Some Personal Experiences- by A. T. Robinson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 22, 1914

Some Personal Experiences—

By A. T. Robinson

No. 2

A. T. ROBINSON

THE writer had spent two years in South Africa. At that time a conference had been organized in Cape Colony. In Cape Town the conference office and church building had been erected, also Claremont Union College building, and the sanitarium and the orphanage at Plumstead. About this time complications arose in connection with our work, bringing us face to face with a crisis which threatened disruption and disaster to our organized work.

As the time approached when this crisis must be met, the members of the conference executive committee, after prayerfully studying the situation, decided upon a definite course of action and pledged one another to stand together firmly for what was believed to be the right course.

Just at the time when our perplexity was the greatest, I received a personal letter from Sister White, written in Australia. This letter, which had been twenty-four days coming to me, pointed out certain mistakes which I was in danger of making, and counseled me how to avoid such mistakes. At the bottom of this letter, which was written in Sister White's own handwriting, a postscript stated that what was written in the letter was copied from her diary which was written seven years before. She stated that she did not know why it had not been sent to me before, but that she felt impressed to send it to me then. I had not written to Sister White for several months, and had never written her a word concerning difficulties in connection with our work in South Africa, nor had I received a personal letter from her for more than two years.

After Mrs. Robinson and I had read this letter over several times, I read it to one of my associates in the work, who remarked that if Sister White had been all through the controversy which had developed among our people, she could not have given counsel that would more clearly apply to the situation which we were facing.

To follow the counsel given in this letter it was necessary to entirely change the plans which had been laid. This course was followed, with the result that it brought unity of action and a spirit of love and Christian fellowship, instead of strife and division.

While I had never doubted that through the spirit of prophecy the Lord was giving instruction to this people, yet this experience brought to me a joy and peace such as I had seldom before enjoyed. I felt to praise the Lord that he had opened a channel through which he could speak to his children who are earnestly trying to find the right way.

College View, Nebr.