REPORT FROM BRO. A. C. BOURDEAU.
By A. C. Bourdeau
When we were holding meetings in Roxbury, a few weeks ago, as mentioned in my last, four had embraced the Sabbath in a new place, and others were investigating. But while a good work was thus going on, it was soon seen that the enemy was also busy in doing his work; for in a very short time, in order to prejudice the minds of the people against us, and against the truth, some were supplied with two small pamphlets, one in which is advocated the no-law theory to get rid of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment; and the other in which an attempt is made to falsify the visions. I had disposed of nearly all the books and tracts that I supplied myself with when we started on that tour; yet I was glad that I could then hand out our works on the law, and Sabbath, and Bro. Smith’s excellent work in answer to objections to the visions. Thus the opposition was quieted in a measure. In comparing our works with those of our opponents on these points, the candid, even among unbelievers, readily see a difference between them, not only in regard to the consistency of the positions which are held out in these different works; but also in regard to the kind of spirit which characterizes them. On one hand, with a meek and gentle spirit, God’s law is magnified, his holy Sabbath is called “a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable;” and the testimony of Christ is confirmed in the church, etc. While on the other hand, with a bitter spirit of opposition, God’s law is laid aside and rejected, his holy Sabbath is profaned, and prophesyings are despised. And the worst feature of this is, that those who are the most actively engaged in this work of opposition are persons who profess to be looking for the soon return of the Lord; thus they “make war with the remnant, . . . which83keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” While we were in Roxbury and Braintree, the brethren received us very kindly, and their faith was greatly strengthened in the truth. From there, Jan. 27, we drove thirty miles, crossing over the Warren and Lincoln Mountains to Bristol. On our way we spent two hours in visiting at our aged brother, James Allen’s, in W. Though Bro. A. has recently buried two sons who loved the present truth, and is now deprived of their help in his very old age, he holds on to the Sabbath, loves the truth, and his hope is in God. At Bristol I held three meetings. A thaw at that time made it unfavorable about holding more meetings. We had a profitable time with the brethren and sisters there, who are trying to hold fast the profession of their faith. We were glad to see Sr. Everts’s son still trying to endure faithful, and to hear another youth speak for the first time in these meetings, who seems very determined to be a humble follower of Jesus. A favorable improvement is manifest among the brethren in B. I will notice one point: A little more than a year since, I found several of them feeling so poor that they could hardly afford to take the REVIEW, and were very reluctant to endorse our views on Systematic Benevolence; and further, they had for years questioned the propriety of church organization. Now they received the REVIEW as a welcome messenger, and have already paid liberally two quarters on their s. B. pledges for the year, up to the cent. On reaching home, Feb. 1, we found our kind parents, who, during our absence from our family, have the charge and care of things at home, and our children, sick with cold and fever—an epidemic which is raging considerably in these parts this winter. The next day, at an evening prayer-meeting with the church here, pledges were made by the brethren and sisters, to assist Bro. James White in circulating Life Incidents as in his judgment the work should be given, amounting to $161.60. Since then, others here have added to this, so that the figures now stand, $190.60. Owing to an unusual depth of snow, badly drifted, we did not fill our appointment for the 6th and 7th inst., in Sutton, P. Q. I have an increasing desire to be wholly the Lord’s, to keep humble, low at his feet, and to overcome everything that is unlike Jesus, that I may wear the overcomer’s crown at his appearing. Bordoville, Vt., Feb. 20, 1869.