The Cause in the East by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 17, 1863

The Cause in the East.

By Editor

The prospect brightens. The old friends of the cause in the East are taking hold of organization, and there seems to be an interest awakening which we hope will be permanent. Without order and organization, nothing lasting can be done in the East. We have the highest regard for our eastern brethren. Their love for the cause has been constant and ardent. They first embraced the truth, and sent their preachers West with it, and supported them for a while in western fields. They have done more than their share in every enterprise connected with the cause.

But there have been influences at work in the East which have stood directly in the way of the cause. Men have been encouraged to travel who should have been at home, or should have been more limited in their labors, and moved with greater caution. In the absence of order and organization, these men have moved out guided by their own impulses, looking to no ones for counsel and instruction, and in many cases their influence has been to run the cause into the ground. This is the great reason for the low state of the cause in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

God has been raising up men in the East, of sound judgment, fine feelings, piety, and caution, who have received too little encouragement. We might here mention Brn. Bourdeaux and C. O. Taylor. It is because their influence has been felt, that there is a better state of things in Vermont than in other eastern States. The time is coming when their gifts and labors will be more highly prized than those of the more noisy and rash.

When order can be fully established, the eastern States will be by far the richest fields of labor, for in those States second advent principles have taken a firm hold of many minds, and thousands are ready to embrace the third message when fully and properly set before them.

We have no doubt but there are brethren in the East, who have not been ordained to the work, whose duty it may be to preach the message; but we do believe it wrong for them to start off to preach without consulting with their brethren, and without the watchcare of those of sound experience in the work. We are aware there has been a spirit in the East with many that would denounce the position here taken as oppressive, and this very thing has been the ruin of the cause in some portions of the East.

But our faithful brethren in some portions of New England where our efficient preachers seldom labor, who are anxious to spread the truth, may encourage inexperienced men to teach the truth for want of no better. They may think this is better than to do nothing. How this may be we will not here attempt to decide, but will propose a plan which we regard far better than either.

The few brethren in the East nobly acted their part in sending the truth into the West. One brother in Connecticut gave Bro. Bates fifty dollars to bear his expenses to Indiana and Michigan as early as 1849, at which time the brethren in Jackson received the Sabbath, and these brethren in Jackson have been the center of the great work in Michigan. New England has been ready to help in every enterprise to advance the cause.

We propose that Western brethren now return the compliment in a Christian and liberal manner. Michigan can send two efficient ministers East, and meet their home expenses in their absence. Iowa can send one of her tents East, as she cannot run both, and the Association can donate publications to the enterprise. With the blessing of God much good can be done. In connection with tent labor something could be done in setting things in order that the labor be not finally lost. Should this plan meet the minds of the brethren in the East, in Michigan and Iowa, and should the enterprise be undertaken, it might be our duty to labor with the churches in New England a part of the time next summer.