Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 96, 1903

Hall, L. M.

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

May 22, 1903

Portions of this letter are published in PM 344-345; WM 339.

Dear Sister Hall,—

Will you please take the responsibility of making inquiry in regard to books of mine that are needed in the Sanitarium library. I understand that many of the books were consumed at the time of the fire. Please find out what is needed in the patients’ library, and purchase the necessary volumes, at my expense, as I desire to make a gift of them to the Sanitarium. I would wish these books for the patients’ library to be in the best binding. Also find out whether there is a set of my books in the helpers’ library. If not, please buy a set for it, too. The binding of this set need not be the most expensive. Use your judgment in regard to this matter. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 1

I should also like you to find out whether the Old People’s Home and the Orphans’ Home are supplied with sets of my books. If not, please buy for them what may be needed, including both the large and the small books. I desire to make these gifts to these needy places. I have the tenderest feelings toward all these institutions. Please use your judgment in supplying the necessities of these institutions, sending to each place the books required, at my expense. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 2

There is another errand that I will commit to you. I used to have some books that I cannot now find. Among them were four or five leather-bound volumes of Barnes’s Notes on the Bible, which I purchased from Brother Saxby when I was in Washington, D.C. I think my name is in them. I want them, if they can be found. Please ask Brother Amadon about them. If they cannot be found in the West Building of the Review office, please ask that public inquiry be made in regard to them. If these books are about the office, this fact will be known; for the volumes are almost square, leather-bound, second-hand; and if inquiry is made in a public meeting, some one may be found who knows something in regard to them. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 3

Another volume that I cannot find is Mr. Horace Mann’s book on temperance. If any one has this book, or any other books belonging to me, I should be glad to have them returned to me. My name is in most of my books. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 4

The Review and Herald office had some old cuts, or engravings, of a large photograph of my husband Elder James White and of myself. I want these and also the copies of the pictures printed from these engraved plates. I understand that a large package of the pictures is stored in the General Conference office, together with old pamphlets. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 5

At one time I had some remnants of books and some complete volumes of Sabbath Readings stored somewhere in Battle Creek. Please ask Brother Amadon to make diligent search for all these things and to send to me, by freight, packed securely in a box, all my belongings that I have referred to. We can use the small volumes of Sabbath Readings and other works to good advantage in orphans’ homes and in many other places where these little books will be highly valued. We could use some of them in the Soldiers’ Home at Yountville, where many hundreds of old soldiers are provided for in large government buildings. We are giving these men every attention possible. Every other Sabbath a party from the Sanitarium and the St. Helena churches visits them to sing religious hymns and to speak to them. They are interested in these meetings and seem delighted with everything that our people do for them. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 6

We are sending papers to these soldiers and have placed in their library copies of my works—Christ’s Object Lessons and some larger books of mine. Many of these men are intelligent. Our brethren and sisters are working this field, and we hope to do much more for the soldiers than we have yet done. Sometimes a talk—a short, pointed, Bible sermon—is given them, and they listen with intense interest. The gospel songs, the short prayer, and the good talk, taken together, seem to be just what is needed to interest the old men. They say, “We never have had any such work as this done for us before!” 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 7

We desire to keep books and papers circulating among these soldiers. Please help us all you can along this line by gathering together something for them to read—books and papers full of Bible truth. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 8

I must stop writing, else I shall not get this into the mail. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 9

In much love. 18LtMs, Lt 96, 1903, par. 10