RETURN FROM CONFERENCE by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 14, 1867

RETURN FROM CONFERENCE.

By James White

As we returned from the Conference, after parting with so many dear friends, we often exclaimed, What a blessed meeting!

The heavy rains had made the roads exceedingly bad, yet we drove fifty two miles, and reached Bro. Howe's at midnight. We literally broke down twice, and at dark came to a broken down bridge, with guards at each end of poles, giving unmistakable evidence that the bridge was considered unsafe, and was condemned. We could not ford the stream, but on examination decided to risk the team. We walked across, and saw that it did not tremble; then the team walked slowly and safely over.

It was now dark, and there were eighteen miles of as bad road before us as we ever rode over. We moved cautiously along, but were suddenly stopped twice by running against stumps. Our son, Edson, then went on before, bearing a piece of white paper, to ascertain where we could drive in safety.

At one in the morning we retired with the expectation of remaining over sixth and seventh-day, and slept sweetly, all excepting Mrs. W., who had been suffering with an ulcered tooth. At sunrise she awoke us, and said she must go to Lyons or Ionia that morning and have the tooth extracted and return, a distance of nearly twelve miles, unless we could all go on our journey and call at Ionia and have the painful task performed.

At six in the morning we were on our way, and at eight relief came by the absence of the tooth. How much our unfortunate teeth cost in pain. How valuable are our natural teeth. How important that the best of care should be taken of them. We reached Bro. Maynard's just before the Sabbath, and found rest.

But now it was our turn to suffer with teeth ache. We had not had a tooth drawn for twelve years for the reason that the extracting of the last one resulted in a fever, and the dentist said it was not safe to draw them. The upper teeth have nearly all crumbled down to the roots, leaving quite a full set of stubs and one-half of a front tooth with which to eat. This has been the most discouraging feature in our case. While they were tolerably quiet we saw no better way than to let them remain so. But now there was no rest for us day nor night.

Seeing our wretched condition as to teeth with which to speak, and masticate our food, several brethren and sisters urged us to get a new set. And here we gratefully acknowledge the receipt of $25 from the following persons toward the new set: J. N. Andrews $10, U. Smith $10, sister M. J. Cornell $5.

May 29, in agony we rode to Greenville and were introduced to Eld Platt, Baptist minister, who, by reason of ill health left the ministry, and has fallen back upon his former profession as dentist. He took out one tooth, and gave us one day to rest. The thirtieth he took out four which were all hard cases. To morrow we appoint to meet him at Bro. Merrill's and part with the remaining six, when we will finish this report. We are much better than we could expect to be after traveling two hundred miles, preaching three times, attending three business meetings and having five teeth extracted, in two weeks.

May 31. We have just returned from Greenville with the loss of the remaining six upper teeth. We feel as well as could be expected after the loss of blood and painful operation. We have encouragement of a new set in three weeks. During this lonesome period in which we shall not be able to preach or converse, we shall be happy to hear from friends everywhere.

Address us at Greenville, Montcalm Co., Mich.

JAMES WHITE.