Eastern Tour | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 21, 1871

Eastern Tour.

We enjoyed an excellent visit with the family of Eld. S. N. Haskell at South Lancaster, Mass., from whom we learned much in relation to the missionary movements and tract distribution of our people of the New England Conference, and what they are doing to extend the circulation of our periodicals, and to collect and settle arrearages. We also found a good place there to do writing that we could not do at Battle Creek, because of interruptions and many cares. We are really enjoying this change, and decide to give others at Battle Creek a chance to develop financial ability, while we have the benefits of more of the blessed relief we are now experiencing.

Our plans are laid, embracing the idea of making Battle Creek simply a station at which we will call as often as actually necessary to counsel with brethren relative to the interests located there of vast importance to the cause. We have done our share of the work there. Now let others work there as we have worked, and if our experience and counsel are of any worth to them, we will most gladly serve them in this way. But we are done standing beneath the load of perpetual care and toil at headquarters, growing rapidly old, and gathering that sadness of spirit which results from mental wear.

It is not alone the bracing air of New England that has driven away our gloom and made us free and hopeful. The exhilarating influence of change, of meeting friends, old and new, of seeing many new faces, has done us much good. And the hope of better health, freedom from double care, and the prospect of being able to fill calls to different parts of the wide field, where we can now and then stop and find retirement to write for a few weeks, makes us feel that we are almost in a new world.

Fourth-day, the 8th, came to Boston, and found Bro. Stratton waiting to take us to his ample home, where we spent several days very pleasantly with his dear family. Our meeting on the Sabbath was larger than we expected. The hall was nearly full. Here we met old friends, and many we had not seen before. Some were from Maine, others from Rhode Island; but most belonged to Boston and the immediate vicinity. We were free in speaking to this dear people. First-day afternoon, while speaking with unusual freedom we observed an earnest listener in the back part of the hall. At the close of the service he came to the stand and gave us his hand and his name, Otis Pease of Exeter, Maine. Twenty-eight years since we held meetings with this man in Maine. He deeply felt the force of the truth he heard yesterday. We feel stirred in spirit relative to proclaiming the message in New England, especially in Maine, our native State, and the field where God gave us many souls in 1843-4.

We left Mrs. W. and sister Hall in Boston, while we, as we write, are on our way to New York to meet Dr. Trall and others. We have been with Eld. Haskell most of the time since we came to Massachusetts. He is a practical man. We need such in all parts of the field. We hope his remarks in this number upon “The Tract Society” will provoke our brethren in other Conferences to love and to good works. Our people everywhere can go to work, see the fruits of their labor, and grow stronger, and still stronger. Or they can do nothing, grow weak, and die out. God save us.

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man [not the minister only; but every man] according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12.

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Rev. 20:12.

Men and women are wanted who will bear the cross of work, that they may wear the crown as the reward of their labor. These will not stand in that crowd of idlers who will hear the terrible order to “depart,” but they will stand with that happy company of workers who will hear the glad words, “Well done.”