Report From Elder J. N. Loughborough by John Norton Loughborough

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 23, 1909

Report From Elder J. N. Loughborough

By John Norton Loughborough

My last report was written from Kimberley, South Africa, May 25. From Kimberley, in company with Elder E. R. Williams, the president of Cape Colony Conference, I visited the following places: Grahamstown, Rokby Park, Maranatha Mission (conducted by Elder F. B. Armitage), Uitenhage, and Port Elizabeth. This last point brought me down to the seaside again. From Port Elizabeth we sailed to Cape Town, over four hundred miles. The remainder of my time in Africa was spent in the vicinity of Cape Town, at the sanitarium, Claremont Union College, and with the churches of Cape Town, Kenilworth, “Rustica”-Wynberg-Plumstead, and the two Kafir churches of Salt River and Parow.

On July 19, after ninety days of labor in the South African field, about thirty of our people gathered at the departure of the steamer “Goorkha,” of the Union Castle line, to wish me “God’s blessing, and a prosperous trip to Europe.” Of the ninety days in Africa eight were spent in traveling two thousand five hundred miles. Thus only eighty-two days were left for meetings. On those days I attended one hundred eighteen meetings. In one hundred eight of those meetings I preached. I enjoyed much of the Lord’s blessing during my labors in Africa. Our people rejoiced in the tokens presented showing the Lord’s leading in this great second advent movement. Tokens of their appreciation of the work were shown, not only by words, but in substantial help for my journey.

Of the voyage from Africa to Europe, I would say, to the Lord’s praise, the first half day, when coming into the Atlantic, the sea was a little rough, but all the way after that was calm and smooth sailing. Our sail from the Cape to Southampton was made in twenty-four days. We were landed at Southampton at 9 A. M., August 11. At 2 P. M. I was at the Caterham Sanitarium, seventeen miles southeast of London. On August 15 I left Caterham for the Yverdone, Switzerland, camp-meeting. Thirteen years ago I was at a camp-meeting at Yverdone for the French and Germans of Switzerland and France. Our meetings then were in a fifty-foot tent, which was only about half full of our people. This year the meeting for the French of Switzerland was held in a fifty-by-ninety-foot tent, which was well filled with our people, camping in fifty tents.

From the Swiss meeting I went to Vergèze, some fifteen miles west of Nimes, France, about fifteen miles from the Mediterranean Sea. This meeting was in the extreme south of France, to accommodate those coming from Spain, Portugal, and Italy. On this camp-ground were twenty-five camping tents, and a meeting tent fifty by seventy feet, which, on the Sabbath day, was filled with our people. On Sabbath afternoon Brother Steiner was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry, and is to enter northern France to open up the work in that field. In Switzerland and France there are now about fourteen hundred Sabbath-keepers. Eleven were baptized at the Vergèze meeting. There is a good interest aroused among citizens, and tent-meetings are to be continued in the place.

On August 28 and 29 I made my return trip to London. On the thirtieth I came up to Watford, where I am at this writing. This is surely a fine place in the country for the printing plant, food factory, and school. The workmen are now engaged in laying the foundation for the new school building. From this place, in company with Elder W. J. Fitzgerald, I go to attend the meetings at Glasgow, Scotland. Then the meetings in South England, Wales, and North England are to follow. I am booked to sail for New York on the steamer “Arabic” of the White Star line, October 2. To the praise of the Lord I can say that with my over thirty-nine thousand miles of travel, by sea and land, since July 13, 1908, I am in better health than when I left California. The Lord is good; his tender mercies are over all his works; he is a present help to all who put their trust in him.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.