Report from Bro. Byington.
By J. Byington
MONDAY morning, April 17, I left Bro. Perkins to visit several families of the church in Wright, Mich. I was called in to visit a Methodist family in deep affliction. A son twenty-five years of age and a neighbor's boy of sixteen years, while engaged with others in fishing, used hard words to each other, when the youngest raised a club, struck the other on the head, and in a few hours he was dead. He rode home some three or four miles, walked into the house and said to his mother, “I am going to die.” These were his last words. He sat down in a chair, then went to the bed, and spoke no more. As the sheriff was passing with the boy to jail, he took him into the room to view the corpse. I stepped in to witness the scene. The deed was done; it could not be recalled. Hard words led to blows. Had they sought the Lord in their youth, it would have prevented all this trouble. Dear youth, take warning. The 18th, had evening meeting in Gaines. Spoke of watching and praying always, Luke 21: 36, especially watching against the wrongs spoken of in verse 34. The 19th, met with the church in Leighton. Warned them to beware of an unbelieving heart. Heb. 3: 12. Sabbath, 22d, met with the few brethren in Hastings. Our meeting was with sister Althouse, and family also the family of our deceased Bro. Owen were with us. What a mercy that his dear children have turned to the Lord. I spoke on the hearts of fathers being turned to children and those of children to their fathers. May all the children of dear sister Althouse turn to the Lord.