p. 55 | Extracts of Letters by Editor

Publishing Committee · Saratoga Springs, N. Y. · Nov 25, 1851

Extracts of Letters.

By Editor

Bro. Frederick Wheeler writes from Rocky Hill, Conn. Oct. 21st, 1851:

"Before leaving the conference at Sutton, I felt that it was duty to visit this State, and in company with Bro. Holt I came down to the conference at Berlin. The meeting was blest of God to the quickening of his saints. It was a season of refreshing from his presence. The next Sabbath I spent at Abington in company with Brn. Holt, Chamberlain and Belden. A few confessed the truth fully, and others were interested. I think a company will be raised up in that place to hold up the light of the third angel's message. I have since visited several places, and have endeavored to present the truth to such as have an ear to hear. I spent last Sabbath with Bro. Daniels at Chickopee, and had a very interesting interview with him."

"Last first-day I spent at Warehouse Point, spoke three times to the brethren in the Advent Hall. Some were quite interested, and I believe that some in that place will soon confess the whole truth, and take a stand on the commandments of God."

"I believe that I have enjoyed the approbation of God as it regards my course since I have started out to give myself more fully to the great work of proclaiming the last message of mercy, the sealing truth of the gospel. I know that I am nothing of myself, and am sometimes led to inquire, can it be possible that God has called one so weak, so unworthy, to this great work. And yet I feel his constraining hand laid upon me, and I sink into his will, and endeavor to consecrate myself, and all anew to him and his work, and feel that God accepts the sacrifice. My future course I leave with God to direct. I have started out to labor when and where he shall open the way, and to continue to travel as long as the Lord shall open the way, and bless me in so doing. Pray for me that I may not be left to my own understanding, but that I may be guided by heavenly wisdom in all that I do."

"I can this morning, by faith, in some degree anticipate the glories of the heavenly rest, and my heart takes fresh courage. The gospel armor I will not put off, the contest I will not yield, until with all the ransomed host I shout the final victory in the name of the Lord, Amen."

Bro. Holt writes from Fairhaven, (Mass.), Oct. 20th, 1851:

"Since I parted with you at Sutton, (Vt.), I have visited some towns in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. In all these places the interest is increasing in the great and important truths of the third angel's message. I found the brethren that have embraced the present truth, holding fast the profession of their faith without wavering. Our conference in Connecticut was one of deep interest to the tried friends. Perfect union existed through the meeting. The Spirit of the Lord was poured out, and the brethren were strengthened, and encouraged, to press forward to the Holy City. The truth I think took deep root in some hearts, while the law of God shone clear from the New Testament."

"I feel more and more like serving God with my whole heart. O I want to be like Jesus, and suffer with him here, that I may reign with him in glory. I do delight in the holy law of God, and I thank God that Jesus Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death. Glory be to God, I will praise him forever for the light of his Word."

"I found some in the east part of Connecticut who have received the truth, and others are deeply interested, also in Rhode Island. May the Lord give them strength to stand, is my daily prayer. I believe he has some jewels in Rhode Island that will adorn the Holy City. Amen."

"The meetings in this place, Sabbath and First-day, were interesting. The Lord crowned them with his blessing, though they were meetings of labor, Truth triumphed, and the Spirit of the Lord prevailed."

Bro. Israel Alden of Bath, (N. Y.), writes, Oct. 28th, 1851:

"I returned with Bro. Stockings, yesterday from a visit to Elmira and Centerville. At the former place we found quite a number of the dear saints, striving to keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. We held meetings Sabbath and First-day with them. The truth was sanctioned by the Holy Spirit. Glory to the name of Jesus, he was present to strengthen, and confirm his people. Truly he clothes his ministers with salvation, and his saints shout aloud for joy."

"The melting power of God was manifested while we partook of the emblems of the broken body and shed blood of Jesus. And when we had so done we washed the saint's feet, in obedience to the precept and example of our blessed Lord. If the testimony of the Spirit is worth anything, as received on this occasion, it certainly is right to follow the example, and obey the precept of our Divine Lord, in this ordinance of the church. We left them strong in God, in the midst of enemies, and with bitter opposition from even those who have been looking for the Lord."

"At Centerville there are five or six who are searching earnestly for the truth. Some of them have decided to sanctify the Sabbath of the Lord our God. The opposition there, as in other places, is strong; but I hope, and believe the truth will triumph."

Sister Seely of Rochester (N. Y.), writes, Oct. 14th, 1851:

"According to your request, (which I esteem a great privilege,) I write a few lines. I have received your paper for nearly one year. At first I merely read it to gratify an acquaintance. I soon became interested, and was anxious to know the truth. I went to the Lord to teach me, to give me wisdom. I had no rest day or night. I had always believed the Lord was in the advent movement. I never have had a doubt. The first book I read of Bro. Miller's I read with great interest, and the first advent lecturer that came to Rochester I heard, and received the truth with gladness of heart. And now after I have come so far, shall I reject the third angel's message?"

"My friends, who are many, besides the church, said that the law was all done away in Christ, and if I kept the seventh day, I was fallen from grace. I made my case known to J. B. Cook. He said he had kept the seventh day, and had been shown that it was wrong. Elder Marsh said there was no day, binding to be kept, one day is just as good as another. Oh, I praise the Lord that I was not left to believe them."

"The church that I had always loved, I loved, still. I knew I should be looked upon by them as a poor deluded one if I observed the Sabbath; but all I wanted was to know that it was right, and I would keep it. I went to hear Bro. Rhodes, and was strengthened in the truth. It is now about eight weeks since I began to keep the Lord's Sabbath."

"I need the prayers of God's children, and I know I have them. Jesus does hear prayer. My soul is exceedingly happy while writing. Though storms are without, I have peace within. I praise the Lord for his truth, and for a heart to believe it. It cuts me loose from the world, yes, I gladly leave all, even my dear friends, to follow Jesus."

"I am happy, I am happy—Oh, wondrous account, My Joys are immortal, I stand on the mount, And gaze on my treasure, and long to be there, With Jesus my Saviour, the kingdom to share."

The following we take from an excellent letter written by a Sister in Volney, N. Y. It was not designed for publication; yet it contains so much important truth, that we take the liberty to publish it for the comfort and benefit of the little flock. "Come out from among them and be ye separate," says Paul.

"My soul has been filled with joy inexpressible of late in view of the opening truths of the blessed Bible. I am refreshed in reading in the paper of the prosperity of Zion. I read many of my own thoughts and feelings in the expressions of gratitude to God, from the brethren, for the way that he has led them, and for the means used in bringing them to an understanding of the truth. True, I have my trials. If ever I knew anything about a rending of heart, it has been in view of the necessary preparation to live in the sight God without an Intercessor. The present is the only time to seek that preparation. I am sensible that I must be even as the Word requires. My deeds must compare well with the 'Statute Book,' or I shall not receive the seal of God, and be covered with his covering. I think that the only way to gain the ascendancy over the powers of darkness is to agonize with God in secret prayer."

"Since the Oswego Conference I have felt that I was dead unto the world, and alive unto God, more than ever before. My dark understanding has been daily enlightened by the Holy Spirit of promise as

I have studied the Word, and sought to know the will of God concerning me. The stand that I was led to take there, in regard to separating from the wicked, has had a tendency to make me feel that I was crucified unto the world, and the world unto me, more than any restriction that the Lord has ever put upon me."

"But I wonder at the forbearance of God with me. The Enemy was determined to make me think that if I separated from sinners, it would be setting myself up wiser than Christ; but how different. How plain the design of God in separating his children in this time of preparation to stand before him, blameless, holy, unrebukable, the son of God. Why should we conform to this world by visiting and having communion with those to whom we can have no possible access with the truth? How plain that the Lord has 'hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes,' even unto us who confess his works and ways. God has a design in separating us from the world, and it is necessary that we understand it in order to be benefited. It is not, if I understand it, because we are by nature more holy, neither because we have no need of them in any way, but because God has a more important work for us to perform on the earth. We have no time to spend as they wish to spend it. We seek not our, nor their, present, but eternal welfare. And as they reject the 'Word of Life' we leave them, and press our way to those who are starving for the want of it."

"We live no longer the rest of our time unto ourselves, but unto God. O, I do confess with shame that had I been firmly planted on the truth, and been living wholly in reference to the coming of the Son of man, I should have long before learned this, and many other lessons which I have yet to learn. Now I will say that I have never known of any one thing that seemed to lift me up in the sight of the Lord, where I could seem to live in his favor, as that of coming 'out from among them,' and being separate. I have felt a transforming by the renewing of my mind, that I was his, Christ's, and he was mine, and that I was not of this world. And I do now praise the Lord and take courage. I am sensible that I have but just begun to tread the thorny path that leads to the Celestial City. We need keen trials to fit us for that holy place. Jesus trod the thorny way and suffered unjustly, but we justly because of sin."

"I was thinking a few days since of the bitter cup God had necessarily prepared for us, which we must drink to sanctify and save us. And that he had an equally bitter cup for the wicked; but it will not sanctify and save them. I felt encouraged to drink with patience, and account not my life dear unto me for the sake of Christ. I realize too, that the feeblest lamb amid the flock is, and will be, the Shepherd's care."

"The Lord leads his children along step by step, and when we have the light to take one, we shall have no more until we have first taken that step. Then we can see clearly how, and where to take the next. 'We walk by faith, and not by sight.' And every step we take must have a previous trial to fit us to stand after we have taken it. I expect as we advance, the pathway will narrow, and grow more and more rugged, and there will be no chance to rest this side immortality. As I feel that I am in the crucible, I wish to be thoroughly refined, (only let me endure the trial,) and made like Jesus."

"My soul is not only troubled for myself, but for others who also must have much done for them. Some, who profess to love God, and have this world's goods, think it hard to let go of it, to help others into the kingdom. Such love is counterfeit coin. It will never pass the fiery ordeal. I should like to have them placed, for a little while, where there was an abundance around them, but could not control any of it, if they really wanted it to obtain the word of life. Then have held up before them the bleeding cause of Zion in its true light, and what they must be to be found like Jesus; and see if they would not sigh aloud for the freedom they now enjoy. If it were millions they possessed they would rejoice the more to give all. I thank the Lord that he has let me feel a little for Zion."

"But how unworthy to speak, or write in his name. My soul is bowed with reverence as I write, his mercy has been so great in giving me to see and keep the true Sabbath, and to see all his past wonderful work in the advent movement, and now the third angel's message, which is gathering the remnant into the 'unity of the faith' and the knowledge of the Son of God. O, I do want to take to myself the whole armor, that I may have a shield from the power of Satan, and be kept from the hour of temptation, that is soon coming upon all the world, and stand at last upon the sea of glass with the 144,000. Blessed release! Cheer up, ye weary ones; remember, some crowns will have many stars. I long to have those who have borne the burden and heat of the day receive them."