"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another"
From Bro. Bourdeau.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: It is now a little more than a year since the Lord in his great goodness, put it into my heart to embrace the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and the doctrine of Christ's second coming; and I bless God for the light that shines on my pathway; for the increasing evidence I have that the Third Angel's Message is not a cunningly devised fable; and that I have identified myself with God's chosen people who are travelling the narrow way that leads to mount Zion.
I bless God that he has enabled me to heartily embrace the whole of present truth. I can see beauty, light and harmony in all the truth. I love the truth, and feel like saying that neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate me from the Third Angel's Message. I thank the Lord for the union I have with those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I have had to lay aside many preconceived notions and favorite opinions, and cut loose from the world, the honors and pleasures of the world and the churches, to fully embrace the truth, and become identified with God's people; but I have been more than recompensed for the little sacrifice I have been called to make. I thank God that I can feel somewhat the force of the following promise which the Lord made in the hearing of his disciples: "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake, and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." Mark x, 29, 30.
Yes, dear brethren and sisters, we have "an hundred fold now in this time." We have more true and faithful brethren and sisters, and fathers, and mothers, and friends, with persecutions, and the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. Blessed thought! Blessed promise! It should buoy our spirits up when we are called to pass through afflictions, and suffer for the precious cause that we have espoused. It should induce us to fight valiantly the good fight of faith, and strive for the unity of the faith—till we are one, even as Christ and the Father are one.
The Lord has greatly blessed me since I returned from the West. My health has been improving daily, and I have been encouraged in seeing those who first presented the truth to me, and some of my friends who have embraced the truth during the past year under my brother Augustine's labors, strong in the Lord, and in seeing four of my relatives understandingly receive the Third Angel's Message, and disposed to suffer afflictions with the people of God, that they may reign with him in glory. All those of my relatives who were, seemingly, good members of the churches (about twelve in number) have now become firm believers in the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus. This truly encourages me, and confirms me in the belief that God is no respecter of persons; that in every nation he who feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
I have met with the brethren in Northern Vermont every Sabbath since I returned from Battle Creek, and we have had many refreshing seasons together, thank the Lord! My labors have been confined to my native place. I have had much freedom in presenting the truth to my former acquaintances, and to the French Baptists of this place.
When I arrived here, I found most of the brethren of Fletcher Vt., taking an active part in the so-called revivals, and, consequently, standing aloof from the church, and attaching very little importance to the Sabbath and the rest of present truth; but they are now realizing the danger in which they were placed, and endeavoring to retrace their steps. May the Lord help them to come back into the light is my prayer.
I have lately received a very cheering letter from Bro. Czechowski. He says, "the Lord has been very mindful of me since we parted at Rouse's Point; and, to my encouragement, he has converted a respectable French family in this place, composed of eight members, to the precious Sabbath of the Lord. Others are investigating. I have distributed many of your French tracts with good success. This is very encouraging to me. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"
We see, dear brethren and sisters, that the precious cause of present truth is advancing among the French, as well as among other nations. I hope that you will all feel interested in our department of the work. Pray for us, that we may accomplish the important duties that devolve upon us, in the fear of God. D. T. BOURDEAU.