Passion, Purpose & Power

III. Adventism Goes West
1868

17. Opening The Work In California

Wagon train travel on Sabbath PPP 84.1

When I engaged to take the freight through to Pikes Peak ⁵⁵ I drew up a contract in which it was expressly stated that the team and wagon were to be at all times under my control and that we would not travel on Saturday, as that was the Sabbath day. All parties agreed to this and Capt. Parks signed the contract, he being the chief man of the party of five. The first Friday night after leaving Columbus, ⁵⁶ we camped at a fine place in which to spend the Sabbath, expecting to remain there until Sunday morning. All parties were agreed to do so, until a wagon came up and camped near us. A man by the name of Esther owned the outfit. He had with him his wife and child and a Mr. Ide, his wife’s brother, and a young man. This party were all old acquaintances of Capt. Parks, and as they were going to Pikes Peak, Capt. Parks asked me next morning to hitch up and travel with them. This I could not conscientiously do, and I so told the captain. Upon finding that I would not go on, he began to talk with my wife to get her to insist that I go on. He represented to her that it would be dangerous for us to travel alone, as we were liable to be attacked by Indians at any time. (We had not seen an Indian since leaving Elk Horn. ⁵⁷) He finally got her so frightened that she wanted to go on, but I would not consent. I told him that I would travel as far Sunday as they could Saturday, so that we could camp together every night except Saturday. This did not suit him, however, and, asking the four other men to help him, he hitched up and drove on, although I forbad it and told them to remember how our contract read. PPP 84.2

When I found they would go on I took my Bible and a lunch, and my pistol, and stayed behind. After they had passed on, I walked down to the Platte River one mile⁵⁸ distant and waded across a narrow and shallow branch, onto a wooded island and spent the day there. The sun shone quite hot at midday, and I began to feel drowsy. So I closed my Bible and using it for a pillow, soon fell asleep. I did not sleep long, however, for I was suddenly awakened by a hissing noise, and, opening my eyes, I beheld a snake’s head within three inches⁵⁹ of my face. The head was fully three inches wide and five inches⁶⁰ long and was the most frightful sight I had ever beheld. With a sudden bound, I sprang fully five feet⁶¹ and grabbed a club with which I speedily put the snake out of commission. This snake was of an unknown kind, to me at least, and was the largest I had ever seen except at a show. It was six feet⁶² long and three inches thick. PPP 85.1

I did not go asleep again that day, nor did I see any more snakes. PPP 85.2

About two hours before sunset, I discovered a large wolf about a quarter of a mile⁶³ away. . . . An hour later, two more wolves put in their appearance at the spot where I saw the first one. . . .A few minutes later I started for the road, which I reached just as the sun was sinking below the western horizon. PPP 85.3

I had seen a string of four wagons pass along the road at about noon, so I expected to reach their camp about eight or ten miles⁶⁴ ahead. As soon as I reached the road I took a dog trot, which I did not break until I reached my own company, at half past 10 P. M. ⁶⁵ PPP 85.4

On reaching camp I found all was well excepting that one of the men had lost my ax in the river, while attempting to wade to an island to get wood to cook supper with. This was a great loss to me, as I could not procure another and had only a small hatchet with my tools. PPP 85.5

The men did not attempt to interfere with the team again, nor did they again ask me to travel on the Sabbath. Sometimes the wagons would all stop over both Saturday and Sunday. Whenever they went on the Sabbath, we would lay by and then catch up with them while they lay by on Sunday.—Merritt G. Kellogg,M. D., Notes Concerning the Kelloggs, 1927, pp. 69-72. PPP 86.1

Appeals in California PPP 86.2

In March, 1859, M[erritt] G. Kellogg, half-brother of Dr. J. H. Kellogg, started from Michigan with his family and a chest of carpenter tools, by team, expecting to secure work in some of the Western States. At Platte River, Nebraska, he fell in with a company forming to go to California. Substituting oxen for horses, he joined the company of emigrants. As he was a good mechanic, he felt confident that in those stirring times of emigration to the “Golden State” he would experience no difficulty in securing labor for the support of his family. After a trip of about five months, fraught with some difficulties because of his determination to carry out the agreement made by the company that there should be no traveling on the Sabbath, they arrived at Marysville in the autumn of that year. He broke from the company, remaining in the vicinity of Marysville till the fall of 1860, when he passed on to San Francisco, immediately receiving employment at good wages. PPP 86.3

Not long after his arrival in San Francisco, Brother Kellogg formed acquaintance with B. G. St. John, who came from New York City in the early days of the gold excitement. In 1843-44 he was an earnest Adventist in New York. He still believed in the near coming of Christ, but had not as yet had opportunity to hear the third angel’s message. Brother Kellogg found this family ready listeners to the sanctuary question, the third angel’s message, and the Sabbath truth. They introduced Brother Kellogg to some of their Baptist friends, who also began the observance of the Sabbath. About 1864 Brother J. W. Cronkrite, a shoemaker, came from Michigan, via the isthmus, to San Francisco, thinking to support himself by his trade, and by the circulation of tracts do some missionary work. These few souls had Sabbath meetings in the home of Brother St. John on Minna St. In their anxiety to see the message proclaimed to the public, this company raised $133 in gold, and forwarded the same to Battle Creek, accompanied with an earnest request for a minister to come. The money was receipted in the Review of December 11, 1866. In the same paper Elder [James] White said to the donors, “Do not be discouraged; we believe in due time the Lord will provide men and means for the proclamation of His truth in California.” PPP 86.4

When the question of health reform was agitated in our papers, Brother M. G. Kellogg became deeply interested in the study of the same, and cherished the thought of going East to study medical science. Having succeeded in accumulating, by carpenter work, several hundred dollars, he went, in the year 1867, via the isthmus, to take a course of study for the winter at Dr. Trall’s College, Florence Heights, N. J. Before entering upon his studies, he visited Battle Creek, Michigan, for the purpose of making a personal plea for the work in California. Of this visit, in the Review of November 12, 1867, Brother White said: “We have had a visit the past week from M. G. Kellogg, who has been for the last nine years in California, keeping the Sabbath, and thus by his example, and publications from the office, letting the light of the message shine. Quite a number, as a result, are keeping the Sabbath. He designs to return in the spring; and should he do so, we trust he will be able to take some help to that promising field.” —Loughborough, “Sketches of the Past-No. 139,” Pacific Union Recorder, June 19, 1913, pp. 2, 3. PPP 87.1

“California or nothing” PPP 87.2

The decision to send missionaries to officially open the work in California was made at the 1868 General Conference Session in Battle Creek, Michigan. PPP 87.3

During the winter of 1867-68, the writer, having made Battle Creek, Mich., his home for ten years, was much exercised in mind with reference to changing his field of labor. Much prayer ascended heavenward over the subject, and impressions became more and more forcible that the place of labor would be at the southwest, and a long distance at that. Still seeking for wisdom and guidance, the Lord gave the writer as many as a score of dreams, in which laboring in California with a tent and otherwise figured largely. . . . PPP 87.4

As it afterward developed, the mind of Elder D. T. Bourdeau was exercised in a similar manner, and so certain was it settled with him that he was to be sent to some distant western field and not return to Vermont that he sold his all, horse, carriage, and household goods, coming to Battle Creek with his wife to attend the General Conference, having all his worldly effects in bank drafts, and holding himself ready to go where the General Conference and the providence of God should indicate. PPP 88.1

When the conference convened in May, 1868, Brother M. G. Kellogg was present, and presented a strong plea for a laborer to be sent to California. In those times, when our field of operations was limited, and about every minister attended the General Conference, the mode of procedure to the distribution of laborers was to call for a report and applications for labor from the different fields. Then the president of the conference would ask all the laborers to seek the Lord earnestly for guidance, that the mind of each might be clear as to the field he should occupy. In a day or two the ministers would be called upon to state the particular field to which the Lord seemed to be leading them. This course was pursued in that conference. When the report was called for on May 18, one after another arose and stated his conviction. This went on till every special call had been supplied, and all the ministers reported except Elder Bourdeau and the writer. No minister had as yet said anything about the California field. Elder [James] White then said, “Has no one had any impressions of duty with reference to the California field?” PPP 88.2

Then, for the first time, the writer arose and stated his impressions and dreams with reference to the California field. With this the sense of the body seemed to be that the Lord’s time had come to open up the work in California. Brother White then remarked, “When the Lord sent forth His servants, He sent them two and two, and it seems as though two ministers should go to that distant field. Is there no other one whose mind has been led to that field?” Then Elder Bourdeau arose and stated how his mind had been exercised, and that he had come to the meetings with his companion and all his earthly substance ready to go where the conference might say. Thus the meeting for distribution of labor closed. Brother White said, “Will Brethren Bourdeau and Loughborough pray over this together and separately until the day the Review goes to press, that they may be sure of the mind of the Lord in the matter?” We most earnestly sought the Lord, and as we would meet the word of each was, “California or nothing.” On the morning of May 31, the day the Review was to be printed, Brother White said, “Brethren, what is the decision?” Our united reply was, “California or nothing.” He at once penned the statement for the paper, calling for $1,000 to secure a tent, and to send Elders Bourdeau and Loughborough to California. He said his mind had been settled in the matter for several days. He had only waited for our decision.—Loughborough, “Sketches of the Past-No.140,” Pacific Union Recorder, July 3, 1913, p. 5. PPP 88.3

By ship to California PPP 89.1

When, in the spring of 1868, the decision was made to open up the work on the Pacific Coast, the overland railroad was not completed, there being an unfinished gap of five hundred miles⁶⁶ between the Union Pacific and Central Pacific roads. Our only course was to come by steamer from New York to Aspinwall, ⁶⁷ cross the isthmus by rail to Panama,⁶⁸ thence by steamer to San Francisco. While we were waiting for our tent to be made in Rochester, New York, and otherwise preparing for our journey,⁶⁹ there was a peculiar providence which greatly favored us in point of means. PPP 89.2

A Mr. Peters, of Battle Creek, who had been three times across the isthmus, said to the writer: “You will do well to go to New York and secure your tickets several days before you expect to sail. You will find on the Pacific Mail line the best accommodations. There is another line, the American, which runs a boat between the sailings of the mail line, and there is considerable competition for transportation between the days of the mail line sailings. You go to New York the day after the mail line ship has sailed. Go to the office of the American line and get their best figures for their next saling. Then with these figures go to the mail line office, and they will give you good terms, much lower. As for your freight, instead of taking it with you, ship it to New York by Wells Fargo, to go as slow freight to California. It will get there about two weeks after your arrival, at a cost of about one third what it would be to go with you.” PPP 89.3

We followed Mr. Peter’s advice. We learned that tickets bought on the day of the steamer’s sailing, cabin fare, were $160 for adults, and one fourth that amount for children three and one half years old. This would have been a total for our company of $680. On going to the American line, the agent said he would carry the adults for $129 each, and the boy for $32.00, which would be $548 for all. With these figures I went to the office of the Pacific Mail line. Their steamer for the next trip, the “Rising Star,” lay at the wharf by the side of the office. I was the second one who had applied for passage. The agent took me aboard the ship and let me select good rooms near the center of the ship, and offered to take us all for $467.50. This was $212.50 less than we would have paid had we not been advised by Mr. Peters, for we were planning to go to the steamer and secure our tickets on the morning of the sailing. All this was saved by a trip from Victor [New York] to New York [City] and return, at a cost of $17.00. PPP 90.1

Wednesday, June 24, our steamer left New York City, and we arrived and landed at Aspinwall on Friday, July 3, at 9 A. M. At eleven o’clock we were on our way to Panama [City] by rail, where we arrived at 4 P.M., and were immediately taken by tugboat to the steamer, which was anchored about one mile⁷⁰ from the shore. We were told that the steamer would soon be off for California. Instead of that, our boat lay at anchor until Sunday morning, July 5, at 4 A. M. PPP 90.2

The cause of the delay was this: This steamer, the “Golden City,” was the largest the company owned. The next steamer to make the trip was a small one; so the company took on all the slow freight it could well store to make it easier for the next ship, and to relieve waiting freight. PPP 90.3

Our passage from New York to San Francisco, over 6,000 miles, ⁷¹ was quite pleasant, especially on the Pacific. Our steamer came to the wharf in San Francisco at 10 A. M., Sabbath, July 18, being twenty-four days from New York. As Brother [ M. G.] Kellogg had given us the address of Brother [B. G.] St. John’s family, on Minna Street, with the assurance that they would entertain us until we could make further arrangements, Brother Bourdeau went at once to prospect, while I remained with the family until the trunks came from the steamer. He soon returned, stating that he found the few Sabbath-keepers (consisting of Brother St. John, his wife and two daughters, Brother [J. W.] Cronkrite, and a Brother Moon,—two who were to leave for the States on Monday’s steamer) assembled for a meeting, which they had adjourned until we should arrive. An expressman took us and our trunks to Brother St. John’s, where we were made welcome, and we at once had a brief Sabbath meeting as our first introduction to California.—Loughborough, “Sketches of the Past-No. 141,” Pacific Union Recorder, October 30,1913, p. 1. PPP 91.1

Providence multiplied PPP 91.2

An incident occurred in connection with the opening up of the work on the Pacific Coast which well illustrates how the providence of God may be working and preparing the way before His servants while they are pleading for His guidance, and when, as yet, they know nothing of it. PPP 91.3

When Elder James White made the call in the Review for $1,000 to send Elders Bourdeau and Loughborough to California with a new tent, one of the New York City journals immediately grasped it as a news item, and inserted it as such in their paper, stating that two evangelists were about to sail to California to hold religious services in a large tent. The papers containing this item reached California several weeks before our arrival. PPP 91.4

There was at that time in Petaluma a company of worshipers who called themselves Independents. This company was composed of those who had separated themselves from the various churches, feeling that they could not fellowship the formality and pride found in them. They appeared to be a very earnest, devoted people, who worshiped in a hall which they had erected. When they saw the notice of the evangelists coming to the state with a tent, they said: PPP 91.5

“It may be the Lord is sending these men with their tent to do a work that needs to be done on this coast.” They at once began to make the matter a subject of prayer. The tenor of their petitions was this: “If these, O Lord, are Thy servants, give them a prosperous journey, and come Thou with them.” PPP 92.1

There was one of their number, a Brother Wolf, who was very earnest, and to whom the Lord had seemed to give at different times very impressive dreams, which had proved of so much practical utility that the company had much confidence in them. After one of their special praying seasons, this Brother Wolf had a very striking dream. He saw in his dream gloom and darkness settled all over the surrounding country. While considering this, he saw two men kindling a fire, which made a brilliant light, and brought cheer to the inhabitants. As this fire blazed brightly, his people were rejoicing for the light that had come into their midst. At this point he saw all the ministers in Petaluma come with brush, straw, and tufts of grass, throwing them upon the fire, trying to extinguish the flames. The more they tried to put out the fire, the brighter it burned. PPP 92.2

While these ministers were busy trying to put out this one fire, the men had started a second. The minister[s] endeavored in the same manner to extinguish the second fire, but with no better success than had attended the first effort. This process was repeated until the two men had kindled five fires, and much light was shed in the hitherto darkness. The ministers had tried in vain to quench the flames of all five of the fires. Then he saw these ministers in counsel over the matter and overheard them saying: “There is no use of our trying publicly to oppose these men, for they get the advantage of us every time. We will let them alone, and cease to oppose them publicly.” From that time they left the men with their fires alone. PPP 92.3

Then the brother was informed in his dream that these two men were the two evangelists who were coming with the tent, and as a company they must help them. He was bidden to take a good look at the men, so that he would know them when he should see them. He related his dream to that company, who believed it was from the Lord, and decided to help the men when they should come, and, if possible, get them to begin their tent work in Petaluma. PPP 93.1

Just after the brother related his dream, the town of Petaluma was placed under quarantine for smallpox, so that no meetings of any kind were held for several weeks. Brother Wolf told his people that he must see these evangelists on their arrival, for if they were the men he saw in his dream, he would surely know them. Of all this we knew nothing until some time after opening our meetings in Petaluma.—Loughborough, “Sketches of the Past-No. 142,” Pacific Union Recorder, November 27, 1913, pp. 1,2. PPP 93.2

We were not expecting our tent until two weeks after our arrival in San Francisco. What was our surprise, on the morning of July 20, as Brother Bourdeau and I took a walk to the Pacific Mail wharf, on entering their warehouse, to see that the sacks containing our tent had come on the same steamer with us! Here was another providence. Our tent was among the extra freight put on at Panama to lighten the load of the next steamer coming to San Francisco, so we paid only slow freight rates for what had really come as fast freight. PPP 93.3

As our tent had arrived, we hastened to get our side poles, ropes, lamps, and fixtures ready for commencing tent meetings somewhere. We had the tent conveyed to Brother St. John’s house, and began to study and pray over the matter as to where we should erect it. The few Sabbath-keepers in the city were anxious that our first effort should be made there. When we prayed over the subject, our minds were impressed to go to the northwest, and away from San Francisco. Brother St. John would say, “The direction in which you point must be Sonoma County, but we want the tent erected here.” PPP 93.4

We then began searching for a suitable lot on which to erect the tent in the city. With all our searching, we found but one place that could be secured. That belonged to a Jew, who said he wanted to sell the lot, and would not let us have the use of it for less than $40 a month. That settled the question about beginning a tent effort in San Francisco at that time. I had held tent meetings for fourteen years, and never had paid a dollar for the use of the ground on which the tent stood. Our decision was then made to go out of the city with our tent. But the question was, Where? PPP 93.5

Thus matters stood until July 27, when Brother Hough, one of the independents from Petaluma, Sonoma County, called at Brother St. John’s, and inquired if there were two ministers stopping with him who had come from the States with a tent. When he met us, he said he belonged to a company of worshipers in Petaluma who had learned that two ministers were coming to the state with a tent, and that company had delegated him to come to the city and invite us to pitch our tent first in Petaluma. PPP 94.1

How did he so quickly find us in a city numbering at that time 175,000 inhabitants? On his way down to the city, it was impressed on his mind to go at once to the Pacific Mail wharf, and inquire if a tent had come on their last steamer from Panama. Being informed in the affirmative, he inquired, “Where was the tent taken?” As he asked that question, the very drayman who had moved the tent came into the warehouse. He said that he moved the tent to such a number on Minna Street. So in about thirty minutes from the time Brother Hough landed in San Francisco from the Petaluma steamer, he had found us. PPP 94.2

We went to Petaluma the next day. On our arrival, Brother Hough met us and said: “You will stop at my house to-night, but it is arranged for you to take dinner at Brother Wolf’s. I will go with you there, and come for you after dinner.” We learned afterward that this was arranged so that Brother Wolf could see the two men, and know for a certainty whether they were the ones he had seen in his dream. He said to his wife, as he saw us coming with Brother Hough: “Wife, there they are. Those are the identical men I saw in the dream.” That settled the matter with that company, and they did what they could in securing for us rooms in which to live, and in arranging for the tent meetings. On the 29th of July, we returned to San Francisco, and prepared to move our effects to Petaluma, which removal was effected on August 3. We settled for housekeeping in furnished rooms belonging to Sister Otis, one of the company of independents, and prepared as rapidly as possible for opening our meetings at Petaluma, a town that had for a month been quarantined for smallpox, our tent effort being among the first public gatherings after the quarantine was lifted.—Loughborough, “Sketches of the Past-No. 143,” Pacific Union Recorder, February 12, 1914, pp. 5, 6. PPP 94.3

The Independents in Petaluma furnished ground, stakes, etc., for our tent; but we still needed lumber for seating, so Brother Hough introduced me to Mr. Rice, the lumber dealer in town. I told him that in the States we usually had the use of lumber from the yards free, simply paying for what was cut or otherwise damaged on return of the same. PPP 95.1

“Well,” said he, “I don’t know about trusting a minister with lumber. My experience with them has taught me that they are rather a risky set of men. At least we have found it so here in California.” With a smile, I said, “Mr. Rice, you may not find them all alike.” After looking me over squarely, and seeing I took no offense at his remark, he replied, “I will let you have a thousand feet of lumber if Mr. Hough will go security for it.” That seemed a little rough on us, but I thanked him all the same for the accommodation. PPP 95.2

Our service in the tent opened Thursday evening, August 13, with a crowd of attentive listeners. On our arrival at San Francisco, we had received a testimony from Sister White. It was instruction given to her in vision at Battle Creek, while we were in the state of New York waiting for the completion of our tent. It related to the manner of labor in California. Letters at that time came across the five hundred miles of uncompleted railroad by “pony express,” while all heavy mail came by sea. So the letter was awaiting our arrival. PPP 95.3

Brother Bourdeau and I had both labored in the New England States, where great economy was exercised to make, as they expressed it, “both ends meet.” The testimony to us said: “You can not labor in California as you did in New England. Such strict economy would be considered ‘penny wise’ by the Californians. Things are managed there on a more liberal scale. You will have to meet them in the same liberal spirit, but not in a spendthrift manner.” It was our study how to apply this instruction. PPP 95.4

We had brought a few pamphlets and tracts with us with which to begin our work, leaving a heavier shipment to come as “slow freight,” because all baggage over the one hundred pounds allowed to each adult passenger was charged ten cents a pound for crossing the isthmus by rail to Panama. The smallest coin used in California at that time was ten cents. When persons saw our tracts at one and two cents apiece, they inquired: “Do you expect to sell these? There are no cents in circulation here.” Our reply was, “We can give them away then.” PPP 96.1

On the first Sunday morning, we placed our books and tracts hundred pages to a package. That Sunday the minister of the largest church in the place had asthma, and so dismissed his congregation without services. Many of his members came to the tent. One among them, a Brother Moore, said, “If they tell us when the world is coming to an end, I will get up and tell them they do not know anything about it.” As the members from the church came in, they took their position on the front seats. The congregation listened to the singing of pieces, all new to them, in which we carried all four parts. With deep interest they listened to the singing, and gave earnest attention to the word spoken. PPP 96.2

Just before closing the service, I remarked that we had some reading- matter on the subjects we were presenting. “Here,” I stated, “is a set of pamphlets, comprising five hundred pages, for fifty cents a package. Brother Bourdeau will give the tracts at his end of the stand to all who will receive them.” Brother Moore arose, took a package of the books, and laid down two half-dollars on the stand. I said, “We will sell them after the close of the service.” He replied, “I was afraid I would not get any.” After the service, I said to the brother, “The books are only fifty cents.” He replied, “A dollar is cheap enough.” As Brother Bourdeau was handing out his tracts, one man said: “You can’t afford to give away tracts for nothing. Here’s a dollar. Give away a dollar’s worth for me.” Another handed him fifty cents, others quarter-dollars. In less time than it takes to write this, our stand was cleared of books and tracts, and the congregation was going from the tent with expressions of favor for the new ministers that had come among them. PPP 96.3

So opened our first tent meeting in California. After the close of the tract distribution, Elder Bourdeau found that the people had handed him more money than the retail price of the tracts given away.— Loughborough, “Sketches of the Past-No.144,” Pacific Union Recorder, March 19, 1914, pp. 2, 3. PPP 97.1