REPORT FROM BRO. WHITE by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 30, 1867

REPORT FROM BRO. WHITE.

By James White

We left home to fill our appointment at Monterey, April 18, and at one P. M. stopped at our old hotel; viz. by the roadside in an oak grove, and fed our team, and partook of our simple, healthful fare. We then drove to Bro. Hilliard's in Otsego, and tarried for the night. And, oh, how sweet was sleep. We slept more that night, than in a week, one year since. We heard the clock strike two, and then slept till five. One year since we usually heard the clock strike twenty-four times in each twenty-four hours. Then nights seemed to be weeks, while now they often pass too soon. None but those who have suffered as we have, can understand fully the terrible effects of going six months with not more than an hour's imperfect sleep in a night.

Bro. and Sr. Hilliard were among the first to embrace the message in Northern New York. They have seven children all subjects of hope. How beautiful the sight. Nine bowing at the altar of prayer, is one more than were rescued in Noah's ark. May they all live for God, and share eternal life. Here we saw Bro. and Sr. Leighton. This family have long been afflicted. Sr. L. is, and has been a great sufferer, yet is patient in tribulation, and joyful in hope. Several brethren have moved to Otsego, and they now think of immediately building a brick house of worship, about thirty by forty-four. Other churches will doubtless assist these few faithful brethren in their noble enterprise.

In the morning of the 19th, we drove to Allegan, and called on Bro. Foster where we were kindly entertained. The little church in this place is seeing better days. Several brethren have moved to this thriving village. Among them is Bro. and Sr. Burnham, and Bro. Isaac C. Snow and family. Bro. B. presented us a cane used by the rebel who shot Gen. Lyon, but the cane has been in loyal hands long enough to be thoroughly loyal, as it was brought from rebeldom when Bro. and Sr. Burnham fled from Missouri in a row-boat, in which they lived, we think about a week before they reached free soil. May they make as good an escape from the bondage of this mortal state, and safely arrive in the land of eternal freedom from sin and Satan.

We formed a happy acquaintance with Bro. W. Littlejohn, only son of Judge Littlejohn of Allegan. His conversion is truly wonderful. Providence has seemed to overrule his partial blindness to his good. Though his outer vision be dim, he sees more, and enjoys more, of the clear light of Heaven in the truth, than many whose sight is perfect. This dear brother is one of the active working kind of Christians. May God bless him and keep him until that glad day when with immortal sight he shall view the glories of the earth made new.

Here in Allegan we also met our very dear friends, Bro. and Sr. Jones, who conducted us to their house where we spent three nights. In all the numerous visits to this place we have ever stopped with them. They have both been patients at a health institute; and when we first saw Bro. Jones, he was bleeding at the lungs, and our friends had also given us up to die. He was then a Methodist. Perhaps the feebleness of us both was the means of a strong union being formed between us. Here we must relate a circumstance of great interest to us and Bro. and Sr. Jones.

The first time we met was on the cars in the depot at Rochester, N. Y., in the spring of 1855. They occupied the seat behind us. Sr. Jones held in her arms her eldest son, then an infant, and Mrs. W. held our infant Willie, about the same age. We freely spoke of poor health. We decided in our own mind that our friend would not live one year, and he had us buried in imagination in six months. The train sped on, and we chatted sympathizingly, and Mrs. Jones, and Mrs. White enjoyed a good visit. When the train reached Suspension Bridge, we all shook hands and bid each other good bye. Of course we were invited to the new home of our friends should we ever visit Allegan county. And now came the rush for good seats on the next train which was to pass over the long, weary, dreary route through Canada West to

Detroit.

We succeeded well. And what was our astonishment to find our friends seated behind us. And now we conversed with greater interest than before. We showed them the new Hymn Book, by which they soon found that we were a Seventh-day Advent minister. They had lived among the Age-to-come Adventists of Victor N. Y., and were disgusted with everything bearing the Advent name. But said Bro. Jones to his wife, as he has since told us, “That man is a Christian, if he is an Adventist.”

When we reached the station at Windsor, C. W., we bid each other an affectionate farewell, and now the rush for the boat, and omnibus, and hotel. And as we passed up the stairs, we looked back and saw our friends pressing close to us. They had not noticed us till that very moment.

Heavy rains had broken the M. C. Rail-road, so that none had passed over it for forty-eight hours. And we were told that there were more than a thousand persons in Detroit bound west who could not go on that train. Soon a boisterous Vermonter entered the sitting-room and called about twenty-five of his company around him, and assuming the position of chairman, got a unanimous vote of his party en route for Kansas, that the train should not leave the depot unless every one of them got a seat.

It was sixth-day and we had an appointment at Jackson the seventh day, and we felt that we must go. So as soon as breakfast was over we went to the depot. Here stood a long train of closed cars, and more than five hundred waiting for seats an hour before the time. Soon a man appeared with a bunch of keys in hand, and the crowd rushed after him. We trod close to his heels, and found a good seat. Our new Methodist friends were anxious to get to their home, and made the same effort to reach the train. Before we left the hotel we again said farewell with moistened eyes, expecting to meet no more on earth. But to our utter surprise we found them again in the seat behind ours. Bro. Jones, in caring for a female friend put in his charge, in looking for her trunk, lost his breakfast, so we invited him to share what remained in our traveling basket. He thanked us, and we talked of our providential meeting, and of the Advent faith; but were soon broken off by the conductor's hoarse voice as he cried, Jackson!

The good bye was said with mutual feelings of tenderness, and away went the train and we went to the hospitable home of Bro. D. R. Palmer.

All that spring and summer we struggled with disease, and in the autumn left the care of settling business and moving to Michigan to others, and alone came to Battle Creek, where we found rest and help from God.

The next winter Bro. M. E. Cornell lectured in Otsego, Allegan, and finally in Monterey. He returned to Battle Creek, and while relating that forty had come out in Monterey, said, “Do you remember coming in the cars with”—Yes! yes! we exclaimed—and are they Sabbath-keepers? Bro. C. continued—“a man and woman from Rochester, N. Y., and of your providential meetings and partings? They are real good Sabbath-keepers.” We wept for joy. Bro. Jones now says that the only thing that helped him to climb over his prejudice and get out to hear Bro. Cornell, was the hope that the Advent preacher in town was the sickly man he saw on the cars, whom he wished to see again and hear. Bro. Cornell referred to us in two successive lectures, and his statements agreed with ours on the cars; so brother Jones came out again and again until he became established. Twelve years in June we met them in the tent at Monterey, and with them wept again and rejoiced. And all the trials of those twelve years have only made our bond of union stronger.

On the Sabbath forenoon we spoke half an hour, and Mrs. W. spoke an hour and a half. In the afternoon we spoke three-fourths of an hour, and Mrs. W. an hour and a half. The brethren from Allegan, and some from Otsego were present. It was a blessed Sabbath. We never had a better one in Monterey. On first-day forenoon we spoke an hour with freedom and Mrs. W. filled her hour and a half. Our subject was, Five things which the Health Reform takes from us which many suppose of great value, but which we can spare to profit.

1. It takes from us tobacco, tea and coffee, which are expensive, hurtful, and one of them extremely filthy. We stated our convictions that tobacco was more injurious to health than alcoholic drinks. That while there were three creatures that could be made to love spirits; viz., man, the bear, and the swine, but one loves tobacco, and that is man. Bro. Buck suggested that the tobacco worm lived on the green plant; but that loathsome worm could not be induced to touch it when dried in the condition in which man rolls it as a sweet morsel beneath his tongue. He also stated that you might deceive the swine and get him to drink but once, while men would get drunk every day.

2. Health reform takes from us flesh as food, which is not necessary to sustain life and strength. And while it is not healthful, it contains no more nutrition in three pounds which cost fifty cents, than there is in one pound of corn meal, which costs two cents.

3. It takes from us bolted flour, and gives us bran and all, which is sweeter and contains more nutrition pound for pound.

4. It takes from us the third meal, which almost every one says they need to work on. But it is a fact that most laboring men labor on two meals, and sleep on the third. This they are better off without.

5. It is said that it takes modesty from our mothers, sisters, and daughters, in giving them the short dress. We appealed to the congregation, and called on them to show a single fault in the short dress practically illustrated by Mrs. W. and many others in the assembly. We affirmed that it was the only modest dress, properly covering the female form, worn by women. Hoops often disgrace the wearer. Long skirts have to be held up, frequently are on our public thoroughfares held up a foot higher than the short dress. A lady with the reformed dress may go up and down stairs, get into omnibuses, cars, and stages without the least care or anxiety concerning her dress. Not only many of the sisters in Monterey are adopting the dress, but others, among them the school-teacher. When our people have the moral courage to do right in this respect they will see others following their example, and then will popular prejudice against that which is healthful, convenient, and modest cease to exist with rational men and women.

The youth of that church, as is the case almost everywhere, are crazed with the spirit of the world. We were pained to learn that under the name of a concert, which passed for innocent amusement, a sort of a young theater had been held, in which the world and Sabbath-keepers joined, some with blackened faces. If these things are right, then all our past teachings and experience are wrong. Mrs. W. appealed to the church old and young to stand aloof from such things, and we both entered our protest against them. Rather go to a full grown theater; for there you will see the evil undressed of a profession of innocent, religious sport. We do not argue for a grave, sad, cast-down monotony. This is good for neither health nor growth of grace. It is even the individual's privilege to be cheerful in hope, making the best of this world, and all of the next.

We called on Bro. Day who has been cast down and afflicted. The meetings and interviews have done him much good. As we parted we said to him: Look up; be strong. He replied, “I will.” God bless him.

We returned to Bro. Hilliard's and tarried for the night, and the next day returned home in a snow and rain storm, stopping by the roadside for refreshments. To-morrow, providence permitting, we leave for Windsor and Greenville, where our friends will please address us till further notice be given.

JAMES WHITE.