REPORT FROM BRO. WHITE by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 10, 1868

REPORT FROM BRO. WHITE.

By James White

In company with Bro. and Sr. Griggs we went to Tuscola on fourth-day, Feb. 26, and stopped with Bro. Spooner and family, where we find a good and welcome home. After writing notices to send to the schools, and to post up, we left fifth-day morning for Watrousville, fifteen miles distant. Mrs. W. had a special message for all, but for one in particular, who had been the subject of labor on the part of Brn. Van Horn and Waggoner. The duty was faithfully done, and the church seemed freer. But how hard for those who are accustomed to evil, to learn to do well. A wrong course persisted in, and self-justified, blinds the mind, hardens the heart, and benumbs the conscience till it has no more feeling than a burnt boot.

Bro. Walters entertained us for the night, and on sixth-day we returned to Bro. Spooner's, where Mrs. W. spent her time in writing testimonies for certain ones, and we are writing the article under the caption, “Only in the Lord.”

The truth has taken a strong hold of many good minds in this county, and some still have a zeal for God and his cause. But as we have formed some acquaintance with these professed friends of truth, we have decided that in no part of the field are our brethren more exposed to dangers than in this county. Some of these dangers we will notice.

1. Some have had much zeal for the truth, and for the reforms generally adopted by our people, and in their zeal they have talked carelessly and roughly. The influence of the course of such is to prejudice the public, and wound and dishearten their brethren who are blessed with caution, and a refined sense of propriety. These persons must be reformed, or ruin will follow in their wake.

2. Some brethren leave the world and are more or less imbued with its spirit. They are prospering in the things of this world, yet do not feel, we think, the claims which the wants of the cause has upon them, to use for its advancement a portion of what God has blessed them with. Let them sacrifice for God, and seek to come nearer his throne. Let them get where they will feel more deeply the lost condition of their children out of Christ, and pray and labor for their salvation. The great danger of such, is that care, work, business, and toil, will occupy their time and their powers of body and mind, and crowd out Christ and the necessary preparation to stand in the day of God, and they and their children then mourn that the harvest is past, the summer ended, and they not saved. Lost! yes, lost, because of their love for the things of this poor little world. What a terrible mistake.

These persons have correct ideas of industry, economy, neatness and order, as manifested in the farm and buildings, and of promptness in business. Without these correct ideas they would be as poor and slack, and as vacillating as some of their brother Sabbath-keepers are, and of no service to the cause, but perhaps a living curse. Let these brethren with all their good qualities and their wealth, first fully consecrate all to God and his cause. Let all their good qualifications be sanctified and brought to serve the cause of truth, and let them use a portion of the means their good habits have secured, in the cause of the Lord.

But as we look upon the condition of this class of our people generally, who are prospered in all their worldly pursuits, and see them holding fast what they have, and many of them grasping for more, and some satisfying themselves with paying into the S. B. treasury on a portion of their property, we are led to fear that not more than a tithe of them will do their duty and finally overcome.

3. There are those who are poor, and, as is the case with most poor people, there is with some of these a want of order, promptness in business, economy in time and means. And those who fail in this respect, generally fail also in their duty in spiritual things. While the careful, shrewd manager who has, by his toil, care, economy and industry, made the battle of life a success, so far as this world is concerned, is in great danger, these may be exposed to opposite, yet equally dangerous errors. Let the wealthy take care lest the cares of this life, and the love of this world's goods drown them in perdition. And let the other class come up and learn from the example and good counsel of the wealthy how to better succeed in the battles of life.

4. This good people here in Tuscola Co. have a commendable zeal for the truth, and many of them are of the most cautious and prudent in their words and acts. But some will have to learn to be more select in their words, and careful of their moments.

5. Forbearance must be exercised toward the erring. The Lord has given us a very pointed testimony for this people. If he gives others such a testimony, let them deliver it. But let them first be sure they have such a message. We will try to do our duty, not theirs. Let them do their work and not try to do ours.

Sabbath morning we spoke to a good congregation in the place of worship owned by the church in Tuscola. Mrs. W. spoke in the afternoon, after which there was a social meeting and Mrs. W. delivered messages in a clear and most affectionate manner to several present. This was humbling to pride, the very thing needed. The meeting was excellent and profitable.

First-day, we spoke in the morning to a crowded house. At the close of this service Mrs. W. received an invitation to speak, in the afternoon, in the new Methodist house of worship, and spoke with freedom to a crowded house. Many had to stand. It is said that the congregation was larger than at the dedication of the house on the 12th of last month.

We are now at Bro. Spooner's, expecting to join Bro. Andrews at St. Charles, to-morrow, thirty-two miles from this place.

JAMES WHITE.

Tuscola, Tus. Co., March 1, 1868.

P. S. March 2. We had a precious season here at the house of Bro. Spooner last evening, with some of the members of the Tuscola, Vassar, and Watrousville churches. Our labors here have resulted in good. Some that were wavering have become established, and the general interest is good.

The brethren at Watrousville gave us $10 for our personal wants, and those at Vassar, $1.50, which we appropriated to the book fund. The brethren here have houses of worship to build, and many of them are poor, and as books should be given to the poor, and tracts should be circulated among the people, they should give the book fund a good lift. And we do not feel that we should accept their liberalities under such circumstances. Let our ministers and people care for the book fund. In importance in this work, this is next to the labors of the ministry. Battle Creek church alone is good, according to pledges, for $1200. If all do in proportion, $10,000 will be raised. We are disappointed that our people move so slowly in this matter. Brethren, send in your pledges and your money. In each place that we visit we spend an hour laying this matter before the brethren, and call upon them for help. We also call upon all who keep the Sabbath, to furnish themselves with the books, and state that they are free to those who are of the worthy poor. If our ministers all take hold of this work in earnest, they will soon find many destitute of Spiritual Gifts, &c., and a great call for this kind of reading. Our people must have it. This moment we think of our people in Maine, with all their errors, and false notions, and unbelief. A hundred sets of these works should be taken in that State, at once. Let the work go forward.

J. W.