p. 132 | WESTERN TOUR

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 25, 1862

WESTERN TOUR.

WE left Lodi the 6th with Brn. Crosby and Decker, and made our way over the partly-broken roads twenty-five miles to Bro. Kelley's. Bro. Billings took our trunks through with another team. Bro. and sister Kelley were brought under the fanaticism which prevailed in this part of Wisconsin about eighteen months since under the garb of sanctification, and suffered greatly by it, spiritually and temporally. They are glad enough to leave it by the route of confession. They entertained us and those with us with all possible attention. Here, on the morning of the 7th, Brn. Crosby and Decker left us, to go toward their homes near one hundred miles distant, fearing to go further lest the roads should become impassable before they should reach home, and Bro. Billings took us on to Marquette.

Sabbath morning the house of worship was filled with a promiscuous crowd. Half or more of the congregation were friends of the cause. There was another class of Sabbath-keepers present who have been confused and kept unsettled through the influence of the fanaticism above referred to. These have doubted on the subject of spiritual gifts, and the gathering work of the third message. And there was still another class present, few in number, who profess the Sabbath, whose hobby is consecration, who pull every way but with the body, self-righteous, talkative, and seem to have confusion enough in them to distract the whole 144000. Besides these, a few respectable unbelievers made up the large congregation.

We spoke to them three times Sabbath and evening following, twice on first-day, held two meetings on second-day, one on third-day, and preached in the evening, and on fourth-day the brethren cut open the lake, where we buried in baptism our much-esteemed Bro. Elkins.

Some of these meetings were very searching and profitable. Mrs. W. gave a very plain and pointed testimony against the wiles of the Devil which had prevailed in Northern Wisconsin under the garb of consecration as taught by Eld. Wellcome, one Chaffee, Riley Cooper, and others, which terminated with Bro. and sister Steward in what has been termed the Mauston fanaticism. This testimony took a strong hold of some, and Bro. Cooper, being present, came forward and made a most thorough and heartfelt confession. We trust Bro. C. has taken his stand forever with those who stand upon the third message, seeking to walk in the path of Bible sanctification. We hope the time is not far distant when this miserable garb of extra holiness and self-righteousness will fall off from these wandering stars in Northern Wisconsin, who have done all they could to distract the cause; that the honest ones among them will do as Bro. Cooper has done; that the hypocrites among them may appear in their native wolf-like ugliness, that they no longer deceive the people of God. This extra holiness is no part of the message; it is opposed to the message, as Satan is opposed to God. So far as it is received, it crowds out the message, and no man or woman can stand united in spirit with the body of believers who sympathizes with this bogus holiness, which in fact is only the Devil's whitewash with which he makes self-righteous bigots.

The doctrine of Bible holiness we love, and shall cherish and teach every principle of sanctification we can gather from the word of God. But we have seen enough of that Pharisaical holiness which says, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, &c., even as this publican." Enough! enough! These extra holy ones do not hesitate to love and report every lie in circulation against those they have never seen, and really know nothing about, and denounce their spiritual exercises because they do not wear their peculiar stripe of extra holiness. Again we say, Enough! enough! Rather let the saints manifest the humble spirit of the publican who prayed, "God be merciful to me a sinner." "For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."