Life sketches of ellen g. white

The people felt very keenly the financial depression under
which the colonies were still staggering. Criticism
regarding the effort to build up a school in such a wild,
out-of-the-way place, grew more and more general. Then came
the unfavorable termination of a lawsuit into which the
school had been dragged by the hasty action of its
solicitor, which cost two thousand dollars, besides causing
serious delay in the work. p. 359, Para. 2, [LS15].
What could be done? The work seemed to be at a standstill,
with little prospect of more favorable conditions. The loss
of two thousand dollars would have been very discouraging
at any time, but at such a time as this it was most
disheartening. p. 360, Para. 1, [LS15].
A Beautiful Dream -- In this crisis, when the faith of
many was being sorely tried, Mrs. White had a dream which
brought to her and to others the sweet assurance that God
had not forsaken them. In relating this experience, she
wrote: p. 360, Para. 2, [LS15].
"On the night of July 9, 1896, I had a beautiful dream. My
husband, James White, was by my side. We were upon our
little farm in the woods in Cooranbong, consulting in
regard to the prospect of the future returns of the labor
put forth. p. 360, Para. 3, [LS15].
"My husband said to me, 'What are you doing in reference
to a school building?' p. 360, Para. 4, [LS15].
"'We can do nothing,' I said, 'unless we have means, and I
know not where means are coming from. We have no school
building. Everything seems to be at a standstill. But I am
not going to encourage unbelief. I will work in faith. I
have been tempted to tell you a discouraging chapter in our
experience; but I will talk faith. If we look at things
which are seen, we shall be discouraged. We have to break
the soil at a venture, plow in hope, in faith. We would see
a measure of prosperity ahead, if all would work
intelligently, and with earnest endeavor put in the seed.
The present appearance is not flattering, but all the light
that I can obtain is that now is the sowing time. The
working of the grounds is our lesson book; for in exactly
the way we treat the fields with the hope of future
returns, so we must sow this missionary soil with the seeds
of truth.' p. 360, Para. 5, [LS15].