REPORT FROM BRO. HUTCHINS.
By A. S. Hutchins
At the time of my last report I was visiting and attending meetings in Roxbury and Braintree, with Bro. Evans. Remained here about two weeks. Five had decided to keep the Sabbath, while others were examining the subject with deep interest. The first Sabbath in February I was at Bro. Dompierre’s in Randolph, a few miles from where we had been holding meetings, unable to get to the place of the meeting, by reason of a heavy storm and blow. So I spoke to a few here on the Ministration of Angels, while Bro. Evans made his way, with team and on foot, on to Roxbury mountain. On the 13th, was at home, not able to attend meeting, in consequence of a severe cold. On the 17th, we left home for Enosburgh, but on reaching Johnson, could proceed no further, by reason of another snow-storm, followed by high winds. Sabbath, the 20th, spoke to two families, at Bro. Wiswell’s. It was a pleasant season. I am grateful that Jesus, the blessed Saviour, says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” When the roads became passable, it was quite a question in my mind, such was, and had been the condition of my lungs for some time, whether to continue on to Enosburgh, or to return home. Never have my lungs and throat been affected from repeated colds, as this winter, resembling the present epidemic of New England. But as I had not been to Enosburgh since our return from the West, except to attend the State Conference, and had repeatedly disappointed the brethren there, I decided to go in that direction, hoping and praying for sustaining grace. We spent eleven days at Enosburgh. Our visits at Brn. Bourdeau and Orcutt’s, also with some ten other families, were to us quite pleasant. Our meetings were more thinly attended than they would have been but for another Vermont snow-storm, followed by a severe blow, which have rapidly succeeded each other thus far since the first of February. While here, our beloved aged Sr. Mary Bean, calmly and peacefully fell asleep in Jesus. Her death was triumphantly happy. Of her may it be said, “She hath done what she could.” As the fatigued traveler desires rest at the end of a long and wearisome journey, so did she anxiously desire to rest, the little time intervening between this and the resurrection of the saints of God. The first Sabbath in March, I spoke to about twenty brethren and friends at Bro. Austin’s, in Berkshire. This was an unusually solemn season. There seemed to be an anxious desire burning in the hearts of the people of God to get nearer to him, and be more and more assimilated into his divine image. May they all enjoy more love and communion with the Most High. On first-day, drove about 12 miles, to East Richford, where I attended Bro. Bourdeau’s meeting in the forenoon, and spoke in the afternoon on the Judgment. We were happy to meet with the old, tried friends of the cause here again. They contemplate building a house of worship here. It seems if there is union of feeling and action in this direction, this enterprise may prove successful. “Union is strength.” Last Sabbath I preached at the house of Bro. H. W. Barrows in Irasburgh. More met with us than we could have expected, considering the inclemency of the weather and the bad condition of the roads. But I think all felt richly rewarded for the pains they had taken. Truly, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Reached home on the 15th inst., having as I humbly trust some realizing sense of God’s goodness to us. We hope to appreciate his manifold mercies and blessings to us. Truly God is good. My health is considerably better than when we left home last. My lungs are also much stronger. So I am encouraged to hope that our New England winter will not prove as unfavorable to my health as I had feared. Yet my heart longs for that world, whose inhabitant shall not say, “I am sick.” Wolcott, Vt., March 17, 1869.