SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 24, 1879

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

By John Norton Loughborough

At the time of my last report I was preparing to visit a family in Oxford to whom we had sent the Signs. I made the visit, and found that the paper was being read eagerly by four families, and then sent to another neighborhood ten miles away to do its work there.

I found the family deeply interested in all the truth. They invited in several of their neighbors, and I gave them a discourse in the evening, and left them more reading matter. On Monday evening of this week I held another evening meeting in their house, with a larger audience. The interest is such that for the present I shall hold at least one meeting a week in this house. Last night this devoted brother attended the meeting held in our house, and said that he and his wife should keep next Sabbath. He brought me an invitation from the lady on the estate on which he works to call and visit her. This Christian lady has been reading our works, and is deeply interested. I have appointed to go there to-morrow.

Last Sabbath one more joined us in our Sabbath meeting. In the afternoon we organized a Sabbath-school. We had seventeen scholars, children of Sabbath-keepers, and these were divided into three classes. Some others also came in; we expect more next Sabbath. In connection with our Sunday-afternoon Bible class, we have started a Sunday-school for all who wish to attend. This calls in many children who are not with us on the Sabbath.

Each week we are now sending two hundred copies of the Signs through the post, to all parts of England, Scotland, and Wales. We get many favorable responses, and thus hear of persons interested, on the sea as well as on land. We also hear of many who are interested, but do not reply to our letters.

Work on our tent is going forward rapidly. In some respects it is an improvement over any tent I have had in America. Of the points of improvement I will speak more fully when it is completed.

During the past week a friend, on learning that we were making this tent for a public meeting-place, gave us £10 ($50) to aid in its purchase. All these things are tokens to us that the Lord's hand is set to the work, even here in Great Britain.

We now have about six meetings a week, and these, with our visiting and necessary missionary correspondence, keep us busy. We are free in the Lord, and feel that his arm is beneath, to strengthen us for our labors.

We would be pleased to get letters from all our friends in America, but as our reports in the REVIEW and Signs are quite full, we hope they will accept these as answers to their letters. This will save us much precious time. Our work increases, both in amount and interest and we shall therefore try to find time to report every week. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

April 3, 1879.