Bro. Smith: On my arrival in Wood Co., the roads being very bad, I concluded to stop a few days, and prepare for the re-publication of the tract on Spiritualism.
After spending the Sabbath at Lovett's Grove I went to Portage, and while writing there gave eight lectures in the school-house. The interest proved better than I expected, and I hope some may take hold of the truth they acknowledge.
At Cass, Hancock Co., I held two evening meetings. The attendance was better than at previous meetings there, and such as to encourage the brethren to labor for their neighbors. Bro. Holt joined me at Cass and we went to Gilboa, and spent last Sabbath and first-day with that church. Bro. H. spoke to them once, and I four times; but my lungs entirely failed, so that I was obliged to cease speaking. We are now on our way to Ayersville, to visit the little flock, after which we shall go north, to Green Spring, &c.
I have sometimes feared that I should have to give up lecturing entirely; of this I am certain, that I must cease laboring in this low, wet, miasmatic district of North-western Ohio. Those who have never been through it can form no just idea of the face of this country; at least I find it far worse than I had supposed from any description I had ever had. I have no choice of fields wherein to labor, but think it is duty to turn my course to the eastern part of the State. I expect my labors in this State hereafter will be in that part.
Of the state of the cause I scarcely know what to say. There is considerable interest manifested in the prosperity of the Review, and this, to me, is highly gratifying. There are some self-denying, sacrificing souls in Ohio, whose hearts are in the truth, who would resign the necessaries of life to help on the cause. But they are mostly poor in this world's goods, yet I trust they have an interest in a rich inheritance. There are others who are abundantly able to sustain the message with their means, who do little more than to tell how highly they prize the truth. It seems singular that while those who work by the day to support their families, make weekly contributions to the cause, as the Bible enjoins, those who are large property holders refuse to join in a systematic effort to advance the work. I have no confidence to believe that such will go far in this work. In fact, they are not going at all. They are self-deceived. Unless they take some steps to show their faith by their works, the Lord will doubtless soon set them aside, and raise up more faithful servants in their places.
I am led to these reflections by the Ohio Committee authorizing me to borrow money (which could be done) to buy a tent for this State. But I have not felt it duty to do so. There are yet unpaid pledges of past years in the churches, and I do not feel like increasing the debt. There are those in Ohio professing present truth, who could, singly, buy a tent, and pay all its expenses, without sacrificing any of the comforts of life. I expect to get the means to buy a tent without borrowing any.
I was surprised to find the (self-styled) Disciples at Gilboa, claiming that I had denied our faith in my articles on the prophecies, in saying that the old covenant was abolished! It was hard to believe that they were so ignorant of our faith as not to know that we always made a distinction between the "first covenant" made with Israel, and the ten commandments. I can only account for it with the reason that blindness increases with a persistent rejection of the truth. The wise man said, "The law is light," [Prov. vi, 23,] but the Disciples, with many others, choose darkness in its stead.