Communication from Dr. Russell.
By Wm. Russell
DEAR BRO. AND SR. WHITE: I am constrained from the fullness of my heart to express my love and gratitude to you, for the kind sympathy you have ever manifested toward me and my family even while I was to some degree your enemy, though I never felt real enmity toward you; and most of the time nothing but love and true sympathy has dwelt in my heart. I must freely confess to you and all who may read this, that much of the time during the past two years, my mind has been in a state of sadness, and I could see no light or relief only in returning to the dear people I so much injured by writing and speaking against. But to longer keep silent is to grieve the Spirit of God which has striven with me at times for many months; and having fully weighed the matter, and studied the dealings of God with me, and finding no rest of mind, I am fully resolved to seek the favor of God and his people, and identify myself in some humble way in the last great work of preparing a people for the coming of the Lord. I am weak, but in the Lord is strength. “To err is human, to forgive, divine.” I humbly pray that God may, in his great mercy pardon me, and give me sustaining grace to meet the trials that will come upon me. I humbly pray that you will pardon me for the many sad reflections I may have caused you. I am fully determined henceforth to go with you to Mount Zion, the city of God. “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” I will suffer with you in the trials of this life, with some hope of sharing with you that better life in the kingdom of God. Oh! the terrible influence of Satan upon the human heart. My feet had well-nigh slipped. Despair at times seemed inevitable. But I would humbly thank God that he has had a care for me, and that he has moved upon the hearts of his dear people to have a care for me. I have no worthiness to plead. I am a sinner in the sight of God, but such the blessed Saviour came to save. In him will I trust. His precious blood cleanseth from all sin. I can now fully realize the feelings of David when he said he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell in tents of wickedness. Let me say in conclusion to you and Bro. J. N. Andrews, that while some treated me with coldness and suspicion, you have always treated me with loving kindness. Had I needed your reproof and counsel I would have saved myself much sadness and great loss. Space will not allow me to particularize, but I hope in future to undo as far as I can all the wrongs I may have done. I cannot close without saying, May God bless you and the dear brethren and sisters at Battle Creek and elsewhere whose kind sympathy I have shared. In hope of the better life, I am, yours, seeking the favor of God. WM. RUSSELL. P. S. On looking over the foregoing, I do not feel satisfied to let it appear in the paper without some further remarks touching my short stay at the Institute one year ago last January. I went there enjoying the confidence of the brethren and in my own mind willing to engage in the duties of the Institute. But soon after going there, through opposing influences, the enemy overcame me, and I left and disregarded the counsel of those who had my good at heart. My course in this was wrong, which has caused me much heart felt sorrow. My acts in the course I then pursued merited censure, although in some things I was misunderstood. I hope those brethren who tried to help me then, will pardon my ingratitude. I am astonished when I think how kindly they treated me, that my heart could be so fixed in refusing their counsel. I caused Bro. White and Bro. Andrews much sorrow in the course I then took. I ask them to forgive me as well as others whom I grieved. I will humble myself that God may forgive me. W. R.