Letter from Egypt by H. P. Ribton

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Apr 24, 1879

Letter from Egypt.

By H. P. Ribton

VERY DEAR BRO. ANDREWS: I was very anxious about you, not having heard from you for so long a time; and when I believed that you were in Europe, and hoped you were on your way to Naples, I received a letter from Sister Huntley saying you were still in America. I could not describe the desire with which the brethren await your arrival at Naples and here; and here we greatly need your presence. With what pleasure you would visit this place! Here we can preach freely without hindrance or opposition, and the blessing of God is with us. Our number has doubled since I came. Our school is increasing, but we are obliged to keep it back until we get a master and mistress. I have written to Bâle, asking them to send a sister to aid us if possible; for I have now the whole school on my shoulders in addition to the other work, and it is nearly impossible to carry on so much without aid.

And now, in a moment fraught with so much encouragement and so much anxiety, I have received a crushing blow. Since I left, sickness has raged in my house; and now I have learned by the last letter from Naples that my poor child is sick with pulmonary consumption. The doctor has said that nothing can save her but getting her here. Too well I know the rapid and deadly course that the malady pursues in the elevated air of Arevella, and indeed anywhere at Naples. The stroke prostrated me for a few days, but I am now better, and was able to preach yesterday to a full room. But my distress of mind is intense. I pray earnestly to God not to allow me to break down while I have such responsible work in my hands. The hope of soon seeing the child here, alone keeps me up. I have written to my wife to try to borrow money to come, or at least, to send me Nina. I know not how she will be able to do it, but my faith in God is strong, and I believe he will give her the means to do so.

From the course that events are taking, I think all the means we can get will be best employed upon the great work that is now opening up here, of which I have already written some account. The Spirit of the Lord is strongly with the few dear brethren who form our church at Naples; but, as my wife says, the Spirit is not in Naples. Atheism is making giant progress there. One brother has been added to our number there since I left, and one dear family. I write to these brethren and exhort them; they are strong in the commandments. But I do not think at present it is best to take a hall there, while there are such very pressing claims here for our school and other things, and moreover, if our numbers increase as they have done, we may see the day when our hall will be too little to contain those who come.

A visit from you to the brethren in Naples would greatly comfort them; but your presence here is indispensably necessary for many things, as soon as you can possibly come.

We have now some Greeks coming to our meetings. I shall be very glad indeed if we can get that element among us; for there is a very numerous colony of them here. I heard from Bro. Bertola last week. There is no fruit to be obtained at Constantinople, and he is prevented from going into Russia on account of the plague. But he is going to Athens next month, and there is a hope that he may be able to accomplish some good there. I translate an extract from his letter, which is dated Constantinople, Feb. 6:—

"Along with this letter I send a Greek evangelical journal printed at Athens, where an important missionary work has been opened, with schools and a printing house. They have printed copies of the Bible in Greek, and are about to print it also in Italian. The director of the mission is an American. On reading the history of the Popess Joan, verified by the production of many documents, in a work written by Sig. Rosidis of Athens, I find that in the ninth century the Sabbath used to be observed in Greece. I wrote to Sig. Rosidis, asking him to give me some information on the subject, but he has not yet replied. I am well acquainted with him personally, and hope, God willing, to go to Athens next month, on purpose to speak with him on the subject, and make the acquaintance also of the American missionary."

I have much hope that Bro. Bertola, whose whole heart is now given to the work, will be able to open up the Sabbath question there also. He expects next September to be able to retire from commercial business and give himself exclusively to the service of the Lord.

So, then, my joy would be full were it not for the barbed arrow that Satan has now struck into my heart. Pray for me, dear brother, as I pray for you. The ways of God are inscrutable. Why does he permit Satan to hinder, when we are seeking to devote our lives to his work! Dear brother, forget the past; think only of the coming glory. I sometimes think it is very near at hand.

I can scarcely get a moment for writing. Since I wrote the above, I have been called away to be introduced to another Greek. There are quite a number of them coming to us now. I have lent out a great many tracts among some English people, who are reading them attentively. Their ministers, however, are doing all they can to prejudice them against me. Christian love from all here. Your brother in the Lord. H. P. RIBTON. Alexandria, Egypt.