J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 30, 1901

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH

By John Norton Loughborough

California.

Since last reporting, it was my privilege to attend the late General Conference in Battle Creek, Mich. Although many important changes were effected in the reorganization of the work, not a dissenting voice was heard throughout the entire session. To the Lord be the praise.

Since returning to California, I have attended the harmonious State Conference, and the annual meetings of the legal corporations of the State. The same spirit of union experienced at the General Conference prevailed during these important gatherings.

Since the Conference I have visited the Napa church, where the work was started in 1873. Few of the first members are there now, but others have united with them, so there is still a force to “hold the fort.” While on that trip, I spoke once in the tent-meeting at Vallejo, where Brethren C. N. Martin and Henry Scott and other workers are engaged. In 1874 I held a tent-meeting in Vallejo. Most of those who then accepted the Sabbath truth have died, or moved from the place. There is a fair prospect of there being additional members to the company there through the present effort.

Sabbath and First-day, July 13 and 14, I was with the company in Petaluma. This is the place where our first series of meetings was held on the Pacific Coast, from Aug. 13 to Oct. 18, 1868. Not one of those who first accepted the truth in Petaluma remains there. Some of the children of the pioneers, however, and others who have accepted the truth, constitute a firm company. We had a pleasant and interesting time with them in meetings in their new meeting-house, which they own free from debt. I expect to go soon to San José, and then in a few days attend the camp-meetings in Utah, Montana, Washington, and Idaho.

In the night of June 29, after prayer concerning the health reform work, the Lord gave me an impressive dream. In my dream I was walking toward the Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Mich. I was on Manchester Street, near the northwest corner of the college campus. As I looked up, I saw a glorious silvery light over the Hospital, Sanitarium, and the College. At the base of this silvery light was intermingled all the beautiful colors of the rainbow, more vividly bright, however, than displayed in a rainbow. While entranced with the sight, and thrilled with awe at the heavenly scene, a solemn voice spoke from heaven, which said: “That is my institution, and is destined with its branches to accomplish a vast amount of good in the world. What is needful to insure its success in the work is a constant, living connection of the workers with heaven. If they have this, they will not fail of success.”

At that point there was a break in the dream, and a change in the scene, and I was in a gathering of our people where I was relating the dream. Dr. Kellogg was present, and as I closed with the testimony respecting a “connection with heaven,” he arose, the tears coursing down his cheeks, as he said, in a touching manner, “Brother Loughborough, that is what we workers at the Sanitarium are doing. For three or four days we have been seeking such a consecration of ourselves to the Lord as was never made before in our lives.” Our hearts were thrilled with the presence of the Lord as this testimony was borne, and with that thrill of joy I awoke, and with the sentiment uppermost in mind: “With all our needs for the success of the work, the greatest need of all is a living connection with heaven.”