Persecution for Keeping the Sabbath
By B. Hostler
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—It is through the goodness of God that I am once more permitted to write you. We feel to rejoice that the present truth was ever sounded in Peterboro by our dear Brn. Rhodes and Holt, and that my wife and self have been permitted to embrace it, and we trust, one of our sons also. Oh how unpopular it is to love and practice the truth! We feel the truth of Paul's words to Timothy: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. iii, 12; Matt. v, 11. It would have gone well with us as to our temporal affairs if we could have closed our eyes to the truth, and have retained the mark of the beast; for the world will love its own. We feel that we are despised and looked upon as those who have embraced a dangerous error or heresy, even because we are keeping the Lord's Sabbath with the rest of the commandments, and are looking for the second and speedy coming of our Lord Jesus in the clouds of heaven to complete our salvation, and bring all the saints to glory, as revealed in the holy Scriptures. We are thus looked upon by those who profess to love the Saviour, and members of the same denomination to which we belonged; viz., the Baptist. Our way seems hedged up for the present, as my occupation is that of a miller, and I can find no employment as such among Sunday-keepers. I have searched among those who keep the Sabbath but have not yet succeeded; but we hope and pray that we may be led by the Spirit of the Lord, that we may know what is our duty. We feel to need the counsel of our dear brethren Rhodes and Holt, or some good ministering brother. Here are also some few of our dear brethren and sisters who have embraced the Advent faith, in Smithfield, who feel it their duty to put on Christ by baptism. Since Brn. Rhodes and Holt lectured here, some of our First-day preachers have been holding forth against the Sabbath of the Lord. One was a Methodist, and spoke twice on the subject. A brother and sister of ours were there, and declared that his argument was so weak that it rather strengthened them than otherwise. Thus we see that God's truth must prevail. I feel encouraged to say, that, although some are strenuously opposing the truth, there are others who are inquiring after it. We hope the dear brethren and sisters will pray for us, that whatever we may have to pass through, we may be steadfast in the truth. As we hope that God has a few more honest hearted people in Peterboro, we trust they may embrace the present truth before it is too late. Yours in search of the truth. B. HOSTLER.