p. 182 | Meetings in Vermont by A. S. Hutchins

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 9, 1875

Meetings in Vermont.

By A. S. Hutchins

SINCE my last report, have spent two Sabbaths with the friends in Essex Junction. Most of the number who embraced the Sabbath here manifest a growing interest in the truth. Meetings are held regularly each week. Bro. Bean recently spent a Sabbath here. Two have been baptized by him.

Our Tract and Missionary meetings have been seasons of encouragement to the different churches. At the Berkshire meeting three discourses were preached besides attending to the business. There was freedom in the worship of God on the Sabbath. Bro. D. A. Robinson preached one sermon, and Bro. C. W. Stone preached the evening following the Sabbath. It was a matter of gratitude to us all to hear Bro. S. say with much feeling and in tears, “I long for the time to come when I can labor in the cause of God, and become tired in the work as I now get exhausted in teaching.” There are other young men in Vermont upon whom the Lord has claims, who would do well to break away from friends and home cares, and do the will of the Master.

The meetings in Dist. No. 2 also left a very salutary influence upon the Irasburgh and Charleston church. After the close of the meeting on first-day, Nov. 14, we rode some six miles in a snow-storm, and I baptized six, who, with six others, were added to the church. I obtained six subscribers for the SIGNS.

The meetings at Jericho last Sabbath and first-day seemed to inspire courage and good hope in the hearts of the church there. There was good freedom in preaching the word on the Sabbath, and a refreshing social meeting on first-day morning, preceding business transactions.

But we cannot forbear expressing the deep regret we feel that there are so few reports of missionary labor given by the brethren and sisters. Until there is more interest manifested by the majority of the brethren in the direction of laboring to reach men with our publications, and to otherwise labor judiciously for the salvation of souls, our missionary work will not be what it should be; it will not be what it must be to properly discharge our duty and to secure the approving smiles of Him who gave his life for us.

Dear reader, think of what Jesus has suffered and sacrificed for us, and then ask yourself the question, What have I done for him? We hope the good resolutions formed in our meetings may be carried out in the ensuing quarter; that God’s blessing may rest upon the workers; and that at the next series of quarterly meetings, life, and power, and spirit, may be given our business sessions by reports from the great majority instead of the minority. And we do hope that the hearts of our brethren and sisters will become so deeply filled with a love for this work that they will toil faithfully through the quarter and then come to the meetings prepared to remain to their close, instead of going home before the transaction of the business. God is blessing this branch of our great work to the salvation of souls. Oh! who will be among the workers? Who will be of the number to whom it shall be said by the Master, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”?

I receive good reports from meetings in other districts, where I could not meet with them. On the whole, our Health Almanacs have been taken freely. In a new district (with few members), the smallest in the State, the director writes, “I think five hundred almanacs will be all we can distribute.” Let the faint-hearted in other districts think of this, and take courage for the work.

A. S. HUTCHINS.

Nov. 25, 1875.