POCASSET AGAIN | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 26, 1879

POCASSET AGAIN.

THE FACTS IN THE CASE.

In view of the use which is made of the Pocasset murder in some quarters where no other Adventists are known but Seventh-day Adventists, it was thought advisable that an effort be made to ascertain the actual facts in the case by a personal visit of some one competent to interview the proper parties in reference to this unfortunate affair. We accordingly wrote to Eld. D. A. Robinson, who has made a visit to the place, and gives us below the result of his inquiries. His report not only confirms what has been reiterated through the columns of the REVIEW, that there was no possible connection between that company and Seventh-day Adventists, and that we are no more to be associated with their doings than with the doings of any other denomination, but it also shows that they were entirely ignorant of S. D. Adventists; that, with the exception of one man, they did not even know of the existence of such a people as S. D. Adventists; and he knew so little of us, that he did not know we owned an office of publication, or that we published any books or periodicals; from which it follows, as they themselves acknowledge, that they have not received an idea they hold, from our people.

These facts, with some of the principles so ably set forth by Bro. Littlejohn in No. 23, last volume, may be embodied in pamphlet form for use in those places where people attempt, on account of this matter, to cast odium on Seventh-day Adventists, if the brethren so desire.

Bro. Robinson visited the Methodist minister of Pocasset, the interview with whom he thus records:—

“I asked him what he understood the report in the Boston Herald to mean by the branch of Adventists called Seventh-day Adventists. He replied, ‘I have a letter here I will show you that may give some light on that point.’ The letter was from an Adventist in Rose Water, Mich., requesting him to send them a statement of the faith of the company in Pocasset.” The writer then added, “We are what are called ‘First-day Adventists,’” and then stated the points of their faith. “Now,” said the minister, “they believe exactly as this company here, excepting in regard to the resurrection of the wicked dead, and on the point of the Sabbath.”

“What does he mean, said I, by ‘first-day’? etc. ‘I suppose he means, the old first-day,’ was the answer. I asked him if he meant the Jewish Sabbath. He said, Yes. I asked him especially if there were any of that class here; and he was very positive there were none.”

Bro. Robinson also had an interview with the man Davis, who has been prominently set forth as the associate of Freeman in this tragical matter. Of this interview he gives the following full account:—

INTERVIEW WITH DAVIS.

After some preliminary remarks the following conversation in substance ensued:—

“How long was Freeman a resident here?” “About six years. He came from Lynn here, but his home, I think, was in New Hampshire. When he lived in Lynn, she that is now his wife went from here and worked there also, and there they were married. Subsequently he came here and got a little place and settled down.”

“Was he an Adventist when he came here?” “No, sir; he was a Methodist, though inactive for years after coming here.”

“What first led him, since coming here, to become an active Christian again?” “Well, sir, one year ago last February Captain Bray, who had been a helper in the Moody meetings, came here as an evangelist and had a revival in the M. E. church. He dwelt considerably on entire consecration, etc. In that revival Freeman came out very strong.”

“Who first preached Adventism here, and when was it?” “An Eld. Flagg held a tent meeting for a week, two or three years ago. One year ago the first of this month, Charles Brown, of Orrington, Maine, came here and had one meeting. There was one man here who was much interested in Adventism, who induced Brown to come. Last summer the Adventists had a camp-meeting at Tremont, and we went up and were baptized.”

“Whom do you mean by we?” “Charlie [Freeman], and his wife, and myself.”

“What do you understand the Boston Herald to mean by the various branches of Adventists?” “The Adventists first started with Miller, and they believed Christ was coming bodily as he went up—not a spiritual affair. Since the passing of Miller’s ‘time,’ they have become divided up, yet I think nearly all look for a personal coming of Christ. The difference between the Crisis party and our folks, ‘Life and Advent,’ is so small it should not divide us.”

“What do you mean by life and advent?” “Well I hardly know what gave rise to the name, but we mean by it, life only in Christ—no life to the sinner.”

“They never will be raised, then?” “No, sir! never!”

“That was Freeman’s faith, was it?” “He was a firm believer in that.”

“This was Brown’s faith also, was it?” “Oh, yes! he preached it.”

“This camp-meeting you spoke of was held, then, by this branch of Life and Advent or non-resurrectionists?” “Oh! no, it was the Crisis party.”

“Well, but how came they to baptize you, believing as you did?” “I don’t know as they knew we had different ideas; we desired immersion, so they granted our request.”

“Who was the administrator?” “Eld. Hemenway. I think his home is in Athol, Mass.”

“What is the organ of the Crisis party?” “The World’s Crisis, printed in Boston.”

“The Herald spoke of Seventh-day Adventists. What do you understand that branch to be?” “Well, they keep the Sabbath.”

“Do not you and all Christians also keep the Sabbath?” “We keep what is called the Lord’s day, or Sunday. They keep the old seventh day.”

“The Jewish Sabbath, then?” “No, the Bible Sabbath.”

“Are there any of that class here?” “Not one. I think there never has been one in town. I did not get my ideas from them. I obtained them years ago; but it is an impracticable idea, so I never have troubled myself about it.”

“How many are there in your company now?” “About fifteen adults. Last fall Eld. Brown came down here again, and also Eld. Burbank of Philadelphia, and from that time we have held meetings all winter.”

“What caused the trouble between you and the Methodists in their meetings?” “It was because we advocated ancient Methodism, that is, entire consecration, and they could not stand it.”

“What preachers have been here besides Brown and Burbank?” “One Eld. Luther Howard, from somewhere in Maine. He held a few meetings here early this spring.”

“What is the organ of the branch of Adventists to which this company belong?” “It is the ‘Herald of Life.’”

“Printed where?” “Springfield, Mass.”

“Then of the branch of Seventh-day Adventists you have none here?” “Not any. Most everybody keeps what is called the Lord’s day, and under the circumstances we could not do differently. We never have paid any attention to that question, and I doubt if one of our company knows anything about it.”

“What is the organ of that peculiar branch of Adventists?” “I do not know. Don’t know as they have any.”

“Their preachers never have been here, then?” “No, I think not.”

“What do you think was the real cause of Freeman’s act?” “You want the bottom facts, do you?” “Yes, sir.” “Well, it was his implicit faith in the Bible, laying aside his reason and going by faith, thus becoming insane on that point at least. A man is sane when he uses his reason, otherwise insane. God told him to make a sacrifice. In reading his Bible he found that other men had had the same experience as himself. And, by the way, the night after the act I stayed there, and while there I took up a book; it was Josephus, and while glancing through it, my eye rested on the account of the Abrahamic sacrifice, all pictured out in flowery style. Charlie had marked passages all through this. He found in the case of Abraham one parallel to his own, and he acted out his faith.”

“What do you understand by faith?” “Well, Paul says it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

“What evidence did Freeman have that such an act would be right?” “The Lord told him to do it. God told Abraham to offer his son. He did it, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. He told Charlie to do a similar act, and now that is accounted to him for unrighteousness.”

“How did God tell him this?” “In here,” pointing to his heart. “God speaks to men differently now from what he did in Abraham’s day. Paul says that God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us through our hearts.”

“Did not God speak in a different manner to Abraham?” “Well, let us look at the account a few moments. God took Abraham out and showed him the land of Canaan, and told him he would give it to him. Afterward he told him again that they should have a son Isaac. Abraham doubted this, and his faith failed him, so God tries him again.”

“How did God communicate this instruction to Abraham?” “Well, it says God spoke to him, and I suppose he did.”

“Must he not have heard an audible voice, or was there not an angel or some personal intelligence that came to him?” “I suppose so. I was about to say that God tried him again, and told him to take his son and offer him up for a burnt-offering.”

“Did not the Lord tell him this in the same manner that he spoke to him previously? and if so, does it not show a great difference between his case and that of Freeman? An angel came to Abraham and told him those things, but Freeman was led simply by his imagination.”

“Well, I don’t know whether God spoke in this case as he had previously or not; I have not examined that account since the tragedy. I have about made up my mind that the quicker we get out of this idea of faith, and trust to our reason, the better it will be for us. I want to add that the reporters have done me great injustice in representing me as an unsafe character in the community. If I had always lived here it would not matter so much, for my neighbors know me; but I am known through the State, and not only in this State but in several of the States, having been an agent for several years for Fairbanks’ scales.”

Mr. Davis expresses all confidence in the idea that he will succeed in bringing the press to an account for the manner in which they have handled his character.

In summing up the results of his visit, Bro. Robinson gives the following as the conclusions to which he was led by all the facts he could gather:—

That Freeman has been an out and out Adventist only about one year.
That one prominent feature of his faith was “entire consecration,” and that he brought with him from the M. E. church.
That he belonged to that class of Adventists known as the “Life” party, or “non-resurrectionists.”
That he, his wife, and Davis, were baptized by the Crisis folks last June, Eld. Hemenway officiating.
That no Seventh-day Adventist preacher has ever been in the town.
That no Sabbath-keeper is now there or ever has been, so far as is known.
The only man that could give me any light in regard to S. D. Adventists (Mr. Davis) was so little acquainted with us as a people, that he did not know whether we printed a paper or not, but thought we were so few in numbers that we did not.

8. That the preachers who have been there were all of the class mentioned in (3), and they were Messrs. Flagg, Chas. Brown of Orrington, Me., Eld. Burbank of Philadelphia, and L. L. Howard of Maine.