The Fannie Bolton Story

Fannie Bolton to E. G. White, November 16, 1893

Dear Sister White, You will see by the bundles of M.S. that I send you today, that there will not be time or strength to write you much of a letter. Every scrap of M.S. you sent in such urgency, I have prepared as best I could in the great hurry in which it had to be done. Of course it would have been impossible to have got it together, if I had not had help in copying about half of it. Bro. Caldwell copied one Sunday all day, and three afternoons for me, and Sister Daniells copied twenty-four pages, and Margaret Hare ten pages. Marian has prepared the testimony to Prof. Prescott and to Eric Caro, and took the matter after I had prepared it for articles, and got together a couple of tracts on the temperance question. In all there are thirty articles prepared for publication, besides the tracts and personal matter. To send all the matter has taken stamps to the amount of 3-10 pence. The rates for M.S. are high it seems to me. They charge a penny for every two ounces. FBS 16.4

When your urgent letters came to the various ones to whom you sent them, a committee meeting was called, and at first it was decided that it would be utterly impossible to get out the tracts you spoke of; but some of us felt that something must be done, and so two temperance tracts were printed. This temperance matter is splendid. The matter on the Sabbath question was not so much to the point, but as I did not have time to hunt through the testimonies for additional points, I thought it would be better to wait than print it in tract form. Besides this, it would have been impossible to do so anyway; for several other tracts had to be printed, as Brother Baker, Starr and others were preparing tracts on different subjects. At the first committee meeting, it was thought best to send a number of Messengers for distribution, as they contained some of the very cream of your writings, and some good doctrinal articles on Christ’s second coming. Please look over the numbers, and see if you cannot urge the people to distribute them to the people; for I am sure that many will be pleased with your articles, and as they have here, ask for more of your works. We have sent you Messengers that contain articles on coming to Christ, on the plan of salvation and the origin and end of evil, besides many other little articles that are of a practical and doctrinal nature. The matter you sent for a tract on conversion was good, and will make a splendid tract. But it was impossible to prepare it as such for this time. I have sent Bro. Olson three packets of matter. As it was impossible to publish all the temperance matter, I had Freddy Millar copy four of the articles, so that you could have a number of carbons to give to those who will make good use of them. FBS 17.1

Sister Burnham and all are pleased with these temperance articles. The matter to the students is all prepared for the Review. You will find these matters all tied up in order, and they are numbered in the order in which they are to be read. There is matter on temperance, on Sabbath question, on family government, on spiritualism, on the outpouring of the Spirit at B.C., and a number of general articles. FBS 17.2

I believe we have all tried to do our utmost to get the matter out. Am sorry that it did not come a week sooner so that we could have mailed it to you at the very beginning of the camp meeting, but as it did not, we have done what we could. Hope you will have a good meeting, and that it will be demonstrated that your urgency was for the furtherance of the good of the meeting in every way. I should think you must be very tired battling in such godless places as Gisborne; but no doubt good has been done, and some souls will be converted. As I have been working hard, and have not had time to hear any news, I cannot write you any. Others will know more about what is going on. Bro. Daniells has gone to Tasmania to meet Bro. Olson, and to urge the people to attend the camp meeting here. Bro. and Sister Baker have gone to Adelaide to stay for a month and do a similar work. I heard this morning that Bella Berry’s sister is dead. Every one is in usual health as far as I know. FBS 17.3

Let me know as soon as possible that you have received these twelve packets of M.S. to you and Brother Olson, as I shall feel quite anxious to know whether or not you have received them. A few lines will be all that will be necessary. Love to all, Fannie Bolton. FBS 17.4