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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, December 31, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 3

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ONE YEAR SINCE.

By James White

Just one year ago to-day, December 19, Mrs. W. and self left home to resume our labors, from which we had been held by feebleness for nearly two years.
We look back upon the past year with feelings of gratitude to God for his goodness, and his especial blessing upon our feeble labors. During no year have the people of God received us so readily as in the past, and during no year has our testimony been so plain and pointed, and during no year have we seen so many backsliders reclaimed, and so many in bad habits, such as the use of tobacco, reclaimed, as during the past year.
And no other than the plainest testimony would have reached these cases, and so effectually corrected the errors of hundreds. And now we have the fact to record, astonishing as it is to us, that as we look back upon this battle-field of the past year, where so many have feared that many would be killed by the plain testimony, no one, no, not even one, has been driven from the church or from the Sabbath. Hence the plain testimony has united hundreds firmly, and we hope permanently, with the body, while no one has been driven from the body.
Our testimony has been principally for those professed Sabbath-keepers who were already separated from our churches, either in name or in spirit, or in both. If one-half of such had been reclaimed, and the other half fully driven away, the result would be as favorable as might be expected. But what a fact I have this day to record, that not one soul has been turned from the Sabbath cause, while we have borne so pointed a testimony to move hundreds of unconsecrated men and women to consecrate themselves to the cause of present truth. To God be all the praise.
Who are they who separate the flock, and divide and scatter the precious sheep and lambs. Answer. Those who have not much courage to speak the truth, and who cringe, and sympathize with those who are justly reproved. Let such get out of the way of the work of God. Let God’s servants raise one united voice in speaking the plain and pointed truth in love. And let all the people say, Amen.
JAMES WHITE. Portland, Me., Dec. 19, 1867.