SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 21, 1879

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

By John Norton Loughborough

Since my last report we have quite fully canvassed the Sabbath question; and as the result, the interest is greater than before. A number more have joined us in our Sabbath meetings, and still others are carefully considering the matter of keeping the Lord’s ancient Sabbath instead of the first-day, which they now see is an institution introduced by the church, and not commanded anywhere in the Scriptures.

We have had some milder weather, so it has been more favorable for our tent-meetings. Many are reading; and as the interest rises, we find some demand for our pamphlets and larger books. The poor, however, have but little to spare for books after meeting their necessary living expenses out of their small wages. The bad weather, and other causes, cutting off to a great extent the crops in Great Britain and Europe, while it makes a rise in the price of grain in America, which may please the farmers there, causes, nevertheless, much sadness among the poor here. When told by their baker every few days that the price of bread has risen another farthing (half cent) a loaf, it means to them still closer calculation in order to live. How true is the saying that “one part of the world, to a large extent, lives off the calamities of the other part.”

As cold weather approaches again, it becomes necessary to plan for our meetings. We have made application for a large building called “Ravenswood,” which is situated between our present place of residence and our tent. This building has a space about 18x36 which can easily be converted into a meeting-room, with accommodations for two hundred people. Besides this, there are fifteen rooms in the building which will furnish living apartments for our present missionary force, and leave a tenement to rent besides. The rent of the building, with expense of fitting up, will not probably cost us more than $200 per year, and perhaps less. This building is property that is in “Chancery.” Our application has been made to the judge, and we shall probably have an answer soon. Meanwhile, our address remains as before given.

It seems to us that the providence of God is opening the way before us in this matter also. We see so many tokens of the favor of God toward this mission, that the desire to be faithful on our part is continually increased.

The sister who had devoted a plot of ground for the raising of snow-drop bulbs, the proceeds to be donated to the tent, has just sent in her returns. Instead of $5.00, which she thought the plot would yield, it produced $7.00 worth, all of which has been applied toward the purchase of the tent.

Brethren, pray for us.

Aug. 1. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.