J. N. Loughborough, in “Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists.” by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 22, 1901

J. N. Loughborough, in “Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists.”

By John Norton Loughborough

UNDER the stirring proclamation of the Advent doctrine, many disposed of their worldly possessions, using their substance in sustaining the public speakers in their labor, or scattering the printed papers and tracts, or supplying the wants of the needy, thus giving to the world the best evidences of their sincerity and earnestness; while those who clung to their earthly possessions, and who made no special sacrifice for the work, were marked by the worldling as not really believing what they professed.

Upon this point I will cite a case that occurred in my own place of residence. It was that of a church-member who had much to say in meeting about the Lord’s coming in the fall of 1844. He was a man of considerable property, and among other things, he had a lot of hogs at just the right age for keeping over for the spring market. An uncle of mine, who made no religious pretensions, and whose business was the buying and selling of stock, went to this professed Adventist to buy his hogs, but learned from him that he did not wish to sell them, as he was going to keep them over till next spring for “store hogs.” Uncle came to my grandfather, who was an Advent believer, and said, “That man does not believe what he professes.” “Why?” asked grandfather. “Because,” said uncle, “he says the Lord is coming, and the world is coming to an end this fall, but he wants to keep his hogs till next spring. He need not talk to me; he doesn’t believe a word of it.”

There were, however, men who held onto their means, struggling all the while under the conviction that they should use it to advance the work, until it was too late to invest it. Such came to those engaged in printing the message, urging them with tears to accept their money, but the reply was, “You are too late! we have paid for all the printing matter

we can possibly circulate before the end. We have hired several power presses to run night and day; we do not want any more money.” An eye-witness testified to me that he saw men lay thousands of dollars on the desk before the publisher of the Voice of Truth, and in anguish of spirit beg him to take it and use it. The reply was, “You are too late! We don’t want your money now! We can’t use it.” Then they asked, “Can not it be given to the poor?” The answer was the same, “We have made provision for the immediate wants of all such that we can reach.” In distress of mind, the men took away their money, declaring that the frown of God was upon them for their lack of faith and for the covetousness which led them to withhold means from the cause of God when it was needed and would have been gladly used.

In the early part of the season, some of our brethren in the north of New Hampshire had been so impressed with the belief that the Lord would come before another winter, that they did not cultivate their fields. About the middle of July, which was the evening of the midnight of the Jewish day-year (evening-morning, reckoning from the new moon of April, the commencement of this Jewish year), others, who had sown and planted their fields, were so impressed with a sense of the Lord’s immediate appearing, that they could not, consistently with their faith, harvest their crops. Some, on going into their fields to cut their grass, found themselves entirely unable to proceed, and, conforming to their sense of duty, left their crops standing in the field, to show their faith by their works, and thus to condemn the world. This rapidly extended through the north of New England.

The character and principles of those who left their crops standing unharvested, and their shops desolated, to scatter the printed page, or to talk and pray with the people from house to house, were beyond criticism. The people questioned not that such men and women believed every word they said, and withal, such a power attended them that the honest-hearted could not gainsay nor resist their words. Thousands were by this means led to believe the truth, and sought and found God’s mercy.