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An Encouraging Report

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1873

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 41, No. 24.

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An Encouraging Report.

By Theo. F. Kendall

REVIEW AND HERALD: My wife returned from Health Institute, where she had been under treatment, about the first of last September. She brought some tracts and pamphlets with her, on the Sabbath and other points of faith, which I then thought were contrary to the Bible, so I commenced to read, and compare with God's word, to prove them errors; but instead of being able to do that, they were the instruments, in the hands of God, of fully convincing us of their truthfulness; and the more we studied God's word, the more we became convinced that it was our duty to obey him.
But what could I do? My position as saw-filer in the saw-mill required my presence every day, and I was perplexed to know what to do. On the one hand was duty, staring me in the face; and on the other, the loss of position, and, possibly, home, as it is not yet clear of debt. We were anxious to obey God, and yet were waiting for a “convenient season,” which never would have come without a move on our part.
In the meantime, Bro. R. F. Andrews was afflicted with sore eyes, and God, in his providence, sent him to Rock Island, where, hearing of us through a sister in the church (Baptist), he called on us about the first of April and pointed out our duty so plain, and urged us to it so earnestly, that I resolved that let come what would, loss of position, home, or anything, as for me and my house, we would serve God.
I went to my employer on the 10th of April and told him my determination; and when he saw that I meant it all, he had no objections, providing I did my work.
On the 12th of April, we kept the Sabbath of the Lord for the first time, and he blessed us in it; and, by his help, we mean to continue in the good way.
Our pastor, J. S. Maybe, called on my wife last September, shortly after her return, knowing just how she felt at that time on the Sabbath, and he went away requesting her to find some texts for him on that subject and he would come again soon after them. Time passed on, until the 27th of last April, when he preached a sermon on the Christian Sabbath. He had not called on us since the time mentioned above, and not a word had passed between him and myself on the subject.
The following Tuesday, the 29th, he called at our house simply to question me in regard to my belief in order to have us brought up before the church the next night for exclusion. This was the only conversation we had.
The next night, a committee was appointed to call on us. They came down the same week, and asked us a few questions, but not a word of entreaty, to give up these views, escaped their lips. One of the brethren, a deacon, refused even to investigate for the purpose of convincing us that we were wrong, after we had promised to give it up if he could show us where we were going astray from God's word.
Our case was brought up again on the 14th of May, and I went before the meeting and told them that I would sit at the feet of any one of them, and learn of them wherein I had gone astray; but no one offered to show me, and we were formally excluded from the Baptist church, on what charges I know not. I read in God's word that “unto us is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”
Bro. Andrews has called on us several times, and we feel strengthened and encouraged by that man of God to hold on to this blessed truth, regardless of the cavils of men.
Yours in the truth, THEO. F. KENDALL.
Rock Island Co., Ill., May, 1873.