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Words of Explanation

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 23, 1872

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 39, No. 6.

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Words of Explanation.

By James White

We wish to say to our friends in New England, that the labors of our General Conference, and the care of many things pertaining to the cause, have so worn us that we seek several weeks of rest before we can even journey. We hope to be able to spend several months with our eastern friends as soon as we are able to labor.
We wish here to also state to correspondents, that it has been impossible to give them proper attention for want of time, and now we are unable to notice them for want of strength. We shall be glad to receive words of good cheer from friends, and will give personal matters attention, so far as we shall be able. But on all matters pertaining to the cause, which may call for anxious thought, or responsibility, we must be excused. All letters upon such matters will be respectfully returned to the writers. We are very happy to receive good words from Eld. T. J. Butler, of Missouri, formerly of Ohio, and should be glad to visit him, and help him; but this being impossible, we have referred the matter to the President of our General Conference.
By consent of other Trustees of our Publishing Association, we decide to dismiss all care of the work of editing and publishing for the next three months at least. And if, during that period, the right men become connected with the work at Battle Creek, and we become sufficiently rested and restored, we shall then be willing to serve the cause. But we feel assured that our days of heavy toil are in the past, and that if we shall be of any service to the church at all in the future, it must be under more favorable circumstances.
At this extremely interesting era of the cause, especially of the publishing work, it is with feelings of grief that we feel compelled to lay the armor off for a while to rest. We have ever loved to labor in the cause of truth, and, since our restoration from extreme sickness a few years since we should have been permitted to enjoy labor of our choice away from Battle Creek and saved this breaking down. Those who have urged upon us double responsibilities and toil, against our urgent entreaties, will see that they made a mistake. But in God we trust, and hope for help and strength to work again in his vineyard. J. W.