OUR Tent-meeting in Hampton, Conn., Aug. 25th and 26th, was in a new place. Bro. Asa Kimble and family, through Bro. E. L. H. Chamberlain, invited us to pitch our Tent on his farm, about two miles from the village. A good number came on the Sabbath. On First-day, notwithstanding it rained a great part of the day, the seats were about two-thirds filled; and we were told if the weather had been fair, more would have come than could have been accommodated. Many listened with marked interest and seemed desirous to understand our position. Bro. Kimble and wife, and some of his family who so kindly provided for us, embraced the truth and said they should keep the Sabbath of the Lord. The Lord give them grace and strength to stand as pillars in the present truth.
In consequence of some change in the mail our notice for the next Tent-meeting, to be held in North Stonington, Conn., Sept. 1st and 2d, by invitation of Elder J. G. Post, a Methodist preacher, did not reach there before we came. As he did not expect us, he had in connection with the Methodists appointed a Grove-meeting to be held at the same time, about five miles off. He introduced us to his next neighbor who opened the way for us to pitch the Tent near his house, the only one in sight, and opened his house to sustain the meeting. His wife was very feeble, but she and her husband manifested great readiness and a strong desire to have the meeting on their premises, and equally desirous themselves, and also to have their neighbors hear the present truth. The Lord blessed and strengthened them in their labor of love, and they had the pleasure of seeing some hundreds of their neighbors and friends conveniently provided for, to hear the proclamation of the second advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the preparation of his people necessary for that event. Many seemed anxious to hear, and many questions were asked. Some purchased books to inform themselves still further. After the meeting closed, our host, Bro. Ira Bliven, said, I have now had an opportunity to hear the truths you preach, for myself, and am fully convinced, and now am decided to keep the commandments of God. His wife, by reading the Review which had been lent her by Sr. Post, became fully convinced of the truth, and had begun to keep the Sabbath. Elder Post, who was with us a part of the time, declared his full conviction of God's requirements and decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord with Bro. Bliven. The Lord grant to impart grace and strength to these two families, to hold out faithful to the end. Two were baptized.
Sept. 8th and 9th, according to appointment, our meeting was held in Hubbardston, Mass. The Brn. there, and in that vicinity, which had so recently decided to keep all of God's commandments, were strengthened and blessed of the Lord. In consequence of not obtaining lumber for seats, &c., the Tent was not pitched in H. A large and convenient hall was opened for our meeting on First-day, but no special interest manifest in the congregation that attended.
In May last, the conference in Portland, Me., decided to sustain a series of Tent-meetings to be held the present season in the States of Me., Mass., N. H. and Conn., and made choice of Bro. E. L. Barr and myself to conduct the same. This was our twelfth meeting together since the opening of the season. We fully believe that the Lord has opened the way before us, and given edge to his truth, and protected us in our Tent operations from the violence of enemies. We have not had a rope cut, nor twenty-five cents damage done to the Tent. In this tour, the Tent has been transported by land and water about 1100 miles, at an expense of $43.28, averaging less than four dollars per meeting. In some places the Brn. have carted it for us short distances free of expense. Over twenty-two dollars, more than half the expense, has been paid for waggon hire for less than one hundred miles. The Brn. in every place have defrayed the expense of the freight of the Tent. In Berlin and Middletown, Conn., the Brn. craved the privilege of helping us with means to pay the freight in new fields.
We have made these statements because many of our Brn. abroad do not understand what the expenses are, or how paid. Some think it costs so much to have a Tent-meeting they cannot raise the means to pay for one.
As for ourselves, our dear brethren and sisters have ever cared for us since we commenced laboring with them in the harvest-field. We have not found their care abated for us during the present season.
I agree with the remarks of Brn. White, Hart and Loughborough, that new fields, "the highways and hedges," are the places for God's laborers in this ripening harvest. May the Lord endow the church with zeal and heavenly wisdom to unite as one man, to go forward and finish the work of mercy that lies before them, and receive their promised reward.