Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

O. A. Olsen to E. G. White, Oct. 2, 1892

Battle Creek
Sunday Morning, October 2. 1892 O. A. Olson
Dear Sister White:—

Our meetings here at the came have continued with increasing interest. The lord has blessed us remarkably in this meeting. It has gone far ahead of anything I ever saw in Michigan or in another place before. The speakers have had the signal blessing of the Lord resting upon them, to a degree that they themselves have not experienced before; and the word has taken effect. The attendance is also much greater than on any previous occasion. We have not nearly 400 tents on the ground, and many of these are large tents. The Sanitarium tent 50 x 70, and the Conference has put up several 40 and 50 foot tents for the occupancy of people that have no tents of their own. And there are other tents 20 x 30, etc The weather has been perfect. It has not been hot, nor has it been chilly. This morning it is quite cool; but this is the only morning that we could say it has been anything cooler than was comfortable. We had a shower of rain last Sunday, and this was a blessing to the camp---laying the dust, and hurt nothing. Yesterday (Sabbath) was a remarkable day, such as I have never seen before. I thought several times how much good it would have done you to have been present and seen the attitude and the spirit this year as compared with that of last year. The large pavilion was crowded fall by our own people, and many were standing around the borders. In the call to seek the Lord there were fully 600 persons that responded, and prominent among those were a number of ministers. L. G. Moore, J. F. Ballenger, T. M. Stewart, M. S. Burnham, H. W. Miller, M. E. Kellogg (who is working on the editorial staff of the REVIEW) M. E. Cornell, and is seems to me there was also other. Some of these brethren moved out with humble and contrite confessions, which had a wonderful of effect upon the congregation. I would have been so glad if you could have heard Bro. Miller’s testimony. First he spoke a while, acknowledgements, and was quite broken; but it was evident that he was did not reach the point. We were glad for this of course. He took his seat; but he had been there only a moment of time until he got up again, and said that he was not free. Then he took up the testimony that you gave him at Kalamazoo, which you remember. He said, while his sentiment was in favor of the testimony, yet there were some things in this one that he had not understood and seen; but as he had prayed over it, light had come; and it appeared clear to him now, and he acknowledged it. He also spoke to Bro. Jones and acknowledged the feelings that he had toward him. He was very much broken He said that his great trouble was Miller. By the grace of God, he would get Miller out, and get Christ in. It rejoiced us all to hear this. I must say that I have never seen a Miller so broken before. You know yourself that it is not easy for the Millers to come to that point. But, Sr. White, the Spirit of God is at work, and the Lord’s power is mighty. We had a most remarkable season. Elder Smith had not been present at the meeting at all; I am sorry for this. During the latter part of the camp-meeting he was laid up with rheumatism, so he could not move. MMM 213.1

Battle Creek, Oct. 4, 1892. MMM 214.1

At this point in my writing I was broken off, and have not found time to write any more until now. The camp-meeting went on and closed triumphantly. We had our parting meeting Sunday evening after the preaching service. There were probably nearly two thousand people at that meeting. I never attended such a meeting before, and never before saw such manifestations of the Lord’s power. There was no excitement. I thought many times how it would have cheered your heart to note the change this year from last year. MMM 214.2

Bro. Jonas spoke twice on both Sundays, setting forth the present situation, and the present developments. I do not know how to describe it only to say the Power of God was upon him; and again, this expression. He spake as one having authority, and not as the scribes. The Spirit of God accompanied the word, and every one felt that he spoke indeed as one having authority. MMM 214.3

My greatest anxiety is the ministry. The people are going ahead of the ministers in many instances. Personally I tried to do my duty for the laborers. I never labored so faithfully. Day after day we took them and talked with them and prayed with them, and tried to set forth the situation before them. Well, some begin to see; others did not break through. MMM 214.4

There was one feature of the meeting which I must not fail to mention. Dr. Kellogg came down Friday morning. His way was very limited; so we gave him all the time he could use. He spake at six o’clock to the whole congregation in the tent. His subject was medical missionary work, and what it was. The Dr. has talked good wherever he has attended meetings this summer, and his talks have taken with the people as never before. But in this instance he went away beyond himself. I never heard the Dr. talk that very before. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon him in a marked measure. He was led out to speak of the work at the sanitarium his own work, and he mentioned his sickness last winter and the profitable lessons it had taught him of his dependence upon God, And finally he. told of some instances where persons we re there for treatment, who were discouraged and despondent in mind, and he related how he had last Sabbath met such a case; and as he had not time on other days, Sabbath afternoon he took his Bible and went to her room, and spent two hours in giving her a Bible reading, and pointing her to the Saviour for comfort and help. Well, it was just such things as the people needed to hear, and while he was speaking he became so affected at times that he could not speak,—just broken down. The fact was the whole congregation broke down. Elder Jones and Prof. Prescott sat in the pulpit, and they just wept for joy, and praised God aloud for what the Lord was doing for the Dr., and though him for the people. He spoke again at eight o’clock, to those who had the medical work in view; and then at nine o’clock to the entire congregation. In the nine o’clock meeting he took up the subject from a Bible standpoint. I was not permitted to hear but a very little of that; but they said it was most excellent. You know that there has existed a great deal of feeling against Dr. Kellogg and the Sanitarium, in Michigan, and especially in Battle Creek. Probably there has been more prejudice here than in any other place. But his talk at this time will have a telling effect. There were so many that said that they now saw the Dr. from a side that they had never seen him before. They had heard many stories, but they would give no attention to them after this. They could see that the Lord was with the Dr., and that he was laboring in the fear of God, and going far beyond many of them. I know that you will be pleased to learn of this, as you have felt such a burden and interest for the Dr., and that branch of the work. I can assure you that it is a matter of exceeding gratification to me that the Dr. is talking the position he does. This last year I have been more intimate with the Dr., and have had more conversation with him in reference to then work, than ever before. I know that he is making earnest efforts to heed the counsel of God. Throughout the Sanitarium the general sentiment is that the Dr. is so much different from what he used to be. They say he is so much kinder and pleasanter, and that it is a great pleasure to work thorn in comparison to what it has been sometimes before. But I am sorry to say that the Dr. is not so strong physically as he vas before. At times I have felt greatly alarmed over his condition for I fear that he will utterly break down. I shall have to give more attention to him and to the Sanitarium, and assist in planning and arranging to give him some relief in some it say possible. MMM 214.5

Last evening we received the September mail from Australia and we were indeed glad to receive so much information I have not been able to road it all as yet. There is one thing that give as a degree comfort in reading your communication to me, and is was this, that the line of thought on which you wrote, and the burden that was on your mind, was exactly that on which we were working in the Michigan camp-meeting. A number of the very expressions you make were those upon which the most stress was laid, especially with the ministers. MMM 215.1

Capt. Eldridge was in a few moments ago, telling me of the communications that he had received from you, and he intends to carry out the instruction that you have given him. He will have Address No. One printed as you have sent, and circulated. He will call a meeting of the Board, and read No. 2. MMM 216.1

In reference to the matter of wages, I think I have not written you anything about it since you left; but I am glad to say that that matter was taken in hand some time ago, and changes have been, brought about, the wages of the General Manager at present are $25 per week. The wages of the other members of the Board occupied in the Office, such as Elder Smith, and Belden, are $20 per week. This is $5.00 per week less than they were at the time that you spoke of that matter in the Office. At that time the General Manager had $30 and the other members $25. I think under all the circumstances it is now quite reasonable. MMM 216.2

Now in reference to the Review and Herald Office, I do not think it is best for me to say much. I need not tell the Lord anything. I have expressed to you before, that I feel greatly concerned, greatly so. I feel so anxious that the Lord may work for this office. I wish I could see the same efforts put forth in the Review Office, to bring up the spiritual condition, that I see in the sanitarium. I wish I could say of Elder Smith that he was in the advance light of the message as Dr. Kellogg is. But he is not. The Dr. appreciates the situation. He has embraced every opportunity to receive light, and he has invited workers to come into the sanitarium to labor for the spiritual upbuilding of the institution. Last winter he invited Prof. Prescott to some in and study the Bible with him. The Prof. was glad to do so, and several times they sat there together during the midnight hour, studying the Word of God, as that was the only time that the Dr. could find opportunity. The Prof. said he would be glad to come at any time when the Dr. was at liberty. Those things did the Dr. a great deal or good. Then from time to time he has invited ministers and others to come in. This summer during the latter part of the vacation he invited Bro. Magan to conduct a series of Bible studs in the morning from five to six o’clock. Well many of them prophesied that they would be a failure, that the helpers would not come out at that early hour; but the result the that the interest increased rapidly, and after a few lessons the attendance was five 200 to 250 every morning. This was kept up for several weeks. This was a great help, and resulted in much good. I am also glad to report that Elder Me Coy, who at first did not take much interest in it, became thoroughly changed in his feelings and toward the letter part of the study threw his whole soul and interest into it, and acknowledged that he had received great light, and that things appeared different to him than before. I mention these things so that you may know how things are moving there. MMM 216.3

There is such a demand for the right kind of labor here at Battle Greek; but I am puzzled to the utmost of my powers to know how to bring it about, because the right kind of laborers, who can take hold and lift, are so few. But the turn that the work took in the Michigan Conference and camp-meeting, just closed, will evidently be a great help to the situation, and we shall try to follow it up as much as we can. MMM 217.1

You also sent me a copy of a letter that you have written Elder Haskell, in reference to Elder J. H. Morrison going to the St. Helena Health Retreat. I am connected with the responsibility of having Morrison go there. And the things of which you speak have not, been passed by or ignored. I have thought over the matter very much. I could readily picture to my mind how you would feel about the matter, and so I tried to seek God for light and guidance. Now I will, as briefly as I can, state how I have looked at the matter, and why I have done as I have. I may not have the right view of things, and I hay have erred greatly in what I have done. But the situation is like this. During the time of the Des Moines Institute Bro. Morrison received some help and placed himself in a different light from where he had stood before. Still 1 was aware that he had not come out fully. During the interval between the Institute and the Iowa camp-meeting, he wrote me a letter, in which he made some acknowledgments in reference to his feelings, and gave expression of his earnest desire to walk in all the light. But this letter I did not receive until some time after the Iowa camp-meeting, for the reason that it had been forwarded from place to place, and had been delayed so long, and thus failed to reach ma until so long after. He intended that I should have the benefit of that letter before I came to Iowa; but as the letter did not reach me I did not have it. During the time of the Iowa; camp-meeting, I had several talks with him, and some seasons of prayer. Well, we was then very much changed from what he was some months ago. He had a very tender spirit, and it was very evident that the Lord was moving upon his heart. Many things he saw very different from what he had before, and was very desirous to understand and receive all the light. It was the general understanding that ht would not accept the Presidency of the Iowa Conference another year, and this he held to, and so he was not elected, not ever made a member of the conference Committee. In my talks with him I frit drawn out for him to try to help him, and so I say, he seemed very tender. In the public meetings his testimony who good, and his prayers touched the heart; indeed there was a very sensible difference between him and some of the other workers. Well as he was planning to be released, his next was to locate his family at College View, Nebr., and take a period of rest from ministerial work. I occurred to me that his going to Union College would not be the most favorable for him, or for the work there, because of a certain combination of elements, which it appeared to me would not result in the beat from any standpoint. It is not necessary that I should try to define myself in that. I may have been entirely mistaken, but that is the way things appeared to me. MMM 217.2

While I was in California, in consultation with Has-keel and Jones, we were much concerned about finding a proper man to stand as Superintendent of the Retreat. It was very evident that Bro. Fulton’s health was failing, and that quite soon he would have to leave. We searched the country over. We had than heard that Elder Morrison did not expect to take up the Conference work again, and we thought that if he would take the right attitude, he could be of service in the Retreat; and so Bro. Haskell began to correspond with him to that effect; and when I was at the Iowa camp-meeting I spoke to him on the same. Now it may be that we have made a mistake; but I can say for myself that I have tried to move carefully. The things you speak of have come up to me, and when I read what you have written I felt that it was not at all unexpected; and I thought, too, while we were doing it, I said to myself: now if Sr. White was here, and could take in the situation of things, the attitude that Bro. Morrison is taking, and the whole situation, what would she say, and what positions would she take in the light that the Lord has given in reference to the situation,? It occurred to me that you would favor the steps that have been taken. But I say in this again. I may be mistaken; but I just mention this that you may know that we have not moved without any thought or consideration of these things. I know that there are elements in California that are not what they ought to be, and I feel at anxious as can any one in regard to the results of this matter. I pray earnestly that if we have made a wrong more, that God will forgive, and that the situation may be so changed that the right may prevail. Morrison has faculties that could be of much use in that position if properly sanctified to God, and if ht takes the humble attitude that the Lord would have him. I think that in taking hold of the work there, he would be still farther helped on in the frame of mind that he was in, and would soon be able to see the light and the truth as it is in Jesus; if ho was left to take the course that was on his mind there was danger that he would receive no help from those that would be associated with him, and on the other hand, be of no special help to them. This is the way things have presented themselves. MMM 218.1

Now in reference to Leroy Nicola. I felt much relieved is my mind after reading what you wrote me in former letter he is now here. We came during the early part of the Michigan camp-meeting, and was there throughout the meeting, and received its benefits. During the ministerial institute held in Des Moines I had several earnest talks with him. In looking over the field for a person to be a help to me I came to this conclusion, that if lovely could came into the light and be where the blessing of the lose could be upon him. He had qualities that would be of service and could be a help. Well during the institute, as I say,. I had several earnest talks with him, and he received a great deal of help. He also had some special talk with Elder Jones, and he received a great deal of help from him. It appeared that the Spirit of the Lord was striving with him, and that in some measure at least, he was opening his heart to let it in. At the time of the camp-meeting in Iowa I had still further talk with him was satisfied that he had been making advancement, and that he saw things in a very different way from what they had appeared to him before. Well, I thought I saw so much of a change, and so much of a desire to seek the Lord and obtain the light that God had for him, and such a tenderness of heart in his work, that I felt warranted in arranging to have him come and work with me. Indeed, Sr. White, I did not know where to look to find any help that was more favorable. Now here are some, that, while they would be in harmony with the advance light, they lack so much in other things again that it would be utterly impossible for me to receive the help I needed from them. I have not treated this matter with any lightness, and I trust that it will prove to be the leadings of the Lord. Bro. Nicola has been with me now nearly a week, and as I say, had the benefit of our camp-meeting and the instruction given there. He is very tender, and in my talk with him to-day it seemed to me that he has made great advancement toward the light and the true position. He said he received great help during the Michigan camp-meeting; that in several things that had been dark to him before, he now saw his way clear; and because of this he had already sent a confession back to Iowa. This I knew nothing about, and he would toot have told me if I had not brought up the matter as I did, in connection with this letter that you had written to Bro. Haskell, and of which you sent me a copy. I have confidence that he will place himself in the true position. Of course I maybe mistaken, but I have moved carefully, and with much prayer and according to the best light I have had, and this is all I can do. I hope it may prove to be the right thing. I certainly do not want to do the least thing that would be in the wrong way, and this matter of finding one to work with me has been of the greatest concern to my soul in every way. I have felt that I must have some help, because the way the work is accumulating there are so many things that are necessarily neglected because it is not possible for me to give attention to them. I have been sorry that during the summer I have been so poorly. It hat set me back a gnat deal in my work; for with my congested, confused brain I have not been able to do what I ought to have done. But I am great deal better. MMM 218.2

For some time previous to the Michigan camp-meeting, I had felt that it was privilege to call some of the brethren together and ask them to have a season of prayer in my behalf, and on last Sabbath eve after meetings of the day were all over some of us met together, there was present Bro. A. T. Jones, Prescott, Fargo, Corliss, and I. M. Evans. We consulted over the work for the morrow (Sabbath). We all felt very desirous that the great crowd of people that were present should be fed. In thinking of speaking I had felt that it would not be possible for me to speak, that my strength would not be adequate to the undertaking; and still at the same time, I; felt a burden for the people. We talked it over, and it was the unanimous mind of the brethren that I ought to speak in. the forenoon. This was not contrary to my convictions, but I felt that I would not have strength to stand up, and have voice and power for, such a large congregation; and that if I should do so; I should have, to have the special help of the Lord, which I knew was available I then went on to tell the, brethren that I also felt that I needed a special fitting up for the responsibilities of the preparations and the labors that would be necessary in connection with the coming General Conference. I needed physical health; I needed mental strength; I needed largeness of mind, and quickness of comprehension, with good sense; that. I needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit; and I had felt it my duty to ask them to pray the Lord that if they felt free to pray for these things for me that they would do so. Well, they felt free and glad to engage in it. I am glad to say that the Lord’s presence was with us in a remarkable measure. I felt greatly blessed, and the Lord has been with us. In speaking the next day I enjoyed perfect freedom, had ample strength, and the Lord wrought mightily in the congregation, and I praise his name for his wonderful works to the children of men. I feel that my strength has been renewed to me. I have been able to take up the work, and since that season I have had renewed strength and a clearness of mind that I have not had for months; and Oh I am so grateful to God, and my soul doth magnify the Lord. MMM 219.1

I invited Bro. Nicola to be with us in that season, and he was present; and the brethren, understanding what he had come to do, as I told them 1 had invited him to be in, as he was to be connected with me in the work, and that he too needed the spirit and power of God, that he might be the assistance that God would have him to be. Well, it wrought for him, and it gave him a sense of the responsibilities of the situation, that he had never had before. And I believe, Sr. White, that I shall have the blessing of God in the work as I have never had it before. I feel as though I have been set apart anew to the work of God, and that he will not leave me or forsake me, but will give me physical I health and power of mind and the light of his Spirit, that I shall be saved from making blundering moves in this sacred work. I know that I have your prayers, and I can not tell you how much I prize the instruction that I have received from time to time. I am trying to give it to the people, in ministers’ meetings, and in other important meetings. I am so glad that the Lord is thus remembering his servants and his people, and giving us that which we seed. In my discourse last Sabbath forenoon, I read largely free some of year resent writings, as they set forth the solemnity of car time and the responsibility of our work and the character what God demands his people to possess at this time. The Lord blessed the word, and it took offset. MMM 220.1

You will pardon me for writing so lengthily but I thought you would be interested in some of these things, and there other things I thought you should understand; and that is was I have written as freely. MMM 220.2

[Selection ends here.] MMM 220.3