An Interesting Letter

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 18, 1879

An Interesting Letter.

Eld. L. C. Rogers, in the Sabbath Recorder of Sept. 11, 1879, speaking of the results of their tent labor in Norwich, N. Y., says:—

Some of the most experienced Christians and best workers in the churches in Norwich, have accepted the Bible Sabbath. That the readers of the Recorder may have a look at the trials and struggles they have passed through before yielding to the truth, I conclude this article by inserting a letter received from one of them a few days since:—

Norwich, N. Y., Aug. 27, 1879.

Rev. L. C. Rogers: I am glad to hear of your anticipated return. I did not believe the Lord would suffer you to leave us thus. We shall welcome you back. All that I have conversed with since you left seem to believe, but many do not know how to act; and I assure you I can sympathize with them very truly.

Evidently God is stirring up the minds of the people through the preaching of the word; and may he continue to do so until this Bible truth shall spread over the whole earth; this is the prayer of my heart.

Pardon this intrusion upon your time, and allow me to tell you a little of my experience. After I returned home on first-day evening, Aug. 24, Satan, I believe, desired to “sift me as wheat.” The struggle against the powers of darkness was such as I never passed through before. I came to the point where I must (seemingly) choose between Christ and earthly friends, and be willing that my name even should be cast out as evil if need be. At times I felt like giving up, as difficulty after difficulty arose before me. It did seem to me utterly impossible to obey God, and yet I felt the consequences of disobedience. But “thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ,” by the grace of God I was enabled to say, Yes, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou leadest me; only restore unto me thy favor. Then Jesus came and filled my soul with joy unutterable; and oh! how insignificant everything else seemed, and what before seemed such heavy crosses, I then longed to take up. God is answering prayer beyond expectations—just like the precious Jesus. I had such views of his sufferings, and felt a fellowship with Christ I never did before. I have never suffered much for his dear sake, and I thank him that he counts me worthy now, even in so small a degree. I was slow to follow Christ in this plain duty, so foolish was I and unwilling to trust him; oh! how wicked this; but the past is under the blood, and my heart is feeling its cleansing power, and my peace is like a river. I can say with Paul, “Neither death nor life,” etc., “is able to separate me from the love of God.”

The seed you have sown here is springing up in many a heart, and there seems to be considerable uneasiness about the Sabbath question. The presiding elder of the M. E. church admits that if Christ or his disciples did not keep the first day, we have no right to.

Respectfully, etc.

When this thrilling letter is read, many will say the Lord has heard our prayers for Norwich. Keep on praying, brethren and sisters. I hope that some of these precious ones will be with us at Conference; and I sincerely hope that their hearts will not be chilled to find Seventh-day Baptists feeling about still to find what their mission is, and whether Sabbath reform is a part of it that deserves to be emphasized. We have had two hundred years of preparation in this country; let us, in the faith of the coming and kingdom of Christ, get ready a people prepared for the Lord.

The prospect of good results here in Cincinnatus are encouraging. We are taking the Sabbath question in hand, and the people seem anxious to hear.