DEAR BRO. WHITE: Though not personally acquainted with you, yet I trust you will allow me a space in the columns of the Review and Herald, sufficient to declare some things that God has done for my soul within a few months past. For I fain would publish them from the burning equator to the icy poles! I have professed to be a follower of Christ for twelve years, and have had, within that time, some strong evidences that God, for Christ's sake, had forgiven my sins; and from a sense of duty, I have been preaching most of the time for five years past with the F. W. Baptist denomination.
Last July, I met for the first time with some of the dear brethren at Waterbury, who were firm believers in the third angel's message. Up to that time I had not so much as heard whether there was any third angel's message, having never formed much acquaintance with the Advent people or their views.—But one thing I did know, and had known it for years, that there was a famine for the bread of life in the land where I had traveled and lived.
Notwithstanding the idea of keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath, at that time seemed quite unnecessary to me. Yet I could not resist the impression that God was with, and blessed this people in their meetings of worship, abundantly. I was soon led to examine closely the evidence offered and urged for the observance of the first, instead of the seventh day, as the Sabbath; and to compare them with the plain declarations of God's holy word. And, as might be expected as a natural result, I was soon stoutly convicted in my heart, that "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord."
Sometime in the month of August, I listened with much interest, to two lectures delivered on the sub24ject of the third angel's message, by Bro. Holt, at Irasburg. So clear, conclusive and overwhelming were his arguments in favor of the position he assumed upon this subject, and so thrilling his appeals to the congregation to get ready for the fast, hastening events of the future, that the determination settled deep into my heart to leave a fallen church, and all that was near and dear in this world, and connect myself with the church of the living God, with them to suffer, toil and be redeemed.
But on returning to the church of which I was a member, the hour—yea, the dark hour of trial met me! Solemn thoughts in swift succession revolved in my mind, when I thought of leaving so many kind brethren and friends, and of coming out upon a subject where my name would be made a proverb by all my former acquaintance. Here, for want of greater moral courage and strength of faith in God, I stumbled and was in darkness during a long cold dreary winter, not however without often pleading with God in prayer for strength to discharge my duty. Though I confess at times, while attempting to call upon his name, I felt keenly the force of the wise man's words, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
But after staying in Babylon till the last mullein stalk of food had been consumed, and there was nothing left for my soul but certain death by starvation, the final decision was made, and I am now among that happy company that "keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Yes, glory to God! My soul is happy! And my prospects for heaven are most cheering and consoling. I had not the most distant idea that there was half the life, power and glory in the third angel's message, till I knew it by happy experience. This message seems to have been sent out to gather up the children of God just when it was most needed—just where nothing else would or could have been used as a substitute. Seems, did I say? Yes, more. We know this to be a fact.—Like the "life-boat," used where no other one can be, to rescue the drowning man whose vessel has been wrecked upon some dangerous coast, the message comes to us offering all honest souls, whether perishing upon the coast of Babylon, or sunken down in darkness, by reason of Christ's not appearing in 1844, as they expected, a safe and speedy conveyance to the haven of endless bliss.
I have been with the brethren in meetings at Waterbury, Morristown and Johnson, and in each of these places we have felt in all our meetings, that "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." The first, second and third message of Rev. xiv, 6-12 are clear to my mind, and my heart rejoices to be with you in this noble cause, my dear brethren, for I regard it as the work of God, and no argument brought from any source will be sufficiently strong to shake my faith on this point, unless it proves also that I have been wholly mistaken in all of my religious experience for twelve years past.