Untitled article by John Norton Loughborough

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · May 14, 1908

Early Experiences in the Publishing Work—No. 2

By John Norton Loughborough

In a former article we left Mrs. Bates in a sad state of mind, because she had just learned that their last money had been expended; and Brother Bates was at his desk full of faith and courage, preparing the manuscript for the first Sabbath tract published by a Seventh-day Adventist. As he sat writing, and Mrs. Bates was in her room mourning, the impression came to him, as strongly as if spoken in an audible voice, “Go to the post-office; there is a letter there for you.” He said to himself, “I do not know who would write me,” and attempted to go on with his writing; but the impression came again, stronger still, “Go to the post-office; there is a letter for you.” So he obeyed the impression, laid aside his pen, and went to the post-office. Sure enough, there was a letter addressed to him; but the postage on it was not paid. In those days prepayment of postage was optional with the sender of a letter; but the receiver in that case must pay the postage before receiving the letter from the postmaster. So here Brother Bates was humbled again; for he must tell the postmaster, with whom he was well acquainted, that he had no money with which to pay the postage. The postmaster, however, urged him to take the letter and pay when he got the money. “No,” said Brother Bates, “I am not going to cause you to disobey orders, for you have no right to let the letter go until the postage has been paid; but it is my impression that there is money in that letter. You break the seal, and open the letter. If there is money in it, take the postage out of the money. If there is no money, I will not receive nor read the letter until the postage is paid.”

Accordingly, the postmaster broke the seal and opened the letter, when out came a bright ten-dollar bill. While the change was being counted out for Brother Bates, he read the letter. It was from a stranger, who had heard of his work, and who was so strongly impressed that he was in need of money that in hurrying off the same, he probably forgot to pay the postage on the letter.

Our tender-hearted Brother Bates had by no means forgotten the weeping wife at home, and his first move was to send some consolation there. He went at once to a provision store to secure commodities for the table. Let it be remembered that in 1845-46 ten dollars would buy more than twice as much for family use as a like amount will now purchase. He got a whole barrel of flour for four dollars. He ordered potatoes, sugar, and other supplies, and said to a drayman, “Load this on your truck, and deliver the goods on the front porch at such a street and number. Probably the woman will tell you that the goods do not belong there, but pay no attention to that. You unload

the goods just as I have told you.” “Yes, captain,” said the drayman, “I will do just as you have ordered.”

Then Brother Bates went to see a printer, and said, “I am going to write a book, and wish you simply to set the type, and print the sheets. I can fold and stitch the pages myself. I wish you to furnish me proofs of the galleys, which I will read. I expect to have money, and will pay you as fast as I receive it. I will not take the one thousand printed sheets until you are fully paid. Will you take the job on such terms?” “Yes,” responded Mr. Lindsay, the printer, “and you may bring on your copy as fast as you please.”

Then Brother Bates secured his writing-paper, and goose quills for pens; for we had neither gold nor steel pens at that time. While thus employed, he gave ample time for the grocer’s supplies to reach his home.

When he passed down the street to his home, Brother Bates saw that the goods were on the front porch; but he went into the back door of his house, and seated himself at his desk to resume his writing as if oblivious to anything that had occurred. Just then Mrs. Bates came to him, and said, “Joseph, just look out there on the front porch!” He, apparently unconcerned, arose and said, “What is the matter?” “Why,” said she, “a little while ago a drayman came here, and unloaded that barrel of flour, and all that stuff on the front porch. I told him he had surely made a mistake, for it did not belong here, and that we had no money with which to buy such things. I tried to get him to take it away, but he persisted that this was the exact number where it was to be left. And he left it all, and drove off.”

“Well,” said Brother Bates, “I guess it’s all right.” “But,” said Mrs. Bates, “where in the world did it come from?” “The Lord sent it,” was Brother Bates’s calm reply. “Yes,” said Mrs. Bates, “that’s what you always say; the Lord sent it.” “Well,” said Brother Bates, taking the letter out of his pocket and handing it to his wife, “you read that letter, and you will learn where it came from.” She read the letter, and in a flood of penitential tears retired to her room for another hour of weeping, far different, however, from the first. In that hour of confession of her lack of faith, and trust in God, she was enabled to make a new consecration to God, and take a firmer hold of that faith

manifested through her husband, whom God was thrusting out as a pioneer of the third angel’s message to the world. The experience of that day not only gave fresh courage to Brother Bates in the work upon which he had entered; but better fitted her to stand as a faithful helper, without murmuring, in the conflicts through which he might be called to pass. So wrought the Lord in leading this apostle of the message through some of the “narrows” connected with the early development of this cause.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.