MEETINGS IN VT. AND MASS.
By J. Bates
In accordance with the arrangement of Bro. Bingham, our general meeting was held in Morristown, Vt., April 3d and 4th. Here our heart was made glad in meeting with many of our dear brethren and sisters who had for many years maintained their position in the Third Angel's Message. They came in from Stowe, Irasburgh, Eden, Wolcott, Bakersfield and Johnson. The Sabbath was a refreshing season from the presence of the Lord. The brethren seemed in earnest to renew their choice. They rejoiced that notwithstanding afflictions, sorrows and sore trials had sometimes pressed them heavily, the same was working for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. On First-day our company was increased by others coming to learn our position. We hope they will continue to seek, and eventually obtain immortality, eternal life. April 5th, we had an interesting meeting at Roxbury, Vt. Here we met with Brn. Barr, Pierce, and others which we had known many years in this precious cause; also brother and sister Phillips, returned from Mich. The 7th and 9th we spent with the brethren in Sutton. The brethren are some scattered apart here and find it difficult to get together, especially in the present unsettled state of the roads. Still quite a number came together and we had a solemn meeting on the 8th inst., and the quickening Spirit was manifest in the brethren to arise and become more united in the bleeding cause of God, than they had been the past season, and overcome the things that tended to weigh them down and keep them in the lukewarm state. The Lord strengthen them to perform the good work. At Clinton, Mass., April 10th and 11th, we met with the brethren from Lancaster, Worcester, Princeton and Charlestown, and others that came to hear of our faith. The Lord gave edge to his truth, and his people were aroused and quickened in their minds and manifested renewed desires to serve him more faithfully and rise with the message. On First-day we held our meeting in a commodious hall to accommodate an additional class of hearers, but a very few of them came. They seem to be so much absorbed in the work of revivals now all over the land, that they have no time to heed the claims of God's holy law, or even to hear about the second coming of Christ. On the 14th inst. I came to my family in safety after an absence of nearly six months. I thank and praise the Lord for preserving them and unworthy me, and permitting us to meet again. I thank the dear brethren where I have passed on from Mich. to Mass., for assisting me with means to defray my necessary expenses. Yesterday my companion and myself went several miles in company with Bro. David Chase to visit his sick daughter, (sister Shaw,) a professed Adventist. She had declined being visited by any physician. This was the twenty-fourth day that she had been confined to her bed without receiving any food except occasionally a few spoonfuls of water. When I questioned her respecting her faith, she said she had now decided to keep the Lord's Sabbath and serve him more faithfully if he permitted her to live. We followed the inspired rule given to James. When we had prayed and laid hands upon her, she rose up and requested to be dressed. In a few moments, to the astonishment of her friends, she was walking about in the sitting room, praising the Lord and joined with us in singing a hymn. A cousin of hers, who had just come a number of miles to see her, was invited to come in. Said he, Why Mary, is this you? Yes, said she, the dead is alive. And when he was leaving for home, said she, Tell your friends there has been a miracle wrought. Surely, brethren, the Lord is a present help in every time of need. He is indeed the Physician of his people. Fairhaven, Mass., April 19th, 1858.