p. 15 | California by John Norton Loughborough

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 8, 1912

California

By John Norton Loughborough

I SEE, by reference to my diary, that my last report to the Review was written Oct. 4, 1911. I am now about six months past the fourscore years allotted to man's life. Ps. 90:10. The continued time must be the Lord's time. I daily thank him that he still gives strength to relate to those younger in the faith some of the experiences of the past, the evident tokens of the Lord's special leadings in the rise and progress of the great second advent movement.

Of my movements since my last report: November 6-12 I attended the annual conference of Arizona, in the city of Phoenix. Then for three weeks I gave talks to the students above the eighth grade of Lodi Normal Institute. After this, for five weeks my time was divided with the classes at Glendale Sanitarium, Fernando Academy, and Loma Linda College of Medical Evangelists. Directly following this I attended the excellent workers' institute and the union conference in Los Angeles. Then, for three weeks, I gave talks to fifty students of the eighth grade in Lodi Normal Institute. This was followed by ten days at the Pacific Union College, St. Helena, and ten days with the classes at St. Helena Sanitarium.

Still later I attended the annual conferences and camp-meetings of the Northern California-Nevada Conference at Sacramento, and the California Conference at Santa Rosa. This city was first entered with the tent by Elder D. T. Bourdeau and myself in April, 1869. Here still stands the first Seventh-day Adventist meeting-house ever erected west of the Rocky Mountains. Though now used as a carriage shop, it still retains its original form. During the last year our people have erected another church building in a more residential part of the city.

In the time covered by my report as above stated, I gave one hundred seven discourses. Some of the time intervening has been devoted to physical labor in garden and vineyard, for the keeping up of the healthful circulation of the blood. I have received much of the Lord's blessing and grace, which have sustained me in the work. Some say to me, "I think it is about time for you to stop and take a rest." I tell them that to one who embraced the message when there were only about two hundred Seventh-day Adventists in the world, it is wonderfully restful to watch the message go forward by leaps and bounds, and to still associate with the workers, and, if no more, say to them, Courage in the Lord, brethren! we are almost through, and in the strength of the Lord we are able to go up and take the goodly land.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.