A Hasty Trip to the Pacific Coast
By George I. Butler
MAY 11. I took the train for a brief visit to St. Helena, Cal., and the Pacific Coast. A week before I had not a thought of making such a visit, but a crisis seemed to confront us in our work as officers of the Southern Publishing Association; a financial stress was upon us, and we knew not what else to do to meet it successfully. Our dear brethren and sisters had been appealed to by Sister White especially, and also by others, for means to establish an office of publication in Nashville, Tenn. This city is an educational center for both white and black, as well as a center of great political prominence and influence in this great Southern field, and the providence of God, as well as the Testimonies of his Spirit, designated it as, on the whole, the proper place for the establishment of our work in that field. Our people had furnished means for a convenient building. It had been rapidly erected without involving the cause in any additional debt. But a building alone is not a printing office. The cause in the South was weak and poor. A great field for our work was opened up. But the office was not properly equipped to do its work. The stock of paper and other materials at the command of the board of management was very meager. Only a small amount of ready means was in sight to carry on the business, barely sufficient to meet the demands of the weekly pay roll, and do the work in an inefficient manner; and there was little prospect, as far as we could see, for anything better in the near future. The officers of the association were put to their wits' end to know what to do. To be sure, the property was there, the building erected, and we had a portion of our equipment. Our people stood back of the undertaking, and they have never yet in a single instance failed in the end to stand by any of our young institutions. I have never had a single fear as to the ultimate outcome of this new institution; for I have too great confidence in the integrity and good business sense of our people to believe for a moment that this most important field would in the end be neglected. But our anxiety was for ready means with which to push forward the work already too long delayed. We knew of one whose interest in the great Southern field for long, weary years in the past had never slackened and never failed,—one whose testimonies had rallied our people to help in this important field heretofore. Hardly knowing any other source to which to look for relief, we thought we would make this dear, aged servant of the Lord a visit, and see if she had not some encouragement for us. We reached St. Helena, Friday, May 16, and found Sister White very glad to see us, and greatly interested in the work which was of such special interest to us. We soon learned, moreover, that she had already written the very documents we needed with which to call the attention of our people to the great needs of the Southern field, especially to the necessities of our publishing association. This fact was of great encouragement. Soon that important “Appeal to Our Churches in America” was on its way to the REVIEW AND HERALD for publication. This appeal no doubt has been read by the thousands of our people in America. Knowing, as we do by long, personal acquaintance with many of them, their interest in this great work to which long ago my life was consecrated, we surely expect our people will not pass by our great needs with indifference. Many other important documents relating to the cause in the South were placed in our hands to be an assistance to us in pushing the work forward in every way possible. Sister White made a very emphatic statement of her deep and abiding interest in the work in the South. Indeed, as far as I could judge, scarcely any branch of the work was of more interest to her. She evidently feels that many of our people have failed in their duty to help in this great portion of the Lord's vineyard. She was, as far as I could discern, much rejoiced that others of us were greatly interested in the prosperity of the work there. Our visit was a great encouragement to us in many ways. Having known Sister White intimately from even my boyhood, as early as 1850, when she with her husband came to my father's house in Waterbury, Vt., about the time when they first began to keep the Sabbath of the Lord; and having been most intimately associated with her and her husband while he was living, and with her son, W. C. White, since; attending many scores of camp meetings and other gatherings with her, and having long known and most highly appreciated her arduous and earnest labors in this work, it was a great privilege to me, after being so long retired from the work, to have the opportunity of again meeting her at her pleasant, comfortable home. Though bearing the burdens of many years of incessant labor, and long ago old enough in years to retire from the many cares and perplexities of the work, she never seemed more interested in it. I was glad to find her health considerably improved since the Nashville meeting held in January last. Then she was much worn and very feeble. Now she is able to be about, and her mind never seemed clearer. May God, in his infinite love and pity and care for his children, still spare to us this servant of his; for her labors are still greatly needed among us. It was my intention to return to Nashville the following Monday; but as Sister White and Brother W. C. White urged me quite strongly to visit the Healdsburg, Oakland, San Francisco, and Fresno churches, and present to them the needy condition of our great Southern field, I reluctantly consented. I felt reluctant because of the work that needed my attention at Nashville, Tenn. I spoke twice at the Crystal Springs (Sanitarium) church, three times at Healdsburg, once at San Francisco, three times at Oakland, and four times at Fresno. Eighteen hundred dollars was raised in pledges and cash. Most of it24was for shares of stock in the Southern Publishing Association. Some of it was donated. The Crystal Springs church pledged five hundred dollars. For the size of the church this was very liberal. The Fresno church pledged six hundred and forty dollars, a very liberal gift indeed. Doubtless much more would have been received from the other large churches than they pledged and gave, but for the fact that they had recently made large subscriptions for other enterprises. We feel indeed grateful for this assistance from these churches in California. They have set a noble example to our people in all parts of the field. The meetings held in these large churches were a great surprise to me personally, and will not soon be forgotten. I was astonished to find such great evidences of cordiality and personal regard toward one so long retired from the work. The Lord gave some degree of freedom in speaking, and many expressed themselves as greatly encouraged, and very thankful for the privilege of once more hearing my voice in the closing message. I had an opportunity of renewing my acquaintance with many dear friends. Such privileges seem almost like an oasis in the desert in life's weary pilgrimage. How precious will be the final gathering when all the loved and lost ones “meet ne'er to sever!” May the dear Lord hasten that glad day. The cause on the Pacific Coast has made a wonderful growth since the Oakland General Conference, about fifteen years ago, when I was last on the coast. The church membership has greatly increased. Our institutions located there bear many evidences of prosperity. It was my privilege to observe carefully the improvements made at Healdsburg in the school work, and to speak to the pupils. The Lord blessed my feeble efforts by his Holy Spirit. I was informed that the average attendance is one hundred and fifty, or more. I was much interested in the various forms of manual labor there in operation, designed to furnish pupils with needed exercise, and give them useful employment, to help needy ones to secure an education, and to train the hand as well as the intellect. Among the industries carried on are the following: the cutting of wood in large quantities for use and for sale; the manufacture of tents for sale and for conference use, at a profit to the institution of several hundred dollars a year; broom making; blacksmithing; wagon making; caring for fruit trees, flowers, etc.; canning fruits and vegetables for sale and for the use of the school. I had never seen so many successful enterprises of these kinds in operation before. It was also my privilege to spend several hours with Brother Sadler in San Francisco, in visiting the various enterprises there set in motion for the good of our fellow men. There we saw a health restaurant in very successful operation. Eighteen persons are employed constantly, and hundreds daily partake of the refreshment put before them in a most tasty manner. Many are constant patrons. This work is under the charge of Brother Fulton and his wife. It pays well financially. We visited the mission, where meetings are held each evening and on Sunday with success. Souls are rescued from the thralldom of appetite and sin. This work and its agencies were of interest to me. We visited also the health food store, which is kept in a most neat and tasty manner, and were happily surprised at the amount of business transacted there daily. We also visited the branch sanitarium established in San Francisco, which is also well patronized. The Pacific Press, established in Oakland, is a wonderful hive of industry. It employs one hundred and seventy-five helpers. Altogether, the cause on the Pacific Coast is onward. It was told me that five or six thousand Sabbath keepers live in the California Conference, and about ten thousand are found on the great Pacific slope. I well remember when Brethren J. N. Loughborough and D. T. Bourdeau started with their tent for the first ministerial visit our people fitted out for the work in California. Then the believers on that slope were a mere handful. Surely God has wrought in that great field. May he ever work there, and also in our great, needy Southern field.