I have no hesitancy in saying that I believe the time has come for Florida to have a sanitarium, so that the light which our sanitariums are established to reflect, may shine forth to the people of Florida, and to the many health seekers who come from the northern States.
Dear Brother and Sister Hare: I am much interested in the work in Ashfield and Petersham. God has precious souls in these places, and this is why the work is meeting with so much opposition. Satan is determined to contest every point and every inch of the ground. But shall he gain the victory? We hope that you will answer, "No, never." Gird on every piece of the armor that God has provided, and do not fail or be discouraged. Error must be presented in its deceptive and fatal character, and truth must be shown to be as firm as the eternal hills of God....
The truth which is being preached will bring increased bitterness and opposition. Much depends upon your attitude in regard to this. God wants you to stand at your post as a faithful sentinel, and give the enemy no quarter....
Brother Hare, God will strengthen and bless you if you will make Him your trust. Do not, I entreat you, leave the field of battle. The God of Israel is on the side of truth and righteousness. Press the battle to the gates....
I beg of you for Christ's sake to consider what I say; for I say it not of myself. It is the word of God to you.
Be sure the Sabbath is a test question and how you treat this question places you either on God's side or Satan's side. The mark of the beast is to be presented in some shape to every institution and every individual.
This church [Battle Creek, see Testimonies for the Church 5:643, 644] was terribly backslidden. Many had paid no tithes for years. I gave a decided testimony upon this point in meeting, then I went from house to house and labored and prayed with families, and God gave me words to speak to reach these cases.
Brother L had paid no tithes for two years.... I called all who needed help and the prayers of God's people to come forward. Brother L and wife came forward and made their confessions. Brother L said he had not had any of the Spirit of God for some time, for he had been robbing God in tithes and offerings. He put $125.00 in the Christmas donation but he said he meant from henceforth to pay the Lord an honest tithe and to take up his past neglected work and make restitution to the Lord. Several others had similar testimony to bear.
Next day I visited Brother L and how rejoiced they were to see me! He said the Lord sent me. He considered himself blessed in my coming to his house. I prayed with them, then went to business; asked Brother L to give me a note. He said he would, gladly. I had book and pencil, which I handed him. He wrote, "For value received, I promise to pay." He looked up at me and said, "That is it, just as it should be. I have been receiving blessings from God day after day, and I am ashamed that I have dealt thus with my Lord, but it shall be so no more."
He reckoned up that which was his honest tithe and reckoned up the interest and it amounted to the snug little sum of $571.50. I thanked the Lord for this. He said he expected money any day, and would pay this note to the Lord the very first....
As the next day I returned from Brother F's I was hailed by Brother L. He was as happy a man as I have seen in a long time. He showed me that he had taken up his note and paid the money, putting in a little extra to be sure it was enough.