DEAR BRO. WHITE:—I would inform you of our labor and prosperity in the work of the Lord since we parted at Bro. Miles', in Boylston, two weeks since.
After leaving you, within ten or fifteen minutes drive we found Bro. and Sr. Robinson waiting by a stream of water for us to arrive, that they might put off the old man and put on the new man, Christ Jesus by being buried with Christ in baptism. While the ordinance was administered, the Holy Spirit witnessed that the Lord was pleased with our obedience to his requirements.
Tuesday we tarried in Camden, and held a meeting with the saints there. We had a time of labor, and the Lord signally wrought for us, for which we thank his holy name, while we count his long-suffering towards his erring children, salvation.
Friday and Sabbath our Conference at Lincklaen was held in the Presbyterian house, and was well attended. On the Sabbath the seventh-day Baptists, who meet for worship about three miles from here, put off their meeting in its usual place, and attended ours.—The word of the Lord, accompanied by the Spirit, had free course, and accomplished the object for which it is preached. Some saw and confessed the present truth. One man, who has never made a profession of religion, having been disgusted with the course of those who have a form of godliness, but deny the power, [2 Tim. iii, 1—8.] saw and confessed the light of the Sabbath, while comparing it with the mark of the beast, and said he should not break another Sabbath; and regardless of the frowns of the mother [Rev. iii, 20; xvii, 3—5] and her children, [Rev. iii, 23; xvii, 5; Isa. xlvii, 1.] went to his labor in the field on the Pope's sabbath.
On First-day, being, as we thought, rather crowded from the Presbyterian house by an appointment for a Methodist meeting, we moved our meeting about three miles, to the seventh-day Baptist meeting house, the use of which was freely given us. The house was filled with attentive listeners to the third angel's message. Rev. xiv, 9—12. They gave us several names for the Review and Herald, and manifested a willingness to hear further on this subject.—May the Lord bless the present truth to his people in that vicinity.
Brn. Holt, Ross and myself met on Monday with the church, to sympathise with them in their trials, and to hear some of their burdens, while they begin to learn something of the trials of the way, which are needful to purify and cleanse the church from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, that they may perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. Dark spirits were present to annoy the saints, but the testimony of Jesus cut like a two-edged sword, and victory turned on Zion's side. We trust the church here will go free from dead weights, and have their eyes anointed with the eye-salve, that they may discern both good,79and evil, and know how to make a difference between the precious and the vile, the clean and the unclean, [Eze. xxii, 26; Jer. xv, 19.] that they may turn and discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. Mal. iii, 18.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon I held meetings in different places among the saints in this vicinity; for we thought best that I should tarry among the saints here another week. The meetings were all attended with good results.
Yesterday (Sabbath) held meeting in Lincklaen.—We had freedom, and felt much liberty in Christ and his word. Ten of the number here put on Christ by baptism. I am confident that the church is rising, and coming up on to higher and holier ground.
To day I labored in word and doctrine in the same house we occupied last First-day. One for the first time confessed, and resolved to walk in the present truth of the third angel's message. Several manifested a desire to learn more of the faith of Jesus, and send in their names for the paper.
Yours on the way to Mount Zion,
S. W. RHODES.
Lincklaen, N. Y., Sept. 5th, 1852.