Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)

Lt 25, 1897

Bolton, Fannie

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

April 11, 1897

This letter is published in entirety in FBS 73-75. +^Note

My Sister Fannie Bolton:

The work which you have done here in Australia has yielded a harvest which is widespread. You denied having said to Sister Malcolm that which they told me, and insisted upon, you had said. You afterward visited Sister Malcolm, and denied having said that Sister White was a very ignorant woman, who could not write, and whose writings you had to make all over, and that it was your talent in connection with the work that made the articles in the papers and books what they were. My only course has been to dismiss you from my employment several times. I did this while you were at my home at Preston, but because of your apparent repentance, I foolishly consented to let you work with me again. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 1

Then, after the Brighton camp meeting we had that long, soul-disheartening revelation made to us that you thought that Marian and yourself should be recognized as the ones who were putting talent into my works. I had a talk [with] Sisters Colcord and Salisbury, when I related to them the trouble I had experienced with your perversion of facts in regard to your work on my writings. These sisters told me that you had told them the same story. You also told it to Sister Miller. The same words which Sister Malcolm told me you had said to her, you repeated to Sister Colcord. At first Sister Miller said you had said nothing to her; but Sister Salisbury said, “I heard Fannie say these words to you,” (repeating what you had told Sister Malcolm). Sister Miller then said that she had forgotten, but now remembered what you had said. Now these words were <positively> untrue, and as the result of your report, Sister Miller has repeated them to the Andersons. You have also, I learn, repeated the same to others. You claimed that it was your superior talent that made the articles what they were. I know this to be a falsehood; for I know my own writings. You yourself have adopted much of them, and interwoven them with your own articles, which I recognize. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 2

I have met this again in the work you have done in your misrepresentations to Brother McCullagh. I ever treated Brother McCullagh and his wife as tenderly as I would my own children. But the leaven has been at work, and the talk of him and his wife have done great harm in the church in Sydney. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 3

After the instruction given me of the Lord at North Shore, I did just what He told me to do. I took you from Brother McCullagh’s, and did all in my power for you, although I could not tell what such a movement meant. But in your influence in Australia, in bearing false statements against me, I have been repeatedly shown that <you were> my adversary, working against me. Why I was directed to take you to my home, I do not <now> know. But the Lord understands all about that, and that which I do not know now, I shall know hereafter. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 4

The work in Adelaide was left for Brethren McCullagh and Hawkins to finish, and I think it was a finish. Brother McCullagh has given up the truth, largely, and taken Brother Hawkins with him. The whole church had gone with them, but had not fully taken sides when these brethren sent in their resignation, saying that they did not believe in Mrs. White’s visions or mission. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 5

This called Brethren Daniells and Colcord to Adelaide. On arriving there they found that McCullagh and Hawkins had appointed a meeting, where they made their tirade upon me. Brother McCullagh has reported your words of information <given him> from house to house, saying that I have very little to do in getting out the books purported to come from my pen, that I had picked out all I had written from other books, and that those who prepared my articles, yourself in particular, made that matter that was published. <This is the way you become my adversary.> 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 6

When Brethren Colcord and Daniells visited from house to house, they met these very same statements. In the meeting appointed by Brother McCullagh, he said he would have nothing to say against Adventists; but Brethren Daniells and Colcord were present, and heard him make similar statements in public, before believers and unbelievers. Brother Daniells asked if he could make a few remarks, but they positively refused to let him speak. Then he handed McCullagh a notice to the effect that he would review these statements the following Monday evening, and asked them to read it. Brother McCullagh handed it to Brother Hawkins; but as the people were leaving the house, Brother Daniells arose and read the notice himself, remarking that he had asked these ministers to read it, and they had refused to do so. Brother Hawkins said, “I was going to read it, but you did not give me time.” But already the people were passing out, and some had gone. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 7

Now, this is the state of things. You can see by this what a harvest your leaven of falsehood and misrepresentation have produced. You opened your mind to Brother and Sister McCullagh, which has changed their feeling toward me. The leaven worked, until it carried with it one whole church. But thank God they are recovered. And now my way is clear to make statements just as they have been coming from you, and I will cut off the influence of your tongue in every way that I can. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 8

I will say that much of the time that you were in Australia, you surely did not know what manner of spirit you were of. Satanic agencies have been working through Fannie Bolton. Again and again <I told Marian for years> as I have been placing some article in your hands, there seemed to be a hand stretched out between you and me. I can understand all about matters now as others have come to me with confessions. I know now that <proof can be given that> every article coming in the paper cannot be claimed as Fannie Bolton’s ideas, Fannie Bolton’s sentiments. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 9

You asked if you could come back again and connect with me in my work. If you should regain your health, the light I have from the Lord is, “She is not converted. She has no power to prevent Satan from working with her mind to exalt self, and make statements that are false in order to receive praise. <You have done all that you could do.> The seed that she has sown will bear its harvest.” 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 10

I was shown that by your coming to my home, the Lord would give you an opportunity to clear your soul of its guiltiness in connection with me and my work. Your words had created, in others, ideas that would be communicated to still others. But the opportunity was granted you to make straight and thorough work, to clear your soul, and place me in a clear <and proper> light before the people to whom you had spoken. You had acted as my adversary, and <the light given me of God is> that it was not the will of the Lord <henceforth> that you should have the least connection at any time with me and the work which God had given me to do. Shall I be compelled to publish this matter in order to uproot this influence? My mind is forever settled, Fannie, in regard to having one page of my written articles go into your hands. I do not regret taking you into my home when I did, <because it was the Lord’s plan.> I can see the reasons more clearly now. May the Lord pity and save you. I am sorry for you, indeed I am, and would do anything to save your soul. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 11

I thank the Lord that I have two good editors in Maggie Hare and Minnie Hawkins. They are doing good work. The writings come from their hands with my own ideas, and I know it. Who makes the articles now? All can see that they are just as full of Bible truth as they have ever been. Your “inspiration” has not touched them, and never will again as long as I shall live. In the place of my articles bearing your ideas, your articles have the ideas that the Lord has given me. You have grafted them into Fannie Bolton’s stock. I wish you no harm; but I will not keep quiet. Your misrepresentations shall not mislead other minds if I can possibly prevent them. 12LtMs, Lt 25, 1897, par. 12