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Ellen G. White: The Australian Years: 1891-1900 (vol. 4)

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Recall of a Loan of £300

Just at this juncture, a sister in Melbourne who had loaned the school £300 asked for her money, saying that she must have it at once. The school board met to study the situation. Visiting Australia some years later, Daniells told the story. Money had not come from America. “We knew not what to do,” he stated. 4BIO 412.4

Naturally we blamed ourselves for going ahead without the money. After a long, fruitless discussion we adjourned in discouragement until the next morning. I went to my room, but I could not sleep. I rolled and tossed and perspired. I was in agony of mind. I rose and went out in the bush where I could be alone. I had to have help from some source.... There in the dark I prayed and cried to God to send us help. I prayed on until the morning light began to appear. With all my heart I cried to the Lord to send me an answer, to give me some light. And there came to me a most positive answer. “I have delivered thee. I will meet this situation. Be of good cheer.” 4BIO 412.5

The presence of God was so powerful that I could not stay on my knees, I could only lie on the ground and thank and praise God for deliverance. Something was going to be done by the Almighty, and I knew it as well as I knew that I lived.—DF 312d, A. G. Daniells, in Australasian Record, August 27, 1928. 4BIO 413.1

When he met the committee early Monday morning, he told them that deliverance had come, but he could not explain just how. He asked for authorization to visit Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, and assured them he would bring the needed funds back with him in several weeks’ time. The board did not hesitate to authorize the trip, and he left that morning. 4BIO 413.2

On Tuesday, April 4, Daniells arrived in Melbourne, and met the sister who was calling for her money by the following Thursday. He endeavored to persuade her to renew the loan for another year, but she insisted she must have it “the day after tomorrow.” As he retired Tuesday night he was greatly troubled. Wednesday morning, while praying in his room, he reminded the Lord of the experience in the night at Cooranbong. He felt impressed that he would get an answer from the Bible. In his recital, years later, he told what happened: 4BIO 413.3

Then I did what I had never done before, and I do not know that I have ever done it since. I put my finger on the margin and opened the Book. The very first words I read were these: “Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee.” Daniel 6:16. I wrote in the margin of my Bible, “Salisbury's room, 7:20 A.M., 4/5/99.” That evening at five o'clock, I wrote, “Fulfilled 5:00 P.M., 4/5/99.”— Ibid. 4BIO 413.4

He added, “I seldom tell the marvelous way in which it was fulfilled, but I shall do so on this occasion.” He went to the publishing house to see what would happen. By Wednesday noon he was still waiting, and after lunch he called Salisbury, the manager, and Faulkhead, the treasurer, together and reminded them that the next morning he must deliver £300 to the church member calling for her money. The publishing house just did not have that much money in the treasury, but Faulkhead thought of a man who some months before offered the publishing house a loan. They went into the country to see the man, but found he had invested the money elsewhere. 4BIO 414.1