p. 175 | HOME AGAIN by James White

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

HOME AGAIN.

By James White

Report From Bro. White.

We left our good home at Bro. Maynard's, March 4th, where we had spent nearly five weeks, and came on our way ten miles, to Bro. Olmstead's, and tarried for the night. The next day we drove over a terribly rough and muddy road, eighteen miles, to the home of Bro. E. Howe, in Orange. In crossing the river at Ionia, while getting on and off the bridge, our wagon box touched the water. It required some courage and faith to urge our spirited team into the swift current where we could not see bottom.

Wednesday, the 6th, we held two interesting meetings. In the forenoon we spoke one hour and a half. In the afternoon Mrs. W. spoke one hour and a half, and we followed for half an hour. Our visit here was very interesting. Bro. Howe and numerous family live in a large, neat, high-walled, log house, well ventilated. Here we enjoyed speaking, and rested and slept exceedingly well. This little church needed help. We are sorry to say, that tobacco and meat were used by one good-hearted brother; but we hope our plain testimony will result in cleansing the camp, and that this dear brother will make haste to overtake his brethren who are advancing upon the subject of reform. We recommended to these brethren the building of a log house of worship, twenty-five by thirty five, fourteen feet from the floor to the eaves, and well-lighted. For the warm season now opening, it needs nothing but the log walls and roof. If the Lord wills, we promised to visit them and dedicate the house as soon as the logs are rolled up and the roof put on.

As the snow had left us, Bro. Maynard let us have his easy carriage to come on our way. And Thursday, Bro. Howe came forty miles, to Bro. J. F. Carman's, in West Windsor, Eaton County, to attend the meeting here and take back the carriage. On our way, we called on our German brother by the name of Sindlinger, of Sebewa, who entertained us in his log hut, and did all in his power to make us comfortable. He has no family. He works his farm and keeps his own house, and everything around him bore marks of neatness. Here hung the charts, and on his table you may see his Dutch Bible, the Review, Instructor and Reformer. He takes a share in the Health Institution, and says he has fifty dollars to help his brethren at Orange, thirteen miles off, build a meeting-house, although worth but $1,500.00.

At this place we found assembled at the school-house, Sabbath morning, the 9th, most of the three churches of Oneida, Windsor and Charlotte. We opened the meeting in the morning and spoke one hour and a half. In the afternoon we spoke one hour and Mrs. W. followed for one and a half hours. Here, some lacked almost everything, and we spoke upon Peter's plan of adding to faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, temperance, patience; &c.

Some rob God in tithes and offerings, others love meat, pork not excepted, and have, of course, a great deal of prejudice against the Testimonies, and trouble about the reform, and matters in general at Battle Creek. On all these points we spoke plainly and know that our testimony accomplished good.

First-day, on account of rain and consequently a small congregation, we held but one meeting. We spoke one hour, and Mrs. W. more than an hour, and the brethren enjoyed a good social meeting in which they confessed the truth. God grant that they may live it and be profited by it.

On the morrow, the 12th, we design reaching Battle Creek, and attend our appointments at that place, at Newton, Convis, and thence to other places as Providence opens the way and our services are called for.

March 14. We reached home the 13th, over terrible roads by way of Marshall. We could have come through Monday, the distance of thirty-three miles, had we not been disappointed of our carriage from Battle Creek. But Monday night the roads broke up, and it took us most of three days to come this short distance in terrible storms, in which we nearly perished.

We should have said that our liberal friends near Greenville gave us $80.00, besides caring for us in every possible way for nearly five weeks, and our brethren at Windsor handed us $15.00, which they raised outside of their Systematic Benevolence.

We have been from home nearly a quarter of a year, during which time we have spoken about thirty-five times, and Mrs. W., at least, sixty. We acknowledge with gratitude the good hand of the Lord with us, and the care of his people to us in their kind acts of sympathy and benevolence. And we look forward with no small degree of pleasure to the time when we shall be permanently settled in their midst.

JAMES WHITE.

Battle Creek, Mich., March 14, 1867.