Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 24 (1909)

Lt 186, 1909

Sister

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

December 1909

Previously unpublished.

My Sister:

I have commenced two letters to you and written one page and at another time two or three pages, but I cannot take time or expose myself to hunt them up, so I begin again. I have spoken three times in the church at Oakland and have had freedom. After I left St. Helena we went direct to Mountain View, and there I spoke to a large number. The printing establishment is turning off from the press a great amount of matter, and this was the reason we were to address the people and give those assembled an opportunity to bear their testimony. We had excellent meetings. After speaking on Sabbath and first-day, I spoke also on Monday, the last meeting. I have a special appeal to make on the necessity of raising means to carry through the determination to build a meetinghouse in Portland, Maine. I was born in Gorham, Maine, about thirteen miles from Portland, but nearly my whole [early] life was spent in Portland, near the seashore. Portland is accounted the most beautiful city in the state of Maine and the first twelve years of my life was in Portland. 24LtMs, Lt 186, 1909, par. 1

I was desirous to receive some help in building a church in a most beautiful location, near the very spot where we had in my earlier history attended appointments. Our plan was for a meetinghouse to be built. It was started before we attended the camp-meeting. At this meeting in Mountain View, I presented before the people plans of having a brick church built, the very first in Portland, Maine. There were only a few keeping the Sabbath [in Portland]. What could they do? I told them to do their best and that we would solicit means to help them. We had raised about two hundred dollars; I now wished the people in Mountain View to aid us. They raised about twenty-five dollars, but I think they will do more than that. While here in this place, Oakland, Calif., I called for help, and they helped us about thirty dollars; but I was glad that here in Oakland, where they have so many expenses to meet, they can do anything for us. Yesterday I spoke to the people at the Week of Prayer meeting, and they responded. There was only a small congregation, but they helped us to about the same sum as in Mountain View, collecting thirty-three dollars. I will not complain of this because they are called upon so often in Oakland. I thank the Lord for this help. 24LtMs, Lt 186, 1909, par. 2

They have meetings in the basement in Portland. I received a letter yesterday; they were using the basement for their meetinghouse in Portland, Maine. The house is not finished, for they are greatly in need of means to complete it. When I saw what they were striving to do, I thought you would help us in this our time of special need. We shall feel thankful if you can invest something in this building. 24LtMs, Lt 186, 1909, par. 3

It is the first Seventh-day Adventist church that we have in all of this great, beautiful city, and therefore I ask you to do something. The basement of the church is for our school, and it is the only Seventh-day Adventist church in this large and beautiful city. Certainly the truth must be represented here. I thank the Lord for your help in other places, and I wish you to have something here. 24LtMs, Lt 186, 1909, par. 4

We have no buildings in the state of Maine where we can treat our sick. One such building we must have, for it is the means of bringing many souls to the knowledge of the truth. We can use everything of a kind to draw our people where they can, if possible, with good help, recover. Then the truth is taught in the health institute, and many souls will receive the truth if we have a good location here. This prospect we have in view. 24LtMs, Lt 186, 1909, par. 5

We had a camp-meeting at Deering’s Oaks, and there was a crowd assembled to hear the truth which was spoken in the preaching of the Word of God. Several were brought to a knowledge of the truth. The Lord gave me the special power of His Holy Spirit. I spoke from the stand very near the location where I have spoken many times with great freedom and power to thousands of people in regard to the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in power and great glory to receive the faithful ones to Himself. We have not a sanitarium in the whole large city of Portland to represent the virtues of simple treatment cures without drugs. 24LtMs, Lt 186, 1909, par. 6

We are desirous of a representation’s being made appropriate to the [remainder missing.] 24LtMs, Lt 186, 1909, par. 7