Allee, Hansen, Butler, and Ford, found a place outside the city, a little beyond the termination of the streetcar line, on high, dry ground, a beautiful site for a sanitarium. There are thirty-three acres of excellent land, if we could judge by the growth of the crops, which is luxuriant. The property has on it a spring of lithia water, as fine water as I ever tasted, as clear as crystal. It comes out from deep down in the rocks, and is very pure. It fills an inch-and-a-half pipe. The supply scarcely ever varies, either because of heavy rains or of drought. This kind of water is so highly valued in Nashville that last year fifteen hundred dollars’ worth was sold from this spring. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 20

“The lowest cash price for which we could get the land was eight thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars. A wealthy brother in Kentucky, who is interested in the sanitarium work, paid the cash down. So we have a full deed of it. He took a mortgage on the place as security, drawing six per cent interest. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 21

“Every member of the Board was pleased with this purchase. We had looked and looked, ever since you were here, and while you were here, and never found a place that really seemed to be right; but when we saw this and looked it over, every one felt that it was the right place, and even Brother Haskell voted for it heartily. It is accessible to the town, and I think that very likely the streetcar line will extend its line a quarter of a mile, right up to the premises. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 22

A sanitarium building should soon be erected on this property. My brethren and sisters, we ask you to help the brethren in Nashville to establish this institution. I place all these necessities before you, asking you to send to Nashville what means you can spare. The Lord will greatly bless you as you help this needy field. 20LtMs, Ms 146, 1905, par. 23