EGW
“‘Elmshaven,’ Sanitarium, Cal.,
January 17, 1905.
“Dear Brother and Sister Nicola,’ AUGleaner February 1, 1905, par. 1
“I have just read your letter giving the particulars of your loss by fire. We are sorry that you should lose one penny, but the part of the building that burned was objectionable in many ways. When I first saw it, I said to some one, ‘If that part of the building could be taken away and a suitable addition put on, it would be a great blessing. This will have to be done in order for the institution to make a right representation.’ AUGleaner February 1, 1905, par. 2
“I first read of the fire three days ago. That night I lay awake for hours. All the news we had regarding the matter was a short paragraph in one of our papers, and from reading it I feared that the whole building had been destroyed. A day or two later I received a fuller account which told us that only the old portions of the building had been burned. AUGleaner February 1, 1905, par. 3
“‘The Lord is good; praise his holy name,’ I said over and over again. He has mercifully saved every life, and has taken away an objectionable part of the building. I am glad that it has come about in this way. Had a proposition been made to tear that part of the building down, some would have regarded it as a great waste. Now you can have a suitable addition put on the building. It is an unfavorable time of the year to take up this work, but begin to rebuild as soon as you can. Be continually making preparations to this point. If much snow falls, I suppose you will have to wait. If I could help you financially, I certainly would; but I can not. I have had to borrow money recently myself. We must do our best. There is so much to do, and such a lack of means, that it almost looks as if we had to make bricks without straw. I will pray the Lord to open the way for you to rebuild in a way that will correspond with the rest of the buildings. I pray that God will bless all that you do, and that it may be well done. AUGleaner February 1, 1905, par. 4
“Ellen G. White.”