Cause in California by John Norton Loughborough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 11, 1875

Cause in California.

By John Norton Loughborough

DEAR BRETHREN: I trust you have an abiding and increasing interest in the cause on this coast. I do not cease to pray for you daily, that you may be steadfast, and faithful in duty at the various points where you reside. The cause is one, and whether efforts are being made in our own town, or at some other place, we should all earnestly pray that it may be a success.

Since the camp-meeting I have been exceedingly busy in the tent-meeting in San Francisco, so I have had but little leisure to even answer your letters, or write for our excellent SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The success of the effort in San Francisco has a bearing on the cause all over this Pacific Coast. This also being the entre-port of commerce for the coast from all parts of the world, souls embracing the truth here from various nationalities can readily scatter light to their native lands. I trust none of our brethren and sisters will get the idea that they are neglected while well directed labor is being put forth here.

The Conference Committee will do the best they can to supply labor at those points where help is needed, as fast as it can be done. All must be learning to bear their own burdens, to gain an experience for themselves, and be prepared, like the branches of the mustard plant which bore up the birds, to reach out in faith, and labor as they “have opportunity” to help others to the light.

Our work is, as ministers and people, to do all we can to spread the light and influence of present truth where there is promising fields; and in places where we have churches labor should be put forth, but our great work is in new fields. The desire and burden of my own mind is to enter fields where we have as yet made no effort at all, and from which earnest requests are coming for labor.

Shall we be permitted to enter these whitening harvest fields on this coast, or shall we still be held in assisting others to do what they ought ere this to have learned to do themselves?

I trust you are faithful in the missionary work; that you are each keeping a minute of your work in your little pass books so as to fill out your blanks in season for the quarterly meetings soon to be held. Can we not be faithful in all these things? “He who is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much.”

The quarterly meetings will be appointed soon. We will try to arrange so that the ordinances may be celebrated in all places as far as practicable, and that these occasions may be made interesting. We desire to see the work prospering, but if it does all must learn to do in their sphere the duties that devolve upon them. May it be so. J. N. L.