A Growing Sabbath Church
By Thomas Harlow
DEAR brethren and sisters: More than five years have passed since we came West. Words cannot express the sorrow of our hearts at parting with those of like faith. Often have we thought of those precious seasons of worship we have enjoyed together when God manifested his presence by his holy Spirit and blessed us. When we came here, in all this place, for more than thirty miles around, we could find but seven that kept the Sabbath; and some of them had but little light on other parts of the message. The next fall Brn. Butler and Hart came here and held some meetings. Again, Brn. Waggoner and Andrews were here with the church one day. Their labor of love much edified and strengthened the brethren. A short time since Bro. Sanborn came here, and stopped two days, laboring in word and doctrine to the joy and rejoicing of us all. We now number nineteen. I believe the desire of every one is to do right. We have good meetings, and often do we witness the tears flowing down the cheeks of some when pleading with God to help them to overcome. Though some have turned aside, those that are faithful grow strong in the Lord. Down here in the end of time, we do well to heed the apostle. He says, "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." We see that Jacob was named Israel because he prevailed with God. So we see that the promise is in Christ. Him that overcometh, saith the Lord, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. We believe this to be the last message; if the last, then it is accomplishing the work of the last. "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I send it." Isa. lv, 11. "Oh! awful thought, and is it so?
Must all mankind the harvest know?
Is every man a wheat or tare?
Me for that harvest, Lord, prepare?" Your unworthy brother striving to overcome,
THOMAS HARLOW.