MAINE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 13, 1877

New Sweden.

On the first Sabbath after my arrival here, about all who believe in the Lord’s Sabbath met together. I addressed them from 1 Thess. 5:20: “Despise not prophesyings.” Bro. Holm spoke in the afternoon, and bore testimony to the words spoken, exhorting to faithfulness and an examination of the word for themselves. This was an important testimony, as he had almost been led away by the enemy, through the perversion of the word of God on the questions of the spirit of prophecy and the sanctuary. But after a careful examination of these subjects, he saw the errors into which he had nearly fallen.

A man by the name of Carlson, who claimed to be an Adventist and Sabbath-keeper, brought a quantity of papers published against S. D. Adventists, and distributed them through the colony. For twelve weeks he went from house to house, endeavoring to prejudice the minds of the people against Seventh-day Adventists. This was done under a color of meekness, and it took a class who had begun to see faults in their brethren, and were not able to see their own, nor to correct them.

The consequence was that the Sabbath-keepers became divided. Soon one division began to find fault with their leader, and he would not lead them. The result of this confusion will probably be the selection of a company who will love order and seek for harmony and unity. We expect to see a company here whose faces are set Zionward, who will be a light in the world, and finally gain the overcomer’s reward. We shall give God all the glory for his sustaining grace in this time of trial, and we hope our brethren will pray for us that our deliverance may be triumphant.

JAMES SAWYER.

Monticello, Aroostook Co., Nov. 27.

I am still holding meetings here. After the fourth meeting I was locked out of the meeting-house, but the school-house was opened, and I have since held meetings in it. I have given, in all, twenty-one discourses, and have set forth the Sabbath question as far as I am able. Many acknowledge that we have the truth. One man says he has been a church-goer for the past forty years, but has learned more about the Bible during these meetings than from all the meetings he had attended before.

Sunday forenoon the Methodist minister occupied the school-house, and spoke on the condition of man in death. He said there were two creations, one of the body, and the other of the soul, and that the soul was made immortal; but he did not offer one text to prove it, and the Bible says no such thing. In the afternoon I had liberty in speaking on the nature of man. The Lord has given his Spirit to assist in setting the truth before the people, but I feel that I need a fresh fitting up for the work of bringing those who have heard the truth to feel the importance of obeying it. For this I ask the prayers of the brethren and sisters.

SAMUEL J. HERSUM.