DEAR BRO. WHITE :—My last from Claremont, N. H., Nov. 5th, gave a brief statement of the state of the cause in the Western part of the state of N. H.—Since our meeting closed there, we have been visiting our dear brethren and sisters in the North and Western parts of Vt., and the North Eastern section of N. Y., and holding meetings in the following places:
East Bethel, Vt., Nov. 8th, 9th and 10th; Wolcott and Hardwick, 13th and 14th; Johnson, 15th and 16th; Sterling, 17th; Morristown, 18th; Stowe, 19th, 20th and 21st; Waterbury, 22d; Waitsfield, 23d; Granville and Warren, 24th; Newhaven, 26th, 27th and 28th; Panton, 30th; Weybridge, Dec. 4th and 5th; Champlain, Dec. 7th; Perry's Mills, N. Y., Chateaugay, 8th and 9th; Potsdam, Buck's Bridge, 11th and 12th.
It would occupy too much space to state the interesting scenes we have passed through, in meeting and parting with brethren and sisters, beloved of the Lord, whom we had not had the pleasure of seeing for many months, and many others that we had never seen before, who are voluntarily entering under the banner of the third angel's message, keeping the Sabbath of the Lord our God, and all the testimony of the Lord Jesus. My heart has been greatly cheered to see their cheerful countenances, also, their strong desires to hear the present truth, which is to prepare them for the coming of the Saviour. My prayer is, O Lord, hasten on those auspicious moments, when thy peeled, scattered, tried, tempted, but yet beloved children, (for the truth's sake,) shall rise to meet their coming Lord.
When the angel, Gabriel, was closing his final instructions from the court of heaven with Daniel the prophet, he said: "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried." Dan. xii, 10. These are in trial on account of the Bible truths which they hold. How evident it is that this is the last great truth, to prepare the "holy people" for their final change, and that it is the third angel's message.
The above named meetings have been deeply interesting to me; because of the manifest working of God's Spirit and power with his people. How evident that he is gathering them for the mighty conflict. And that he is doing it speedily. We refer to the year 1849, when all of the seventh-day Sabbath keepers that could be found in the region of country that I have visited within the last nine weeks, could be comfortably seated in a small room of ten by twelve feet, and not half of those in the message. And now within the above named weeks, we have met with our dear brethren in ten Conferences of two and three days continuance, besides two more in the same region to be held within ten days, and still two others that we could not attend, besides meetings of two or three lectures in the intermediate places, in many of which, new cases of enlisting under the banner of the third angel, taking a decided stand for God and his cause.
At Stowe, Vt. the inhabitants of the village were stirred up, and our meetings were somewhat crowded. The truth, so far as it was expounded, seemed to arrest the attention of the audience. Many of our dear brethren from other towns were present to participate in the meetings. The expression from warm hearted brethren and sisters was, "How much this seems like 1844." It was truly a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The subject of the Paper, and the cause generally, was freely canvassed here by the brethren. As Bro. Bingham has reported, the unanimous decision of the meeting for publishing it will speak the feelings of brethren with reference to their duty. At the Newhaven Vt., Conference, the same views were entertained, and directed for the Paper. We trust that all who have enlisted under this last message of mercy will never cease to lend their aid to carry forward the work, in every way that God by his word, and Spirit directs. After the Norfolk, N. Y. Conference, the 17th, 18th and 19th, I design to hold a few meetings in Canada East, on my way to Western Vermont, to hold another meeting of days, and thence, pass to the Southern part of Vt., into York State.
Your brother in the patient waiting for Jesus,
JOSEPH BATES.
Buck's Bridge, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Dec. 16th, 1852.