The Haskells Embrace the Sabbath by Stephen N. Haskell; Mary E. Haskell

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Feb 6, 1855

The Haskells Embrace the Sabbath

By Stephen N. Haskell; Mary E. Haskell

From Bro. & Sr. Haskell.

ONLY a few months, since we were living wholly regardless of "The Sabbath of the Lord our God," and without ever having had our attention called to its claim. But blessed be God, "even the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," he has enlightened our minds, and we are now endeavoring to yield the most implicit obedience to the demands of his holy commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."

All the other commandments of God we had long been striving with equal diligence and assiduity to obey. We had (or rather I, for my husband had never fully acquiesced in my views in this respect) been very strict in the keeping of the first day of the week, having been thus most scrupulously trained from earliest childhood.

Seven others since our conversion to this truth, in this place, have also embraced it, and our fervent prayer at the throne of grace is, that many more here may yet be led therein. And as in the instruments of extending and promulgating this glorious truth, as well as its progress, I doubt not you will be interested, I shall presume so far upon your time and patience as briefly to narrate something of our experience.

About the first of Sept. last, my husband, apparently by mere accident, met with brother William Saxby of Springfield, and from a brief interview heard the argument so clearly presented, and withal he saw united with the presentor so much of the Spirit of Christ, that he felt almost won to its embrace at the very first. I reached Springfield soon after, having been separated from him and by accident left at a back car station, or rather did not reach the station according to previous arrangement. I saw him but a few minutes, but even then could not but feel that the Spirit of the Lord was with him, as with hurried accents he strove to enforce upon my mind the necessity of obeying this command. Shortly after this my husband left for Canada, and as his way lay through Springfield, he stopped, in accordance with a previous invitation, with our dear brother Saxby over night, when he became still more convinced, and from that time until the present has been keeping the fourth commandment to the best of his ability.

During his absence I chanced again to meet with him at a Second Advent camp-meeting in Springfield which I attended, at which time he again presented its necessity with a Christ-like spirit, and while so doing was joined by sister E. C. Skinner of the same place, who also united with him in his efforts to win and persuade me to embrace the truth. O how my heart was drawn out to that dear brother and sister as I listened to them. But our interview was very brief as we stood there beneath the o'er-shadowing trees of that beautiful grove, and the next morning found me on the way to Exeter, N. H., at which place I met my husband, then on his return from Canada. (This was about the middle of Oct.) I found him then, as we often now hear it expressed, strong on the Sabbath. And as the principles relative thereto which I had been imbibing, needed only to receive one more stroke to burn with a perpetual and unceasing glow, it was then so effectually kindled and brought out, that from that date I have carefully and prayerfully observed the day agreeable to the divine requirement.

We will now, dear brother, bid you adieu for the present. And that the good Lord may be with you and bless you, and prosper you in your noble enterprise shall be the prayer of your affectionate brother and sister in Christ. STEPHEN N. HASKELL. MARY E. HASKELL.

P. S. Please allow me just to say that I have never been permitted the pleasure of seeing any one of a kindred faith relative to keeping the Sabbath (or at least to my knowledge) save that dear brother and sister in Springfield at the times alluded to, and the few in this place who have so recently embraced it, in my life. Neither have I ever seen but two numbers of the Review, and those were sent us by brother Saxby.

O that the truth may spread is my prayer. M. E. HASKELL.