Reports from the Field by John Norton Loughborough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 28, 1879

Reports from the Field.

By John Norton Loughborough

Southampton, England.

SINCE my last report we have quite thoroughly 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 the necessary living expenses out of their small wages. The bad weather, and other causes, cutting off, to a large 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 bread has risen again another farthing (half-cent) a loaf, it means to them still closer calculation 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 we approach winter weather 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 18 by 36 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 the Lord toward this mission that our desire to be faithful on our part is continually increasing.

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

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Aug. 1, 1879.