Developments of Our Work in the Eastern States
By Arthur G. Daniells
Of late our brethren in the eastern part of the United States have been meeting with great encouragement in their efforts to advance the cause of God. Never in my experience had I witnessed such a desire on the part of the public to hear the message we are proclaiming to the world. We are deeply impressed that we are entering upon a new experience in our work in behalf of the masses in the cities.
As inquiries are coming to me from many of our people who are deeply interested in these developments, and as I believe they have a meaning of great importance to our cause at this time, I have decided to make a rather extended statement regarding the situation.
Our people will recall the many very earnest messages in behalf of the cities that came to us through the Spirit of prophecy during the last years of Sister White's active life. These messages call special attention to the masses in the Atlantic coast States. A number of cities were mentioned—New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Portland, and others. We were urged most earnestly to make special efforts to proclaim our message to the people of these cities, and were encouraged to look for results. A special appeal was made in behalf of the people in the State of Maine. Portland, Maine, as we all know, held a prominent place in the beginning of the great advent movement. Bedford, Mass., where Joseph Bates first saw the Sabbath truth and gave it to James White and his wife, is the other starting point of our work. William Miller, Josiah Litch, Joshua V. Himes, and others preached the first angel's message in Portland, and met with strong opposition. It was here that God chose individuals who were to be leaders in the great movement he was setting on foot. James White was called to the work while here. It was here that Sister Ellen G. White was chosen and ordained of God for a great work. J. N. Andrews, another strong leader, received his call at Paris, near the city of Portland. With the disappointment that attended the first angel's message, there came increased opposition. This was strong at Portland, and was accompanied by great prejudice. The people of Maine are of the conservative New England type. They are a good class of solid, substantial people, but are not easily moved from their old ground. Our cause has made but little headway in that field since the early days of its beginning. While large, prosperous conferences have been raised up in the Western States, the work has almost stood still in Maine. Owing to the natural conservatism and the deep prejudice of the people in Maine and the other Eastern States, the pioneers in our cause were led, through the Spirit of prophecy, toward the Western States. In 1855 what then represented our printing work and headquarters were moved to Battle Creek, Mich. This was a great trial to our brethren in the East. There were but few believers west of the Ohio River, and to those who were left in the East it seemed a long distance to the new headquarters. It appeared to these brethren as if the leaders were deserting them. There was not much to the work by way of material evidence, and as the little printing plant was taken away and those who were strong in leadership moved West, discouragement came to those who remained.
It was in this time of trial that the Lord gave Sister White a message for these people, to cheer their hearts. This message was printed in No. 3 of the Testimonies, issued in 1856, one year after the removal to Battle Creek, Mich. It is entitled “The East and the West,” and it may be read now with deep interest. I quote a portion:— “DEAR BRETHREN: The Lord has shown me in vision some things in regard to the East and the West, which I feel it my duty to set before you. I saw that God has been opening the way for the spread of present truth in the West. It requires much more power to move the people in the East than in the West, and at present but very little can be accomplished in the East. Special efforts should be made at the present time where most good will result. The people in the East have heard the proclamation of the second coming of Christ, and have seen much of the display of the power of God, and have fallen back into a state of indifference and security, where it is almost impossible to reach them at present. After uncommon efforts are made in the East, with the best gifts, but very little is accomplished. . . . I saw that tenfold more has been accomplished in the West than in the East with the same effort, and that the way is opening for still greater success. I have seen that much can be done at present in Wisconsin, and still more in Illinois, and that efforts to spread the truth must be made in Minnesota and Iowa. [We had not gone out that far then.] It will take effect in many hearts there. There was a large, very large, field of labor spread out before me in vision which has not yet been entered; but there is not self-sacrificing help enough to fill half the places where the people are all ready to hear the truth, and many to receive it. . . .” “I saw that special efforts should be made in the West with tents [we had not started tent meetings in those days]; for the angels of God are preparing minds there to receive the truth. This is why God has moved on some in the East to move to the West. Their gifts can accomplish more in the West than in the East. The burden of the work is in the West, and it is of the greatest importance that the servants of God should move in his opening providences. “I saw that when the message shall increase greatly in power, then the providence of God will open and prepare the way in the East for much more to be accomplished than can be at the present time. God will then send some of his servants in power to visit places where little or nothing can now be done; and some who are now indifferent, will be aroused, and will take hold of the truth.” There is significant meaning in these statements, and in view of what we can now see being accomplished we are better able to understand the promise of the Lord. Sixty years ago it was stated that God would in his providence open and prepare the way for the preaching of the message in the East, and that people would be aroused to accept the truth, where, in the early days, it was almost impossible to arrest their attention or get them to listen to the message. In the meantime the work was to be rapidly developed in the West. Tent8meetings were to be held, and strong constituencies built up. This has been fulfilled. Our work has extended over all the United States and into western Canada. It has become strong on the Pacific Coast. How wonderfully the Lord has fulfilled the message foretelling all this! And now he is adding further witness to the truth of that early message by greatly blessing the labors of his messengers and people in the Eastern States. Of this we shall speak more fully next week.