Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)

Lt 226, 1899

Haskell, Brother and Sister [S. N.]

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

March 15, 1899

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother and Sister Haskell:

I have had a long hard pull of writing to the Conference in America. The burden has been great and has swallowed up every other matter. I dared not give strength or writing to anything else, and I fear we are now just two mails behind, but they must have the matter. I will, in this morning’s mail, send you copies so you can understand the matters we are treating. Our mail went last evening to Newcastle, to go down on the night train and catch the boat that leaves in the morning. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 1

I have been up morning after morning at one and half-past one, and [have] written all the day. Yesterday was a most trying day for me, to complete the writings I had on hand, and I did not get nervous. All tried to help me quickly. The past two days have been earnest working days for me. Now I rest until Friday, and then go to Newcastle to attend Sabbath and Sunday meetings. If Brisbane were as near as Newcastle or Sydney, be assured I should be seen in your midst. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 2

I am pleased that your meetinghouse is nearly finished. It is that which was a necessity, and we must arise and build in Newcastle. The dearth of means is at the present time felt, possibly, by us all; but the Lord understands this, and if we walk humbly with God, He will safely bless. But if we lift up our souls unto vanity and self-sufficiency, then we stand in our own finite strength. We each have our work to do, and we must trade on our talents and be faithful stewards. Work! There is plenty of work to do! Now is our day of trust. The Lord Jesus in His great mercy has allotted to every individual a special work to do, and He will assist every worker who will labor with his eye single to the glory of God. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 3

You speak of Judge being dismissed from the school. It was a right thing to do; unless it was done, his sly, deceptive practice would leaven the whole school. He was writing letters to Millie Edwards and trying to convey communications with her, notwithstanding he was making pretensions of having had a wonderful experience. He was a great perplexity in his case, and he was cautioned and warned. But while he made fair promises, he did not keep his word. You must understand we have altogether a different class of students than when you were in the school. Those were older, and were Christians not merely in name but in character, but are not attending the school this year. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 4

[The] girls and boys—a large number came from farms, where they have never been confined in schools and are wild and ignorant—are undisciplined, more like wild colts, both girls and boys. The little Miss Christabel McCullagh is here and a handful to manage. She has to be watched vigilantly. She is wise to do evil, and ready to cut up any capers she can if she can do it on the sly. We wish we had more of the students as we had the first and second terms. I have only spoken twice in the school, but I shall hope to be able to talk to them oftener. There is a larger number of students than the two former terms. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 5

There has been much carefulness, and there has been much labor to organize, which would bring things into order indoors. This light has been given me very decidedly as a thing that must be done: [that] everything indoors and out-of-doors must work by well-devised plans, that the Lord was looking down upon the school at this disorderly ways. Much time was lost hunting for working tools that were left scattered in any place. All these things have cost much care and much hard work to bring about system and school regulations out-of-doors and indoors. We think that the Lord presides and makes things felt, and the school will be handled more easily. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 6

We ask: Can you come this way? And can you spend some labor in Ballarat? Just now you would be a great blessing to them there. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 7

I have written very plainly to McCullagh and have not daubed with untempered mortar. I do not want [that] he should be put in trust as a shepherd of the flock until he has an opportunity to be enlightened in the Scriptures. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 8

If you could not now visit us here, and especially at Newcastle, then visit Melbourne or, rather, Ballarat. It would do, I think, a great amount of good. Your Bible instruction would come in nicely. I have this in mind considerably, and if you can rest here a little, we will do all we can to make you comfortable. You can have our parlor, and we will put a bed in it, and then you can just go to Newcastle. Stay as long as you please. Just at this point your help would be greatly appreciated. But if you see no light in this, tell me so. I see light in it, and Elders Daniells, Starr, W. C. White, and myself have harmonious ideas on this point. Take the matter to the Lord, and come if you can. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 9

If McCullagh could now have the lessons you give on Bible subjects, I believe it would now help him to rivet to the divine Book. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 10

I am anxious for this to be. Just tell us quick as you can about it. This must go to the mail. 14LtMs, Lt 226, 1899, par. 11