Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Lt 165, 1902

Cornell, Myron

St. Helena, California

October 23, 1902

Portions of this letter are published in 5Bio 186.

Dear Brother Myron Cornell,—

I wish to inquire if the outstanding debts for the rent of my house in Battle Creek have been collected. I greatly need every dollar of this money. Will you please do what you can toward obtaining it for me? I have not received much for my books since Object Lessons took the field, but I do not regret anything that I have done to help lift the debts from our schools. 17LtMs, Lt 165, 1902, par. 1

I have been obliged to have a room built for me to use as an office. There was no room in my house suitable for me to occupy as a writing room. I have to handle a great many manuscripts, and the room that I have occupied in the past is so small that I found it almost impossible to keep my writings in order. Then, too, there was no fireplace in this room; and I cannot endure stove heat. So the low roof was taken off the back bed-chamber, and a large, airy room was built. In this room I have a fireplace, and the sunshine comes in all day long. 17LtMs, Lt 165, 1902, par. 2

The building of this room took money. I held back for a year before consenting to have this room built; for I knew how many places there were in which money was needed. But I saw that it was necessary, for the preservation of my life, that something be done. It would be wrong for me to shorten my life, for this would take me from the Lord’s work. I do not wish to lie down in the grave until it is the Lord’s will that I should. 17LtMs, Lt 165, 1902, par. 3

Will you please do what you can to collect the money due me, for I am in much need of it. Getting out my books takes money. I have in the past been obliged to borrow money to pay my workers, and they have not been paid as promptly as they should be. Last year I was compelled to borrow six thousand dollars to help in getting out my books and to take up the mortgage on my house. I still have some money in Australia, but I dare not withdraw one dollar of it, for it is needed there. I have now two more books ready for the press, and I hope to receive something from them. 17LtMs, Lt 165, 1902, par. 4