Through August and September the development of the Avondale school was dormant. Poverty abounded, and Ellen White for a time gave employment to five men working on her grounds so that they might have something with which to supply their families. 4BIO 269.2
For three or four months she had not been able to pay her helpers, yet they were willing to suffer inconvenience. Grocery bills accumulated, and then with a draft of $600 from Battle Creek, representing royalties on book sales, she could settle with workers and grocers. Late in September the mail from Africa brought $5,000 on loan to Ellen White from Mother Wessels. Her prayer had been answered, money was in hand, and they could start building. “We praised the Lord for this favor,” she wrote. “The building had been delayed for want of means, and the faith of our people had almost come to a stand still. Many, I fear, had lost faith. But I knew that God would work in our behalf.”—Manuscript 55, 1896. He did! 4BIO 269.3
In a very few days Ellen G. White and W. C. White would be leaving for the camp meeting scheduled in Adelaide. Surely Ellen White should lay the cornerstone. She tells the glad story: 4BIO 269.4
On October 1, 1896, we assembled on the school grounds to lay the cornerstone of our first school building.... The Lord had moved upon the hearts of Sister Wessels and her sons to grant my request for a loan of £1,000 at 4 1/2 percent interest. 4BIO 269.5
This was an important occasion, but only a few were present. It had been hurriedly planned that I should have the privilege of laying the cornerstone, as I was to leave the following day for Sydney, en route for Melbourne and Adelaide. 4BIO 270.1
We had a season of prayer and singing, and then I took the stone in my hand and laid it in position. My heart was filled with gratitude to God that He had opened the way [so] that we could erect this first building. We praised the Lord for this favor.—Ibid. 4BIO 270.2
Plans for the building, Bethel Hall, as drawn by W. C. Sisley, had long been in hand. Work began immediately. 4BIO 270.3