Untitled article by P. C. Rodman

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 21, 1865

My Experience. No. 3.

By P. C. Rodman

SOME time has passed since No. 2, of my reports, but I have the more to relate. After confessing my faith in the third angel's message, I was requested to return to North Stonington, where I had held some grove meetings the previous summer, and quite a number of meetings the following winter, just before embracing present truth. Accordingly I went and preached some six times on prophecy and the perpetuity of God's holy law. The Lord was with me to make truth effectual; and the result was, three confessed they had been enlightened, and two of them are now keeping the Sabbath of the Lord. Returned home praising the Lord that I could be instrumental for good. In a few days I moved to this place and went to work in the factory, as was my custom to do in the summer, preaching some here on Sabbath in my own hired house, then in a small chapel that was offered me, until my health forbade my doing even that, if I continued to work in the factory. The factory stopping some, by the request of the brethren in Kingston, I visited them and endeavored to strengthen and comfort in the truth, in doing which I was greatly blessed, as they also confessed themselves to be. But my health was poor, and I sometimes almost decided I must sleep, and rest in the grave, until Jesus should come; but again I would be impressed to pray unto him in whose hand our breath is, and was not a little comforted; and I live yet to praise the Lord whose word I love more than gold, yea, more than fine gold, and prize above rubies.

And often the thought would come into my mind, Ought you not to devote your time to proclaiming this new light to others that are just as honest and sincere followers after the Lord as yourself? Yes, if I understood it perfectly, I would say, perhaps it would be my duty. But this did not satisfy my mind fully.

At length I decided as follows: If I ought to give my time and energies to the work of proclaiming the third message, others will be persuaded of the same. Thus I decided to have a talk with Elds. White and Loughborough at the Conference then appointed at Peacedale. I met them there, and received encouragement beyond my expectations, and in a few weeks started on my mission.

My first labors were in Kingston at Curtis' Corners, with the brethren who had embraced the truth under Bro. Cornell's labors. They confessed themselves not a little comforted; and one more decided to keep all the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, and be prepared to escape the mark of the beast, and so be saved from the unmixed wrath of God.

About this time, the Advent church of which I was a member, sent me a letter to know if I wanted to remain a member of that church any longer. I attended their church meeting, and was satisfied that I was not wanted among them, by some of their members, while I held the present truth. Their action plainly showed this; for they withdrew the hand of fellowship, while they acknowledged me a Christian. I asked for the reason as they had it recorded, but they replied they had recorded none. I suppose if the true reason had been recorded, it would have read something as follows: "For keeping the commandments of God;" for I had done no more than before, except to keep the Sabbath of the Lord.

Others were served in the same way. Some of these had belonged to the church for years while living worldly and careless, and now had begun to serve the Lord with diligence; but they, also, were guilty of keeping the Sabbath and striving to obey the Lord in all things, and so out they must go. Well, God is judge, and he will not err. So brethren we need not fear; only love and obey him, and we shall at last be blessed with the right to the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Amen. And no one will be disposed to put us out of that happy place forever. The Lord will give grace and glory. We need not be discouraged; for Jesus is our friend. He never leaves nor forsakes, unless first forsaken. Then let us, like Enoch of old, walk with God, and he will finally take us, whether we wake or sleep.

I find some trials, but out of them all the Lord delivers, and will, to the end. May we impose all that confidence in him that draws the needed grace, to enable us to perfectly obey him to the end.

The work is onward in this State, notwithstanding the opposition. God will make the truth to prosper in our hands, if we only meekly obey and advocate the same. So if men will oppose the truth, one thing is certain, they can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. God speed the right in preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord which will soon be here.

Truth is like a river rising from a never-failing spring. Its onward course may be apparently stopped for a time; but when the impediments are overcome, it has only caused its waters to deepen and widen. Thus its strength is increased, rather than diminished. So it is with the work of God. And I believe the truth of the third angel's message will yet go in mighty power. Already is it gathering strength. The Lord help all its followers to be humble walking with God. P. C. RODMAN. Ashaway, R. I.