DEAR BROTHER: We are happy to learn your success in Pennsylvania, and that the brethren in your part of the State are ready to support a preacher. We are aware that the youthful churches there need a laborer with them to care for them, and to extend the influence of the present truth to others. We hope they will enjoy the faithful labors of Brn. Wheeler, Edson, or Cottrell, provided you should leave them to labor in the West. And here we wish to express an opinion in regard to the West.101
Wisconsin is a rich field for labor. Though it has been somewhat blighted by those who professed the Third Angel's Message, and preached Age-to-come; yet there are a few good souls left who stand firm. But a very small portion of the State has yet been explored. There are most urgent calls coming from that State to this Office for help which cannot be responded to.
Illinois and Iowa are nearly as good fields for labor, and Minnesota must be visited. We have some faithful brethren there, who have called repeatedly for help, and have offered to sustain a mission to that Territory, if a preacher could be spared. But who can go? As we survey the fields of labor, hear the many calls for help, and see so very few among us who can go out free from worldly cares, our feelings cannot be expressed. Several brethren among us whom God has called to preach his word, are almost or quite useless to the cause, and will remain so till they become divorced from their large farms. O that they could feel, as we sometimes feel, while reading entreaties from brethren to come over and help them. Their farms and cattle would go, if at a discount, and they would lade themselves with publications and rush out to save perishing souls.
We have enough to do at home, and have calls from different parts of this State enough for twenty men to fill, but must turn from them all and decide which of the calls to fill, which come from Ohio, New York, Illinois and Wisconsin. O God, direct and help.
We are aware that your mind has been exercised in regard to moving West, and making that your field of labor, and you ask advice. We will therefore say that in our opinion it is altogether too late for you to go West to be in the least burdened with the cares of fitting up a home for your family. You have, dear brother, too often gone into new fields to do this. If God calls you to preach, he calls the church to give you a free and liberal support. Read the call to the church in Gal. vi, 6, "Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things." A house, horse, carriage, food, clothing, books for yourself and family, &c. &c., are good things. God calls, but how slow to hear. But do you repeat this call as faithfully as you should? Because hirelings and hypocrites fleece the flock, should you fear to declare God's calls on his church to sustain those who teach the Word? No. Preach the Word. When the churches in the West will provide you a home ready to your hand, and sustain you in the field, then go if the Lord permits. Should the Spirit urge you, then go if the work of sustaining you be left to the ravens; God will take care of you.
At present, it may be that the Lord is trying his people to see if they will hear his voice, open the door of their hearts, and engage in the work zealously of extending the truth to new fields. We advise you to wait for the opening providence of God. Do what you can in the midst of your friends in Penn., until the way opens for you to go to a more needy field, where you can do more.
If the church should act up to present light, you would at once be placed in a central position in the Western field, free from worldly care, with at least $500 worth of publications to sell and to give away. You are anxious to labor, and wear out in the cause of Bible truth, and what more can the church ask? You should give those who are taught in the Word a good chance to communicate to you in all good things.
But it is said, "It is good for our preachers to labor some." Labor some! What is there but labor in the life of one of God's messengers, who travels through rain or snow, heat or cold, dust or mud, and then at the end of a long tedious day's journey, stands up and preaches two hours, and next day perhaps preaches three discourses, each near two hours long! He needs to labor some, does he? Needs a little exercise for his health, some think! Poor souls, they know nothing of the weary hours of body and mind, sleepless nights, aching heads and weary limbs of these messengers who are wearing out and living at least two years in one. When worn with travel and labor in the field, the Lord's messenger should go to his family, not to labor, but to rest. And if he had a few days of spare time, he should spend it in reading, writing and teaching his children.
But it is thought by some that our preachers should be poor, to keep them humble. Humility is indeed a blessed grace, and we enquire, Would not the blessing of poverty do the brethren good if they could enjoy it part of the time to keep them humble, as well as the preachers all of the time? But this is only an excuse for covetousness. Those messengers approved by the church, must be set free from worldly cares. The church must do their duty in making them God's free men. But it is a fact that some of our most efficient laborers have been left to labor with their hands, while our brethren generally have added to their property. Even some have been getting rich, and souls have been sinking to perdition. Dear brother, shall we not cry aloud and spare not? Shall we not expose the sins of this people, and by the word of the Lord reprove their covetousness? How can we be clear and hold our peace on the subject of the duty of the church to sustain the cause? Let us do our duty in this respect.
We know your delicate feelings on this subject; that you have chosen to suffer rather than to call for help. If you could have given yourself fully to the work, much more would have been accomplished by you. And while acting the farmer or mechanic, do you cast the best influence on others? Were you free from all care excepting care for the flock; were you left free to visit and converse and pray with people instead of laboring with your hands, your mind would be more free, and you would accomplish more in the gospel ministry. We address you in this public manner, that others as well as yourself, may learn our views of the duty of the church to those who teach the Word. It shall be our prayer, dear brother, that the Lord may direct you, and open the way before you to labor more extensively and usefully in the good cause.