Report from Bro. White by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 19, 1867

Report from Bro. White.

By James White

We left our dear brethren in Wright, Jan. 29, and in company with Bro. Wm. Wilson, journeyed to this place a distance of forty miles. It was a severe day, the coldest of this Winter. We were glad to find a comfortable shelter from the cold and storm at Bro. Maynard's. This kind family do all in their power to make us comfortable and happy.

One might suppose that Montcalm Co. was a very new, log-house country, it being seventy-five miles north of Calhoun Co. But this is the most beautiful portion of the State. The farmers are generally independent, many of them rich, with large, splendid houses, large, fertile farms, and beautiful orchards.

One traveling through this country passes a variety of scenery peculiar to Michigan, namely, rolling, oak openings, and plains covered with heavy maple and beech, and lofty pines. Then before he is aware of it he comes upon a fine farm with buildings equal in size and style to the dwellings in our small cities.

Sabbath, Feb. 2, we went to Orleans, a distance of ten miles, and found the brethren of that church, and most of the Fairplains church, assembled with them in the house of prayer, and our venerable Bro. Bates in their midst. This house of worship is built on a liberal plan, and large enough to accommodate the community. We opened the meeting and spoke an hour, and was followed by Mrs. W. who spoke with usual liberty for half an hour. In the afternoon Mrs. W. spoke to the deeply interested audience for nearly two hours. Then we rode back to our head-quarters at Bro. Maynard's.

We noticed that it has become a custom among the brethren in this vicinity to postpone the second meal of the day till after the afternoon meeting, throwing the two meals nine hours apart. The strong may not feel this, while it is the testimony of many feeble ones that the afternoon meeting is lost to them on account of faintness, and the following night they are great sufferers from nervous headache. If the two meals are taken six hours apart, both these evils will be remedied.

First-day morning we again returned to Orleans, and at the usual hour for worship found a good congregation assembled, and Bro. Bates speaking to them. The brethren had been enjoying a social meeting. After a short intermission, Bro. B. opened the meeting, and we spoke an hour. Then Mrs. W. spoke half an

hour. In the afternoon she spoke two hours. Prejudice broke way before the plain truth spoken.

Feb. 9 and 10 we met the two churches at the house of prayer just across the way from our head-quarters. As Mrs. W. had important writing on hand, she proposed that we conduct the morning service and she would the afternoon. So we spoke to the people an hour and three quarters each day, and Mrs. W. spoke each afternoon two hours.

The word is more readily received here than it was in Wright, and the health-reform, dress not excepted, is received generally. While these things are new to the people, at the same time they acknowledge their truthfulness. Some of the best citizens are deeply interested, and often are heard to exclaim with emphasis, “That is truth!”

Monday, the 12th, we went to Orleans, and spent two hours with that church and gave them all the assistance we could on the subject of Systematic Benevolence. This church have been coming up nearly to the figures, which were raised only about $27.00. They had about $32.00 in the treasury of last year's funds which they liberally voted to us. We feel that we have no claims on the brethren for our feeble labors, yet they seem determined to do all in their power for our comfort and support.

The sleighing has been excellent for the last two months, and the weather, generally, comparatively mild and fine. Our family team has been a great blessing, as we have rode nearly every day from five to forty miles since we left Battle Creek. But while we write, there is a heavy rain without, and the snow is melting before it. We are sealed up in the house to-day. Such are gloomy days. But we hope for better, and trust God for the future. We hope to visit many of our brethren, but it may be prudence to move rather slowly during the bleak and changeable months of February and March. At present we shall be happy to hear from our friends at Greenville, Montcalm Co., Mich.

JAMES WHITE.