California by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 24, 1874

California.

By John Norton Loughborough

My last report was made Jan. 7, at the close of our meeting at Napa. Sabbath and first-day, Jan. 10 and 11, Bro. Van Horn and myself each gave two discourses at St. Helena. Notwithstanding stormy weather and much sickness in the place, we had interesting and encouraging meetings.

The church in St. Helena are passing through some trials relative to a meeting place, their meeting being held in a private house, and the owner of the house forbidding the brother who rented it from having meetings there. We all felt that it was not the Lord’s design to have the truth presented and a company raised up in St. Helena to be crowded down in such a manner as to fail to meet and encourage each other in the work, but that he designed us to learn from this that he was stirring us up to take a more prominent position before the people. It was decided to immediately commence to build a house of worship. The enterprise started better than any of us expected, and I learn is advancing beyond all their expectations. May the Lord still prosper the work there.

At Woodland, the 17th and 18th, we had a very interesting quarterly meeting, which closed the laboring together of Bro. Van Horn and myself. The quarterly missionary meeting, held in connection with this meeting, was the best one we have had in the State. The Vigilant Missionary Society had been in working order here for one quarter, and their report gave interest to the meeting. The outside attendance at this meeting was good, considering that it was a rainy time.

After this meeting, a consultation of our ministers in this State (partly by letter, and partly in person) resulted in Bro. and sister Van Horn going to attend the quarterly meeting in Green Valley, which was to be followed by their giving a course of lectures. Bro. Cornell was to meet opposition discourses at Napa, and follow up the work there with a second course of lectures; while I was to go and join Bro. Canright in his meetings at Watsonville, Santa Cruz Co.

On my way to Watsonville, I spent an evening with a few of the brethren and sisters in San Francisco. I find the fault-finding ones are more fault-finding still, and the earnest workers are of good courage and for pressing on with the body of this people in the State. We would say to them here, It is no time now to be daunted and crippled in our efforts by those who have simply selfish interests to serve, and are disposed to put on brakes at every advance movement. God’s cause is onward, and those who are in earnest will rise with it.

The work is moving steadily on in California, spite of foes without the church, and a very few (so few a child might write them) within. It is an important time for the work here, and we hope each and every brother and sister will find his or her place in the great missionary work, learning how they can be effective workers. Let us “do with our might what our hands find to do.”

We esteem it a great privilege to have in our midst Bro. and sister White, who, during the rainy season, are vigorously prosecuting their writings, and are even now giving us good counsel and aid in the work here; and when the spring opens, and they have the opportunity of speaking to our people in different places, as the providence of God may indicate, they are prepared to greatly help our people. God bless them in their important work is our daily prayer.

I labored with Bro. Canright in Watsonville nearly two weeks. Found him of good courage, and although his meetings had been held in the midst of mud and storm, a number had come out on the truth. The providence of God is opening the way before the work there. A covenant was introduced, which was signed by fifteen before I left the place. There are about twenty Sabbath-keepers in the place now. I was glad of this privilege of being with Bro. Canright a few days, not having seen him in about six years. His health is improving, and he is planning to throw his energies into the work in this State the coming summer.

Feb. 2, I was called home by telegraph to the bedside of my sick wife. She has been troubled with a cough, more or less, for the last twenty months. A sudden cold some two weeks since threw her into a lung fever. She became almost helpless from the first night of the fever. We have used water, and healthful diet, and committed her case to the Lord according to the rule of James. The Lord has greatly blessed. She is free in the Lord, and resigned to his will, come life or death. But we feel, in this case, it may be the will of the Lord to restore to health. I expect the Lord will bring us out of this trial in his own good time and manner better prepared, by affliction, for the Master’s use. Our trust is in God. I am detained at home for the present, but am not idle. I endeavor to devote some time each day to writing. Pray for us.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Woodland, Feb. 11, 1874.