Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Ms 142, 1904

Diary, May 1904

May 4 - 26, 1904

Portions of this manuscript are published in 5Bio 319, 326-327.

May 4, 1904

Washington, D. C.

We are now in Takoma Park, and the way is now prepared for us to advance as decidedly as possible. Every move has been made to settle up the business arrangement, and we are thankful. I am deeply and cheerfully impressed with the situation. We know that the Lord would have us now to go forward as speedily as possible and do the work before us. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 1

Sunday, Sister McEnterfer and I rode out to find where our brethren live. Several of our brethren are already occupying rented houses in Takoma Park, and we are now prepared to judge of the location in this locality out of the city. There has been every arrangement to obtain the purest atmosphere and the purest water that can be found. A find stream runs through the lands purchased. The building site is upon an elevation where there can be no settling of dampness. Sunday, we rode about the place and we are more than pleased; for it seems to be the very place to which the Lord has guided us, although there were many things to be considered in locating our printing establishment and especially our sanitarium—that everything shall be according to the light given. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 2

There must be most perfect arrangement for sewage. There has been sewage from a settlement which came close to the land we wished to build upon, and this matter is all arranged perfectly satisfactorily. It will be moved one mile or more in an entirely opposite direction from the grounds we occupy. We may have the most perfect arrangement for the buildings to be erected. It is an accommodation above silver or gold to have all impurities borne far away in pipes. Where a sanitarium is erected this matter should have the most complete system that can be made, that the atmosphere will ever be kept pure and sweet, that not a taint shall come to the senses. The light given me in regard to our sanitariums on the point of sewage has been repeated over and over again to correct false, careless methods in drainage. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 3

May 9, 1904

Washington, D. C.

I thank the Lord that I can look to Him in faith and in hope and courage. I only desire that the name of the Lord shall be magnified. The Lord is my helper. In Him will I trust. Sabbath the Lord did give me words to speak to the people. I had thought to speak from (Matthew 5)—Christ’s Sermon on the Mount—but this was taken from me, and the 15th chapter of John, verses 1-17, impressed my mind. “I am the true vine and My Father is the husbandman.” [Verse 1.] My discourse was reported. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 4

I thank the Lord that I was not wearied as I expected to be. The auditorium was crowded, and all seemed to listen with deep interest. We did not tarry to the meeting in the afternoon, except Sister Hall and Sister Maggie Hare. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 5

Sara McEnterfer and I rode in our carriage slowly the seven miles to Takoma. I thank the Lord I have improved in health since coming to Washington. We see a great work to be done. We must counsel and watch and pray and believe and trust His living Word. We need now to hold fast the hand of living power that will sustain us if we will move under the advice given us in His Word. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 6

The New Testament opens to us the rich importance of the Old Testament history. Praise the Lord, oh my soul. We are to search the Old Testament carefully, for it is a treasure house of knowledge. In the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, the cloudy pillar was over that moving, denominated people as a canopy by day for forty years. At night that cloud was lighted up over them, testifying that Christ, the Light of the world, was to be their courage and their teacher and their leader. Thus He is to us today in 1904. Will our faith falter and fail? We have seen the indications that the Spirit of God has prepared the way before us, leading us to Washington; and now we need to put on the whole armor, that whatever may arise we will be prepared, through the imparted power of God, to know how to meet every emergency. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 7

We must keep in mind constantly the words of Christ, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness.” [John 8:12.] We have the Word of both the Old and the New Testament history. Trust in God. Christ is the Truth, the Alpha of the Old Testament history, and all its treasures are made clear and important by the New Testament history. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 8

Some say the Old Testament history is moonlight, the New Testament history is sunlight. As I read the Old Testament history I cannot say this. His going forth is prepared as the morning. Christ is just as much shining as the way, the truth, and the life in the Old Testament history as in the New. His instruction to Israel from Mount Sinai is the same powerful light as was expressed in His teachings when He revealed Himself in person as the Great Teacher, the Son of the Infinite God. All His words are verity and truth. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 9

May 11, 1904

Washington, D. C.

I thank the Lord this morning that I have been blessed with sleep during the past night. I enjoyed my cold sponge bath. My mind is cheerful. I commit the keeping of my soul to God. I cannot keep myself. I am looking to my Saviour and trusting and believing. We cannot be faithless at any period of time; but now, in 1904, great events are being transacted and we must keep our eyes fixed upon our Leader. We must look to no man living, but make God our only trust. He is our Leader. He hath promised in Matthew, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations.” [Matthew 28:19.] 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 10

Washington, D.C., May 12, 1904 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 11

I arose this morning with my heart filled with gratitude and praise to His holy name. I am refreshed with sleep, and I am so grateful to my heavenly Father. I feel that expression in words is a very poor return. I must express appreciation for His love by imparting His blessings to others wherever I am. I am to represent the great missionary Worker. He expects love and obedience from all who claim to be His children. “We are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 12

This day I have had most of my time taken up in entertaining visitors. Willie was to meet with a number of brethren who by appointment assembled in the room in this house set apart for council meetings. I had a short visit with Professor Bland and two others, a brother and a sister, Dr. ________. We rode out to show them the land purchased for the institutions to be established—the sanitarium and the school. We had considerable conversation in regard to the manner in which sanitariums should be conducted. I plainly and decidedly stated that it was a delicate matter to conduct a sanitarium correctly. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 13

There has been an effort to fasten to the sanitarium in Battle Creek every other sanitarium, to be amenable and bound up with that sanitarium. But while in Australia, in the night season, the light was given me in a clear and distinct representation that this could not safely be done. Every sanitarium in Australia should stand on its own merits; and further, every sanitarium in America, in any conference, should likewise stand united in heart and action with true-principled men who had their hearts under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 14

May 13, 1904

Washington, D. C.

I have passed a restless night, for my first exercise was the establishment of a sanitarium and its necessities and its management. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 15

Nashville, Tennessee

We arrived at Nashville 26th of May, 1904. We were so completely wearied out that I could not know what to do with myself. I am tired, brain weary, and now I must rest. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 16

I found James Edson and Emma L. White very much out of the smoky city with all its various industries and with its noise and clatter of cars and the smoke and trials that have to be in any large city. Now we are here with J. E. White, occupying rooms in his buildings that have been erected to accommodate him for office and room for workers to carry on the work of bookmaking. He and his wife occupy a small wooden building of two rooms and kitchen. One room is a sleeping room and there is another small room for dining room, another for pantry, and still another for kitchen. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 17

They have selected a good plot of ground of ten acres. They have a few peach trees, and they have just come in bearing. I have eaten the peaches—small but good. The land is being worked quite heavily. They had excellent strawberries, and we enjoyed them. They raise potatoes for family use. A large part of the farm is in the white early rose and the sweet potatoes. They are to live largely upon what they shall raise, and all is very sweet, fresh, and nice. They have excellent fresh peas. What a blessing it is to be out of the din of the city! Brethren work for him in his bookmaking, that he may have books in circulation to receive the means to create more books. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 18

My little family are together here once more. We shall not be able to remain here long, because they are calling for us in Washington to come as soon as possible. They want W. C. White and his mother to help them to plan and put all the wisdom together. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 19

I ride out some every day that I feel able to do this. I thought I would not be strong enough to speak to the people, but the Lord strengthened me and He gave me freedom to speak. The place of meeting was full, and the colored people have a place of meeting of their own. I found my son very much overtaxed with burdens and perplexities, because they need more workers; and to move straight forward is difficult. A sanitarium is being carried on in the city at large expense, and yet for the rooms they occupy they are doing well. The Lord has blessed them. Brother Hansen has been doing a good work in giving treatment, but rooms in Nashville cost. But they are binding about, determined not to become overwhelmed with debt. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 20

All this planning taxes the nerve brainpower. They have had to hire a large farm building about three miles out of the city in a very pleasant place. We have taken meals with Brother and Sister Hayward. Everything is neat and pleasant and nice. Their matron I was so surprised to see, for she was the one who was with us for a time in Cooranbong. We prized her highly. She is a strictly conscientious woman. They had a nurse sick with a trying case of fever. Several seasons of prayer were presented to the Mighty One, the Physician who never lost a case. I prayed with her, and the blessing of the Lord seemed to us to be in the room and lighting it up with the presence of the Lord. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 21

We tried to find a roomy house we could purchase at a reduced price. We could purchase a house and ten acres of land for twenty thousand dollars, but it was not suitable. Tastes too strong of money. We could not see how we could raise it. We gave up all idea of such a thing when we heard that the cars went so near as to create a good deal of noise, with car whistles and clanking of bells, which patients ought not to have. Thus stands the matter. Edson has been very anxious to secure a suitable place for the colored people so that they could have respectable treatment rooms. He has succeeded so far a little bit. There are accommodations, but now a sanitarium—land and house—must be purchased for the proper recommendation of our work. 19LtMs, Ms 142, 1904, par. 22