Report of a Tour Among the Brethren by John Norton Loughborough

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Mar 17, 1853

Report of a Tour Among the Brethren

By John Norton Loughborough

From Bro. Loughborough.

DEAR BRO. WHITE:—During the last five weeks Bro. Edson and myself have visited the brethren in Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Alleghany counties, also, Potter Co., Pennsylvania. The first Sabbath, we met with the brethren in Orangeport, and had a free time in speaking to them the word of truth.

We called at Mill Grove, but had only time to speak a few words of encouragement; but the Lord blessed us, and we all felt to consecrate ourselves anew to God, to live for him.

We spent Sabbath, Feb. 12th, in Fredonia and Laoni.—Here we were much comforted to find our brethren strong in the Lord. We stopped with them four or five days, and felt strengthened in trying to speak the truth.

From thence we journeyed as far as Gerry, accompanied by our brethren and sisters from Fredonia. We spoke three times, to attentive hearers, in the house of Bro. Pratt. We feel assured that the seed sown will spring up, and bear fruit. May the Lord lead those dear souls into the present truth. We were very cordially received at Busti, and held our meetings as previously arranged. We spoke to them five times. We believe the Lord will do a great work for the brethren there, who are looking for Israel's King, if they will only believe — Thank God, the prejudice is giving away there. We passed on from thence to Nile, stopping at Ellington and Napoli, each one evening, and although it stormed quite hard, we had a good and attentive congregation in each place.

At Nile we found Bro. Giddings's family rejoicing in the Lord. Truly he can say, "The Lord has led me by a way I knew not." We had the privilege of speaking twice on the Sabbath, in the seventh-day Baptist Church, to attentive congregations. Quite an interest was manifested by our seventh-day Baptist Brethren. We moved forward from this place to Ulysses, accompanied by Bro. T. I. Giddings, stopping only at Scio, where we had the privilege of speaking to a few on the present truth, in relation to our Great High Priest. We found the brethren in Ulysses standing upon God's word. We continued with them nearly one week, and had a free time in expounding the scriptures to them. The brethren see the necessity of acting out the truth they profess. We there formed a very interesting acquaintance with Eld. H. F. Babcock, pastor of the seventh-day Baptist Church in that place. Toward the close of our meeting he seemed very much interested in the present truth. O, may the Lord lead him into all truth.

The ears of the people seem to be open to hear in the vicinity of all these places, and would hear with interest if there was any one to speak to them. The sheep are hunting the shepherds, and, surely, the shepherds should be awake. And thus it is every where. People are anxious to hear. Brethren, are we keeping pace with the message? O, let not the things of earth lead us to wound the cause of God. The burden of the message will soon be given, and then victory will be ours.—But I grieve to see some of my brethren living as though the Lord would not come for a great while. Time is short. The 144,000 will soon be sealed, and then the indignation of the wrath of God will be poured out. But who shall stand in that day? Would to God we could realize where we are.

"Lift up your heads, ye soldiers, bold, Redemption's drawing nigh; We soon shall hear the trumpet sound, That shakes the earth and sky." Rochester, March 10th, 1853. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.