Milan, O., Conference by Joseph Bates

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Sep 2, 1852

Milan, O., Conference.

By Joseph Bates

DEAR BRO. WHITE:—This Meeting was one of deep interest to the few scattered Sabbath-keepers in Milan, and vicinity. Opponents had been doing much to break down and overthrow their faith.

Brn. Sweet and Smith, made ample arrangement for the Meeting, to benefit all that came.

The presentation of our present position, connected with the past movements in Second Advent history elicited an interest to hear, which continued to the close of the third day. The brethren were much strengthened, and settled in the "present truth." Some who had become indifferent, were aroused, while others who came to hear our present position for the first time, were much disturbed.

A little company of us enjoyed a refreshing season around the table of the blessed Lord. Stumbling blocks were removed, and the tempted and tried ones were set free. All praise be to God.

The following day, in answer to prayer for the afflicted, God displayed his mighty power as I never before witnessed, in Charles, the son of Bro. and Sr. Sweet. This child had been "bound" and afflicted for the last eleven years, with cramp-convulsion, epileptic fits, ever since he was two years of age. Although he tried hard to keep the Sabbath with the family, it had required continual watchfulness and care to keep him in a quiet state for any length of time. He was anointed, and prayed for, in accordance with the scripture rule. James v, 13—16; Mark xvi, 18, last clause. He began immediately to weep aloud. After he was set upon his feet, he soon began to praise the Lord for what he felt, and soon his face shone with joy and gladness. He turned his face upward, and began to move to and fro through the room, crying with a loud voice, I'll praise the Lord with all my might, and with all my mind, and with all my soul. O my God! I never felt to praise thee as I now do.— I feel it in every part of me. What do you feel? we enquired. God's Holy Spirit, he replied, and continued, I never felt to praise the Lord as I now do. Then stretching his hands toward heaven, he cried more mightily, I feel as though I could go right up to heaven, O, Lord we thank thee, we praise thy holy name, O, Bro. Smith, praise the Lord, O, Father, praise the Lord, Praise the Lord Bro. Bates. He then called on his mother, and said, I never felt so in all my life, O, my God, I never felt thy Holy Spirit so before, What shall we do when the latter rain is poured out? Are you not tired my son? No, mother, said he, don't ask me if I am tired praising the Lord, it only rests me. I can't stand a moment without praising him. And he continued, O, Lord how love I thy law. What sweetness comes from thy Holy Spirit, What will it be in the New Earth, where we shall have harps of gold and crowns of glory, O, what will it be in the New City. How I long to be there, O, holy Father we shall never die there. He was asked just to look into the glass and see his face. He looked, and then raised his voice with a shout, O, praise the Lord, I am healed. He took the Youth's Instructor, and fixed his eyes for one moment on the tree, and read, "Love God," and cried out, that I shall do, His Holy Spirit is as sweet as honey and sweeter too. I want to give all my breath in praising his name. He got hold of his Father again, and cried, O father praise the Lord, I cannot praise him enough. Don't let one moment pass without praising him.

Thus the child continued, without a moment's cessation, for nearly three hours to shout and praise the Most High God. His father and mother, older brother and sister alternately embracing him, and bathing him with tears of joy. His oft repeated reply to us all was, praise the Lord, without scarcely turning his straining eyes from looking up towards heaven. His mother said that under any other circumstances he could not have withstood this exercise ten minutes without having fits.

The next day, when I was parting with the family, he put his arms around me, and said, O, I will serve the Lord. I thought surely the Lord knows how to heal, and give his Holy Spirit to his law-loving children, and show them, as he did Malachi, how he can turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers.

JOSEPH BATES. Cleveland, O., Aug. 26th, 1852.