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SOMETHING NEW

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 11, 1878

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 52, No. 3.

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SOMETHING NEW.

By A. S. Hutchins

On opening my REVIEW in the post-office last evening, my eyes were greeted with reports of labor from the two tents now pitched in Vermont. Hail the day so long desired! And can it be that the time has come when our State is thus favored? Truly, God is good; and I cannot refrain from tears as I write.
For a space of more than twenty-six years I have loved the work of God as developed under the third angel’s message. With interest I have marked the rise and spread of present truth. But the weekly visit of our REVIEW till Vol. 52, No. 2, has borne the cheering tidings of two tents devoted to the promulgation of the last warning notes of mercy, simultaneously running in the Green Mountain State.
“Both young men and maidens, old men and children,” it seems to me, will rejoice together in hope that souls will be gathered by the tent labors the present season. For a long time we have desired efforts of this kind in our midst, and now that we are thus favored, what is our duty, dear brethren and sisters? For we are not to conclude that we can do nothing, though many of you will see neither of the tents till camp-meeting.
Bro. and Sr. Sanborn and Bro. Page in the south part of the State, and Brn. Owen and Kellogg, and Bro. and Sr. Whitford in the northern part, need your fervent prayers. We trust they have them. But few of our brethren and sisters can attend these tent-meetings. They are not held for the direct benefit of our churches, but for those unacquainted with our views. Yet the believing, praying ones may identify themselves with the work of God by remembering continually the servants of God in their prayers.
The great apostle to the Gentiles, as he went forth upon his solemn mission, felt the need of the prayers of God’s people, and often requested them in his epistles; that utterance might be given unto him, that he might open his mouth boldly “to make known the mystery of the gospel.”
There is a point of time in tent-meetings when the presence of brethren and sisters who feel the importance of the work, and the worth of souls, can help. But it is poor help that preachers or those examining the truth receive from the presence of chronic backsliders, and indeed, there is but little hopes of benefiting such persons at tent-meetings. The place to begin this great and much-needed work is at their homes, in the church, and among their neighbors.
*A long time ago Paul found it necessary to write to some on the subject of their behavior in the house of God, “which,” says he, “is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
O, may we be careful, dear brethren and sisters, that we in no way mar the work of God! May we move carefully and not dishearten God’s servants. There was a ring of piety and devotion in the hearts of the dear brethren in Thessalonica eighteen hundred years ago, which should be in the hearts of those looking for the near coming of the Lord. “So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything.” 1 Thess. 1:7, 8.
A. S. HUTCHINS.
Irasburgh, Vt., July 5, 1878.