A Lonely Sabbath Keeper
By Malinda B. Pierce
Bro. Smith: As I am alone as to any that keep the Sabbath at present (my husband's father usually lives with us, and he is a Sabbath-keeper, but he has gone to attend meetings with the dear brethren of like precious faith,) while all around me are engaged in their common avocations, my thoughts run out after the dear saints, and in my imagination I see a little group here and there met on the Lord's holy day to worship the great Author of the Sabbath. And although I have been trying to keep the seventh day for almost three years, yet I have never had the privilege of attending a Sabbath meeting, where I have so often longed to be. Sometimes I feel lonely, and think, Must it always be so? Then I think if I can only be found among the saints at last it will be but a little while, and I try to struggle on, trying to overcome every besetting sin. If I am not deceived, I am willing to suffer for Christ's sake, and have my name cast out as evil, if his holy name can be glorified thereby; but the word says, "The heart is deceitful above all things," and after all I may be deceived. I pray that I may be enabled to overcome all evil, and be made the humble instrument in the hands of God of doing some little good in his blessed cause. I am sure that, if I am a saint at all, I am the least of all. Yours striving to keep the Commandments of God.
Malinda B. Pierce.
Andover, Sept. 27th, 1856.