Meetings in Vermont by A. S. Hutchins

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 16, 1883

Meetings in Vermont.

By A. S. Hutchins

AFTER a pleasant sojourn of five months at the Sanitarium, at Battle Creek, Mich., we are happy to resume our efforts to do a little in the cause and work of God in our Conference, supplicating the throne of grace for heavenly wisdom to strengthen and guide in the work so solemn and responsible.

July 14, 15, we spent with the church in Jamaica. We had strength to speak to this people once each day. On Sabbath the ordinances of the Lord's house were celebrated. One brother was added to the church. The Sabbath-school here is, we believe, a blessing to both the old and the young. On first-day some business was attended to in behalf of the interests of the cause, hopefully looking forward to an increase of union and strength among the people of God here.

To the elders of this church, we affectionately exhort in the language of another: "Feed the flock of God which is among you; not by constraint, but willingly, . . . . being ensamples to the flock." 1 Pet. 5:1-3. And let the dear brethren and sisters strictly observe the injunction of the same apostle, "Yea, all of you be subject one to another. And be ye clothed with humility," and union of heart, and growth in grace with addition of numbers may adorn this church.

July 21 and 22, we spent with the church of Irasburgh and Charleston, at Brownington. In addition to speaking the word of life here, we attended to the duties of the quarterly meeting. On first-day we baptized three young friends. One of these, a young lady, who is an approved school-teacher, testifies that she never felt satisfied that the first-day of the week is the Sabbath of the Bible. Some months since while away from home attending school where neither her associations nor surrounding influences would incline her to thoughtfulness on the subject of the Sabbath question, or to investigate this point, conviction settled upon her mind that if she would honor God by keeping all of his commandments, she ought to keep holy the seventh day. A few weeks from this time she deliberately decided henceforth to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath, as a duty incumbent upon a disciple of Christ, and expressed a wish for baptism, and church membership among our people.

Last Sabbath we spent at Wolcott, where we spoke to a little company. One of these was a sister from another State, who had not before heard a sermon on present truth for six years. Referring to her lonely condition for so long a time she expressed herself like this: "My Bible and the Review have been my study." She spoke with sweet assurance of her hope of life eternal.

The Bible, the SIGNS, the Review, and the Instructor, with other periodicals and publications to which we have access, are, though silent, excellent preachers. May the lonely ones, like this sister, trust in him who numbers the hairs of our heads; study his holy word, be found much in prayer (as all should be), and gather the truths of the gospel from those periodicals and publications which proclaim the near coming of the Lord and teach the work of divine grace in the heart requisite to meet him, and though lonely they may grow in grace.

We feel thankful for the work which has been done in our State within a few months, in obtaining subscribers for the SIGNS on trial. It seems to us that new fields are thus opening for other reading matter, and perhaps for future labors of our ministers. Let us take courage in the Lord and faithfully do what we can.

A. S. HUTCHINS. Barre, Vt., Aug. 1, 1883.