Untitled article by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · September 3, 1867

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 12

REPORT FROM BRO. WHITE.

By James White

Our meeting at Greenbush, fourth-day, Aug. 21, was excellent. About eighty came out to hear in the midst of harvest. A worthy man, a Baptist, who heard me on the subject of temperance about fifteen days before, had thrown away his tobacco. This is the way. Cleanse the vessel, then receive into it pure truth.

Dr. E., who once kept the Sabbath in Illinois, was present. He had given up the Sabbath, and in despair had gone back to habits of intemperance. He was again aroused by hearing lectures in this place by Bro. Strong; was tender, often would weep; but was in despair. My position on the unpardonable sin helped him. He said to us as we held fast each other's hands at that meeting, “I am helped. I will make another effort to obey the truth.” He also attended the meeting at Ithaca, and gave a good testimony.

As our appointment for Ithaca did not appear in the Review, probably because it was received too late, if at all, we feared a failure of a general attendance, therefore hastened to Greenbush from Orange on the next day after that laborious meeting, to have Bro. Strong immediately go to the several places in Gratiot Co., to spread the appointment. But when we reached Greenbush we learned that Bro. O. Sevy had gone. And when he returned, he reported that in each place where he went, he found that the appointment had gone ahead of him by letter from some earnest friend of the cause in other places. In short, the brethren seemed all awake.

Fifth-day, we passed over a rough road to Ithaca, twenty miles, and were very tired. We were welcomed by sister Jeffrey, a mother in Israel, and found rest. Sixth-day, we spent in writing letters, Mrs. W. writing for Testimony No. 12, which will probably be ready to take West with us.

Sabbath morning we were surprised to find ourselves in the large, neat house of prayer, built by our people, the only one of any kind in the county, and filled with an intelligent class of commandment-keepers, waiting for the word of the Lord. Bro. Strong and Amadon were with us, but looked to us to fill the time. And now came the trial to select subjects and condense so as not to overwork. This is difficult in places where we have not labored. In the morning I spoke on temperance, &c., and in the afternoon, nearly one hour on the same, pointing out the way of holiness. Mrs. W. spoke more than an hour.

First-day morning at nine, the brethren assembled for prayer and conference meeting. At half-past ten, I spoke on the great Advent movement. In the afternoon Mrs. W. spoke an hour, and I occupied more than an hour upon the law and gospel. The interest was excellent.

This meeting was timely and will do good. In Brn. Squires and Nelson, the brethren in that county have two noble leaders. They are elders of the two largest churches. One was a minister, the other a judge, before they embraced the message. Some have climbed too high. They lack humility. What is more disgusting to reason, modesty, and common sense, than to see a brother get up, when thirty want to each say a few words in fifteen minutes, and occupy half this time in a sort of harangue, exhorting others, when a few words of experience from all these are wanted? They crowd fifteen worthy ones out, sink the meeting, and the worst of all is, they do not know the wrong they have committed. To such we would say, as our Lord did to one of old, Zaccheus, come down.

Many said to us on parting, When are you coming again? Great interest is taken in Mrs. W.'s testimony. We find ourselves in the midst of a wide field of usefulness. In the winter it is but eight hours' ride from our place to Ithaca. We came through, however, in a little more than one day. I spoke about three hours first-day, and rode twenty miles after five o'clock, and the next day at five, just twenty-four hours, reached home, seventy miles. Last night, slept sweetly, and this morning, third-day, have written this brief report and seven brief letters. The clock in Bro. Merrill's shop where I am writing, this moment strikes twelve, and I must close and return home.

JAMES WHITE.

Greenville, Aug. 28, 1867.