Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)

Ms 93, 1910

Visit to Pacific Union College in Angwin, California

St. Helena, California

February 23, 1910

Previously unpublished.

We see by San Francisco paper this news, “Cold weather rules in Mountain Region. Denver temperature drops 35 degrees in two hours. The Colorado Midland passenger train, due at Buena Vista yesterday at 5:30 p.m., is fast in a snowdrift at Haver, 30 miles from Buena Vista, and the snow plows sent to their relief are also tied up. Other trains on the Midland are waiting until traffic is opened.” 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 1

Thank the Lord for this freedom we have from freezing and drifting snow, blocking the way of travel. We have no snow in St. Helena. I keep up a moderate fire in my fireplace on the cold days in my good sized chamber. Let us all be grateful. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 2

We visited last Sabbath the Angwin place where our school is located. Elder Corliss was present. Opened the meeting with prayer. We were pleased to see the number of students, all intelligent and promising. I spoke from Daniel 1. I was very thankful to have this privilege and to see the buildings so well occupied. Let all our schools improve the lesson given in this chapter. All our schools have lessons to come home to [the students], to practice self-denial in their eating and drinking. We can see in the book of Daniel that the Lord gives an important account of the history of these three youth. Please read this chapter until you have the facts of what gain there is in self-denial of appetite. Let all our students take in the lesson that the Lord is honored and glorified in the students who are on trial to excel in the line of brain power, seeking knowledge. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 3

They need to become wise how they treat their blood-making organs. They must be careful in their diet. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 4

We see that our young men and women in the school have their apportioned hours of exercise in putting up their own buildings, which is essential. There are trees to be felled, lumber to cut from the hills, and worked up in necessary buildings. They have the sawmill being prepared to saw the lumber and make their own dwellings. They have before them several buildings which are good houses for the students, and this we appreciate. The main building was for a summer resort for city visitors, and we honor the good judgment exercised in the plan of the building for the students. They occupy the buildings all prepared and appreciate them, and yet there are many more that must be built. All are busy in their exercise hours to prepare the lumber from the large trees, and they will learn the lessons of how to build to the best advantage. This is the advantage to be had in this place. The students may learn the lessons of how to build which will be a great blessing to them in their doing missionary work when this school term is finished. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 5

We wish every school would teach their students to build, but this cannot always be done. But here are lessons to be learned just now in house-building as well as the book knowledge. I am so thankful that the students have an opportunity to obtain their physical exercise in this way. This is the way we worked in Australia, in Cooranbong, to establish our schools. The efforts made in accordance with the laws of life and exercising their muscles, they will find to be profitable, for the physical muscles must be used if the body is to be kept in health. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 6

We have great advantages in all this kind of physical exercise, for the young men are being educated how to build and create conveniences, but I cannot specify all the advantages. We can thank the Lord the youth are not tempted with the unhealthful foods being placed before them. The students will have here good, healthful foods prepared in a wholesome way. We thank the Lord for the knowledge of health reform. There are no flesh meats that come on the table, and the milk is prepared in various ways they know is wholesome. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 7

I do not know of a better place that could be found to have the conveniences of this place in the mountains. I shall be ever thankful as long as the Lord spares my life for this excellent place out of cities, away from the temptations of our cities. We have a number of good buildings already with little changes. The work has been done and seats prepared which answers for a school room, also for a meeting house until we can do better. All buildings will be prepared in these mountains as a lesson in education. The exercise will be an education in learning how to put up buildings which are simple and useful to accommodate the students, thus the educational art of building. There is excellent chance here for an all-around education miles away from the settlement of cities and villages where there are the temptations to form acquaintance and learn the habits of those who, unless converted, will not see the heavenly courts. We need to be thankful, parents, that we have such a blessing with so many buildings which are good. The main building is so arranged with all the modern conveniences of toilet and bathrooms but not any superfluous arrangements. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 8

I wish to express to the ones who prepared these buildings so thoroughly, so much in accordance with the real needs—I would have the ones know who designed these arrangements—we appreciate [it] so much, that all these preparations in all these buildings can be put to best use. The orchards bearing their treasure of fruit will, with gratitude, be enjoyed this very first winter. The large treasure of canned fruit makes us grateful, and the Lord shall, we hope, be sincerely honored by the use made of the buildings which we could occupy with making a few changes. I hope that every student of this school will understand the Lord made it possible to bring this school [and its] advantages into our possession. Let us be thankful and continue the same useful simplicity in all our buildings essential for us to have. Not any sum should be expended for unnecessary display—there is a world to be saved. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 9

I have written this by lamplight, I could not sleep after one o’clock, and at two o’clock I left my sleeping room to write these lines in my writing desk chair. I am so grateful that it will be made possible to create the means for cancelling this debt. [To] the Lord shall [be] the glory, for a short work will the Lord do in our world. Satan is working, working, for the control of the world. His armies are immense, but all who come to the Lord, humble and penitent, will see the work soon cut short in righteousness. I lift my voice to all to whom my writings shall come. We have come to a time when it is essential for every soul to now work zealously to train their powers, to present to these parties [what] the Lord has kept before them the last twenty years. Let everyone sanctify their brain nerve power and their voice and their entire being to do the will of the Lord. Pray, believe, and grasp the power of the Lord Jesus Christ by a living, holding-on faith. “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless and qualify me to reach souls perishing in their sins.” Let this prayer come forth from souls who feel their own necessities, that they may meet perishing souls in and through Christ Jesus. 25LtMs, Ms 93, 1910, par. 10