WASHINGTON CONFERENCE.—This was the largest and best meeting ever held by Sabbath-keeping Advent believers in New Hampshire. We have met with the brethren in Washington three Autumns in succession. The first meeting was indeed one of trial.—There were errors to be corrected, and much for some, at least, of the brethren to learn, before the church could move in gospel order. A blow was there struck in favor of order, which has told for the cause; yet all have not made that advancement that they should. Our meeting at Washington one year since, proved a blessing to the cause, though there was a lack of freedom almost through the entire meeting. It was a great blessing to Bro. Stephen Smith, who had formerly been somewhat entangled in the snare of the doctrine of a spiritual Second Advent, and was not at that time entirely free from it. We were indeed glad to meet him at our last meeting full in the truth, and happy in hope. His wife and several of his children are with him in the faith and hope of the gospel. The straight forward, thorough course that our dear Bro. Smith has taken in leaving his former errors, and confessing his faults, has united him to the church in the strongest bonds of Christian fellowship.
There were, probably, one hundred brethren and sisters present at the meeting. Sabbath afternoon Bro. Andrews presented the subject of the Sanctuary in the clearest manner. Believers in the present truth were instructed and comforted, and others were strongly convicted that the position taken was correct. Our prayer and conference meetings were free and spirited. A large number of cheering testimonies were given at each social meeting; and sometimes it was difficult to find a place to close the exercise, there being others wishing to speak. We heard the testimony of some who have not recently met with the Sabbath-keepers at Washington. We hope they will see their way clear to fully embrace all of the third message, and give their whole influence in favor of the truth.
The use of the Christian meeting-house was kindly offered to us, and on First-day we occupied it. The house was filled. The people listened to the word spoken with the best attention. God assisted his servants by his Holy Spirit as they spake in vindication of the true Sabbath. The place was solemn and glorious.
At the close of the afternoon lecture, the congregation assembled at the water where five were buried with Christ in baptism by Bro. Frederick Wheeler. The sacred ordinance was evidently owned of Heaven. The brethren and sisters were blest, and the people looked on with candor and solemnity. It was one of those sweet seasons, where peace reigns within, and Heaven shines all around. Second-day morning the mother of Bro. J. Stowell, at whose house the meeting was held, requested baptism. Her age is seventy-four years. We went to the small lake near the house, where Bro. Wheeler baptized her. She went calmly and firmly forward, and was blest in discharging this duty. She has formerly been almost silent upon the subject of religion, and was not favorably impressed with the former messages; but the force of the truth in the third message has deeply affected her at this advanced age, and she is led to follow the Lord in the ordinances of the gospel.
The good cause in New Hampshire is slowly but firmly advancing. It is a hard field of labor, yet there are a goodly number of warm friends of the Sabbath. The brethren are generally poor in this world's good, still they have done nobly in sustaining the cause.—Bro. Wheeler is a faithful, judicious laborer. About three years since he commenced preaching the present truth under very discouraging circumstances. He went out trusting in the Lord, and has had to labor with his hands but a small portion of the time since. His humble, careful, yet persevering course has secured the entire confidence of the church. Some others who have run much faster than Bro. Wheeler, and have (in the opinion of some) done much more, have run in vain, and in their haste have had a deathly influence on the cause. We heartily recommend Bro. Wheeler to the brethren in Maine, Massachusetts, or wherever he may travel.