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Eastern Tour

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 29, 1864

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 25, No. 1.

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Eastern Tour.

By James White

At Rome, N. Y., we parted with our two sons, they to go with sister Patten, to spend a few weeks at her father's house in Clay, Onon. county N. Y., and we to go to Maine.
The three following Sabbaths we spent at Kendall's Mills, Brunswick, and Cornville. The two first were meetings of no very special interest. We had good hearing on first-days. The meeting at Cornville was encouraging. Eld. J. N. Loughborough was with us. Here we were happy to meet Elds. Stratton, Howard, and Goodrich, who have, during the last year, embraced the Sabbath. The word was spoken with some freedom. On first-day the house of worship was densely crowded. We were happy to have the opportunity of speaking to many old acquaintances and relatives from our native town, Palmyra, and from the adjoining towns. A good interest is awakened in that community; but every means that opposition, prejudice, and falsehood could invent, has been employed to crush the cause in Maine. But God is with his truth, and it often appears that overaction to crush the truth,reacts greatly in favor of truth, and sadly against its prosecutors. May God speed the truth in Maine.
Eld. Loughborough went with us to Vermont, where we held meetings Oct. 26th at Irasburgh, the 27th at East Richford, the 29th and 30th at West Enosburgh, and Nov. 2d at Roxbury. The weather was rainy and the roads muddy. This journey was very fatiguing, but not without profit. Old friends greeted us heartily, and our meetings were good.
The conference at Enosburgh was not large, but very good, considering the circumstances. We spoke freely at this meeting on the subject of health for the space of two hours, and was followed by Mrs. W., who spoke one hour. Thus the audience was held for three hours without manifesting the least impatience.
One circumstance of interest we will here briefly notice. We found the wife of Eld. D. T. Bourdeau sick of the typhoid fever. She had been sick twelve days, and quite helpless for five days. She and her husband requested prayer for her recovery. Mrs. W., and Eld. Hutchins's wife, went to her room and anointed her, as taught in James v, 14, 15, while we were bowed in prayer in another room with Elds. Loughborough, Bourdeau, and Hutchins. The Lord heard the humble petitions of his servants. The house seemed filled with the presence of God. Sister Bourdeau arose in the name of the Lord, dressed, and went to the meeting, and at the close of our three-hours session referred to above, arose and testified that by the power of God she was healed. She attended meetings both days, enjoyed a social visit with Christian friends the third day, and Bro. Bourdeau informs us by letter that she is enjoying health.
The brethren at Enosburgh have a fine house of worship nearly completed, and are succeeding nobly in paying for it. Some friends in Canada, and several in other towns in Vermont have liberally contributed. It is in a retired place, and central for a sort of State house for the churches in that state and Canada East.
We proposed an annual gathering, or feast of tabernacles, to hold a week or less as thought best. We stated that our people were of sober, industrious habits, without holidays, and that one perpetual round of labor and toil, excepting the Sabbath, was conducive to neither health nor the sweet freedom of true spirituality. We think we shall be happy to attend such a grand convocation at Enosburgh next June.
Bro. Loughborough went with us to the Rhode Island Conference, which was held Nov. 5th and 6th. Here we met Elder Rodman for the first time, who, with a goodly number present, has joined the ranks of Sabbath-keepers the last year. Our short acquaintance with them was most happy. Bro. Rodman is fully with us. In harmony with a unanimous vote of all the friends of the cause present, he goes out free to give himself wholly to the work. This brother did not seem disposed to stand off, after going through a two-days meeting with us, and as it were handle us with the tongs, but as we parted felt that we stood shoulder to shoulder in the good cause.
The house of worship was crowded on Sunday and evenings. The word was spoken with freedom. Prejudice gave way. Sunday evening a large congregation went away for want of room. The house was literally packed. We spoke on the two days, Sabbath and first-day, of the New Testament. The people listened with profound silence. Then Mrs. W. took the stand and spoke with freedom for half an hour. Thus the meeting closed, leaving a deep impression upon the minds of the people.
A brief call on Bro. P. Folsom's and family of North Somerville, Mass., and at Bro. Nichols', Dorchester, was successful in relieving the feelings of both us and them. May these old friends of the cause be kept in the love of God, and patient waiting for his Son from Heaven.
At Portland we were cheered with the success of the cause of truth in Maine. Fanaticism under the deceptive garb of meetings for "God's free commandment-keepers," is losing ground in Maine. See appointments in the Crisis. And those who are honestly seeking for truth among them are being united with the body. We shall be happy to unite with these brethren, heart and hand in the work, share their sorrows and their joy, and reign with them in the kingdom. J. W.