DEAR BRO. WHITE:—It is with feelings of deep gratitude to God for his merciful dealings with me, that I now address you. When I look back upon my past life, and consider how narrowly I have escaped many of the delusions of these last days, and how I was brought to realize and receive the present truth, I am almost overwhelmed with emotions of gratitude and love, and feel to humble myself under the mighty hand of God in that he was thus mindful of me while disregarding and trampling on his holy law; which I did ignorantly in unbelief: I hope therefore to obtain mercy; for the Lord is long suffering and of great mercy.
Until within two years I was but little acquainted with the Advent people or their doctrine: knowing that they were looking for the soon coming of the Lord the second time. But although they were evil spoken of and called fanatical, &c., I had for some time felt to sympathize with them for when I looked around and saw the condition of the world and church, I could but think that the prophecies were being fulfilled and that the conversion of the world which we everywhere heard taught was not a doctrine of the Bible. In the Spring of 1853, I for the first became aware that a class of Adventists kept the seventh day as the Sabbath, which seemed to me at the time to be breaking rather than keeping the commandments of God; for I had never before had the thought but that the first day was the true Sabbath; or rather, that Sunday was in reality the seventh day. After a few weeks investigation, my father commenced keeping the Sabbath. I did not investigate the subject at that time, because I thought it an error, and that those that did were in danger of being "carried about with divers and strange doctrines."
However my mind was ill at ease and I sought in vain for the truth elsewhere; for when I went to the churches of any denomination, I found taught but cold formality and a worldly display; and the doctrines there taught were no longer food to my hungry soul and I almost despaired of ever knowing the truth. There was spiritualism advanced and highly spoken of by some of my friends, but as I read in my Bible that the dead know not any thing, I believed it and was thus saved from this delusion.
In Dec. 1853, I first heard the new-time theory and not having a right understanding of the cleansing of the191Sanctuary I was almost ready to receive it; but on searching the scriptures I found many passages relative to the commandments of God, and that it was on condition of keeping his commandments that we should have eternal life or enter the kingdom of God. I was told that it was not the ten commandments that were meant, for they were done away and we had nothing to do with them and also that the Sabbath-keepers held to many foolish and absurd doctrines and that they believed that the door of mercy was forever shut, &c.
The Lord only knows the anguish of my heart at that time. Clouds and thick darkness surrounded me and I knew not which way to turn. My friends told me that by keeping the Sabbath I should get into bondage and that I never should be free until I ventured wholly upon the time. Thus I continued halting between two opinions for several months reading all I could obtain on both sides, until last July, when a Sabbath-keeping brother visited us, and while talking upon the subject he made it appear so clear to my mind, that I resolved that God being my helper, I would henceforth keep the Sabbath.
The Review is always welcome for it brings glad tidings from the scattered flock, most of whom I never expect to see till Jesus comes. And O that I may then meet them all on mount Zion and sing with them the new song is the prayer of