Report from Bro. White.
By James White
IN company with Dr. H. S. Lay and wife, Mrs. W. and self left Battle Creek in our private carriage for Monterey, June 30. The weather was fine. At one P. M. we stopped in a grove and enjoyed our hygienic dinner with a keen relish. That night we stopped at the hospitable home of Bro. Haddon, thirty-five miles from B. C., where we enjoyed quite good rest. The next day the Doctor and his wife went to their family in Allegan, and we went on to Monterey, making a distance of twenty miles the second day. We stopped at our old home, in the family of Bro. L. M. Jones, where, as usual, we received every possible act of kindness. Bro. and Sr. Jones have both been patients at a health institution, hence knew how to provide their table with healthful food. We attended the Monthly Meeting at Monterey, and were glad to meet Brn. Bates and Waggoner, and a large attendance of the brethren from the region round about. The meeting was a good one. One brother resolved to return to the Sabbath again, and there was a general waking up to the health-reform question. Mrs. W. enjoyed her usual freedom on her favorite themes, namely, the principles of hygiene, and the preparation for the time of trouble. We remained over a second Sabbath, and the burden of our testimony was upon the words of the prophet, "Will a man rob God?" The prophet also declares that some had robbed the Most High "in tithes and in offerings." The application could be readily made by some who had the amount of their property put down in the S. B. book one-third of what they would sell it for, and who had paid but a small part of that for more than one year. One brother of wealth had thus robbed God of not less than $500 in about five years, who had been distinctly reminded of the faithfulness of God in fulfilling his word—"Ye are cursed with a curse"—which he had signally felt spiritually and physically. The Bible calls for at least a portion of the principal; but Systematic Benevolence calls for only one-tenth of one's increase. It leaves untouched the principal and nine-tenths of the increase, and offers only one-tenth to the Lord; yet some of the rich get weary in well-doing. God save them from the terrible curse that now slumbers only to awaken right early in terrible vengeance on the unfaithful stewards. We reached home, after having been absent nearly two weeks, June 11. We traveled with our team about two hundred and fifty miles. In point of health, we sleep better, enjoy our food better, a better condition of the stomach and bowels is established, and we are gaining slowly in weight. Of our sufferings in the past none but God has known; but we trust they are mostly in the past. Brethren pray for us. To know that we have the prayers of those who pray in faith, is our highest earthly joy. Battle Creek, June 18, 1866.