Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 9 (1894)

Lt 156, 1894

Hall, Sister

George’s Terrace, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia

January 4, 1894

Previously unpublished.

Dear Sister Hall:

I send you, with this, copies of letters written to others. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 1

I have a request to make of you. I wish you to look after Edson White. I authorize you to let him have, in my name, $100. But hand him $25 now, and if you see he needs more soon to live on and bear his expenses in the school, hand him the sum he needs for the amount named. I want you to take a special interest in him because you will do this favor for me discreetly. He is now in a hard, trying place and some would just as soon see him pinned to the wall as not. In consideration of what we have done in Battle Creek in the office, and the self-denial and self-sacrifices we have made to build up the cause of God, and what we are doing in this country, I should think those who claim to be children of God might have some interest in Edson White. But this is the way that the Review and Herald office has been pursuing for years. They make no account of our self-sacrificing efforts for themselves and others when the work went hard, and we were bound about with poverty and discouragements. These things do not impress them or move them. Their hearts seem to be as hard as adamant. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 2

Well, I am not going to write more on this line, but I send to you an order just as though [it is] money I am returning to you which is due you from me, and do not make them any wiser in this matter. I send you two orders. Collect them and put the money in the hands of Edson as he needs. If I should send the order for Edson to draw, jealousies would be aroused, and they would work against me. I am using every dollar I can get to educate students to become missionaries to work here in Australia where there are so many fields to be worked and a variety of work to be done. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 3

I want Edson to attend the Bible School and become qualified to do the work he has now decided to do. You may say to him I do this, not wishing the managers of my business shall know that I do it; fearing it would not be as well for him and for me, I thought of this plan. Now please to follow my directions as given above. Show Edson he has a friend in you. He feels that he has but few friends in Battle Creek. I trust this with you; keep it to yourself and oblige me. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 4

I wish you would come to Australia to help us in many ways—any one way you shall choose—and remain with us two years, and then you can return. We may not be able to pay you the same as you get at Battle Creek, but we will approach as near to it as possible. I think you should receive every penny as much as you do laboring there at Battle Creek. They are fully able to pay you for your valuable labor. I should appreciate your help here very much. We will leave you to move as you feel is the will of God. I have not mentioned this, for I feared you would consider it an impossible thing. Now, my dear sister, consider this matter. Ere long we shall have to have a sanitarium in this country, and now we need wise planners, those who shall direct and tell others what to do; and I need such as you in my home and can pay you well for your time. To have you to consult and advise with would be of highest value. You have an experience but few have. May the Lord teach you is my prayer. We will at once be under the necessity of building for school purposes, and this will make necessary a house for worship. Wish you were here. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 5

Dr. Kellogg writes that Brother and Sister Thorp are prepared to do, he thinks, first-class work, and says he would prefer to trust them more than any one he knows. Will you consider this? I presume we need some one now who will answer as matron of the school, and a reliable man to work with her as steward of the school. Now, a man and wife are the only ones we could accept for this work. There is, since the camp meeting commenced, the most earnest plea made by the president of W.C.T.U. in Victoria, and secretary of the same, for cooking lessons to be given. They offer the rooms connected with their beautiful hall for giving these lessons. Sister Starr said, “I am not educated in the cooking lines and would not do well.” 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 6

Said they, “Will you not give us a practical knowledge of what you do know?” And what can we say? This president and secretary are in advance of any we have seen yet. The president states she is a vegetarian and has not tasted meat for four years; and she wishes that the members of their society shall become strictly hygienic in their principles, and they must be informed. We have had many women workers on temperance attending our meetings. A large opening is coming to us. I tell Sister Starr to connect with Sister Carrie Gribble, who has served one year in cooking for the school, and to connect with Sister Tuxford, who is a good cook, and excellent bread maker. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 7

We have those who can help in this matter, for they want the knowledge now. So you see the people are in advance of us, and pushing the reforms and us into it as workers. Calls are made for health lectures, and Dr. Kellogg will have several lines of work ready at his hand. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 8

We so much want experienced workers. Destitute of the help we ought to have, we feel so sorry at this time when we might represent Health Reform to so large a number in the cooking lines. I wish you would read this to Dr. Kellogg. We will come to some definite decision before this mail closes and tell you what we calculate to do. I have written so hastily that I will not send to Dr. Kellogg such scribbling. Will be able to state some things more definite before long. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 9

January 19

We have consulted together to wait, in reference to Mary Thorp and her husband, until Elder Olsen shall go to America and consider this matter himself as to the proper ones to send here to Australia. This is my last day of meeting and before mail closes, so you can see I am pressed about as close as one needs to be. I spoke twice yesterday and had much writing to do which I could not do because of visitors, believers and unbelievers. Oh, I am so thankful that the Lord has given me strength on this encampment. I have spoken thirteen times besides short speeches, but thirteen times one hour and more in length. The camp meeting has been extended one week and last evening Elder Colcord spoke upon religious liberty. The tent was packed full and people standing all about the tent. It was a most wonderful meeting of interest. The interest has not abated one jot or tittle. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 10

My head is so weary of writing that I cannot do more now. The Lord bless you, my sister. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 11

Love to all friends. 9LtMs, Lt 156, 1894, par. 12