p. 63 | Report from Maine Tent

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 5, 1873

Report from Maine Tent.

I LEFT home June the 16th, for Lagrange, to engage in tent labor with Bro. W. H. Blaisdell; found a chance to put up our tent; but hearing that Bradford, a town about six miles from Lagrange, was a much more thickly settled place, we concluded to go there and see if we could find a more favorable opening. After examining the country we concluded to put up our tent here at Tasker's Corners. After we arrived here we learned that there were three persons keeping the Sabbath in town, Bro. Furbush, sister Strout, and sister Spaulding, that had been keeping it ever since father Bates first preached it. They say he came here about 1845 or 1846, and preached the Sabbath. Bro. J. N. Andrews also was here. They are quite aged people. They said they had been praying for the Lord to send some Sabbath preacher here, but had almost despaired of ever seeing one. When they saw us, they were almost overjoyed, and tears would unbidden start, while they expressed their gratitude to God, that we had come to give a course of lectures in a tent.

Bro. Furbush is a sickly man, and is not able to go out often. When we went into his room he was in his bed, and by his side on the bed lay Bro. White's “Life Incidents.” And, while the tears rolled down his care-worn cheeks, he expressed words of praise to God that he had a chance once more to see some brethren who preached the third angel's message. I said to him, I see you have “Life Incidents.” Yes, he said, and it is the best book on earth except the Bible. Sister Strout and husband have rendered us much service since we have been here, for which we hope the Lord will bless them. Bro. Strout has commenced to keep the Sabbath since we came here. Sister Spaulding lost her husband some years ago. May the Lord bless these old and tried servants. It greatly strengthened us as we prayed, sung, and wept with them.

We erected our tent four weeks ago today. We have labored hard, and the Lord has blessed. There has been some influence here against us. Eld. Jaquith, a Baptist, came into our tent, and wanted to speak against us, and we granted his request. Bro. Blaisdell reviewed him, and it resulted in our favor; all could see we had the truth. He misrepresented our people, and sister White's writings. Bro. Blaisdell clearly showed to the people that he stated things that were not true. There is power in the third angel's message. My attention was first called to it about five years ago by Bro. and sister White, and Eld. J. H. Waggoner; I only regret that they did not come before. It grows sweeter and sweeter to me, the more the truth unfolds; and if I had a thousand tongues I should want them all employed in proclaiming this glorious truth.

REUEL S. WEBBER.

Bradford, Penobscot Co., Me., July 21, 1873.

A further report from the same place says:—

The Lord has seen fit to let a little light shine on us within the past week, and to bless our feeble efforts some, for which we feel very thankful. There are now thirty who have decided to keep the Sabbath since we came here.

Two men who live about five miles from our tent, that were believers in the first message, came to our meeting, and heard us, for the first time, when we spoke on the subject of the three messages. They were deeply interested. They said they had never been engaged in any of the time moves since ’44, but yet, had never known where the mistake was in Wm. Miller's argument; but they said they could see it all plain now. They and their families are now keeping the Sabbath.

The interest in our meetings is now better than at any time previous. We hope to see more embrace the truth. We intend to stay here awhile longer. We came to this town entire strangers, never having seen a person that lives here, that we knew of, but we feel that we have some true friends here now. May the Lord help them to endure unto the end.

We deeply feel our need of help from the Lord. Brethren, pray for us.

W. H. BLAISDELL, R. S. WEBBER.