Letter from Bro. Wheeler.
By Frederick Wheeler
BRO. SMITH: While we are led to rejoice as we hear through the Review of the prosperity of the Cause in the West, I wish to say that the Lord has not altogether forgotten his remnant people in New York. I recently spent a few weeks in the western part of this State. Had some interesting meetings with the brethren in different places. At Carlton, Orleans Co., I gave fifteen lectures in a school-house near Bro. Buckland's. The congregations were not large, but they listened with interest to the truth. One young woman, a daughter of Bro. Buckland, embraced the Message of the Third Angel, and was baptized. Others were much interested, and were stirred up to investigate. And by a letter recently received, I learn that the interest to investigate increases, and that they are anxious to hear more on present truth. I returned home last evening, having spent about a week at Glenmore, Oneida Co., with Bro. Preston and family. I held meetings several evenings, also on Sabbath and First-day. Several became deeply interested in the truth. One decided fully to keep the Sabbath. Others confessed that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, and I trust will soon be found keeping it. Bro. Preston and family have stood alone in that place in the present truth for a number of years. But the Lord has kept them by his grace amid the darkness that has surrounded them. They are firm in the truth, and resolved to overcome and gain eternal life. They have felt very anxious that some around them might embrace the truth. And I think the prospect now is that God will raise up a company to walk with them in the light of the Third Angel's Message. I have freedom in presenting the truth, and rejoice to see the interest that is manifest to hear. I would like the church were fully awake and alive to the interest and the work of this last Message. They should be in a place where they can unite fully in this great work. God has long been waiting for his people to arise and come up to this work. But if they do not, the Message will pass on; and if those who have been long in the truth do not fill their place, God will raise up others to do their work and receive their reward. Brethren, let us seek to be deeply imbued with the Spirit of Jesus: the spirit of the Message. While the churches have a religion to be saved by Christ without obedience to the commandments of God, may not some be in danger of trusting too much in an outward obedience to the law, without the Spirit of Christ? There is no salvation out of Christ. In him we can keep the commandments of God acceptably. But "the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Let us then seek for "grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." Hubbardsville, N. Y., Oct. 6th, 1858.