"An Industrial Experiment From the time the property came into full possession of the Australasian Union Conference, to the time of the opening of the school, there was much to be done. Land must be cleared, a swamp drained, an orchard planted, and buildings erected. For the accomplishment of this, a number of students were gathered,—sturdy young men who were glad to work six hours a day, and receive their board, and instruction in two studies. The school opened March 6, 1895, and continued thirty weeks. LS 357"
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
The EGW passage describes students working to clear land and build the school, reflecting the principle of labor and toil as a necessary part of life, similar to the curse in Genesis 3:19. The connection is thematic, highlighting the value of hard work and its connection to sustenance and development.
"In January and February of 1895, the friends of the school were favored with a visit from Mrs. A. E. Wessels, of Cape Town, South Africa, accompanied by three of her children. They were well pleased with many features of the Avondale estate; and being deeply in sympathy with the objects and aims of the work, her daughter Anna gave $5,000 to help make a beginning. LS 357.1"
"Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet."
Both passages describe acts of generosity and giving to support religious work. While not a direct quote or allusion, the EGW passage reflects the same spirit of sacrificial giving seen in Acts 4:37.
"For the accommodation of the twenty young men who entered into this work, an old hotel was rented in Cooranbong, and several tents were pitched beside this building. In April, Brother Metcalfe Hare, who had been chosen as treasurer and business manager of the school enterprise, moved his family to Cooranbong, and, desiring to be close to the work, pitched his tents near the sawmill and the site set apart for school buildings. For nearly two years the tent, covered with a galvanized iron roof, served as his habitation. LS 357.3"
"By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:"
Both passages describe individuals living in temporary dwellings (tents/tabernacles) while pursuing a larger purpose or promise. The EGW passage describes Brother Hare living in a tent to be close to the school's construction, mirroring the Hebrews passage about Abraham's faith-driven sojourn in tents.