Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 6 (1889-1890)

Lt 71, 1890

Jones, Charles

Salamanca, New York

November 1, 1890

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother Charles Jones:

I received your letter while I was in South Lancaster. You speak of Bro. Eldridge, who will talk with me in regard to the price of books, or rather the royalty on books. 6LtMs, Lt 71, 1890, par. 1

You know as well as I do how Brother Eldridge would regard this matter. He has no real knowledge of me, my connection with [the] cause and work of God, the place and influence of the testimonies for the last forty years. While I respect Brother Eldridge, I say he is not the man to be a judge in these matters of me or my work, because he has no real experience in the part I have been called of God to fill in this work; because he has not this experience is the reason that he does not place value upon the testimonies, of the Spirit and the light which God has sent to His people and to the world. 6LtMs, Lt 71, 1890, par. 2

Do you think if he looked upon the work God has given me to do in the correct light, he would have treated Volume Four [The Great Controversy] as he has done? No, I answer, decidedly no. All the old hands who have known my husband’s self-denial and self-sacrifice to bring the publishing interest into existence and up where it was when my husband left it, are no longer in active service, with the exception of two or three. The men in responsible positions in the office now, know nothing of what this work has cost those who acted the part of responsibility they did in bringing this work along step by step, by self-denial, self-sacrifice and investing the means, as fast as gained, in the cause and work of God in the earlier stages. 6LtMs, Lt 71, 1890, par. 3

Now men take the work, enter into other men’s labors, and reap the advantages of large wages. This we do not object to because the different branches of the work have prospered and grown in financial strength. But if these men now, who take the work, would consider the earlier part of our history and discern things as they are and who did the planning, the executing, who had the self-denying part to act all the way along for many years, and would evidence that they thought of these things, it would be wholly consistent and appropriate. As far as the real appreciation of the work of God in its rise and progress is concerned, the men mostly now handling it are ignorant of the trials, the perplexities, the financial pressure, the prayers, the tears, the ... [Remainder missing.] 6LtMs, Lt 71, 1890, par. 4