Report from Bro. Hutchins.
By A. S. Hutchins
Bro. White: since my last report, I have held meetings as follows: Sabbath, Jan. 7th, I attended the Quarterly Meeting at Charleston. We were happy to meet several brethren and sisters from other churches. We think this was a profitable season for those present. Sabbath, 14th, met with the brethren and friends in Warren, and spoke to them twice. Found a few here striving to overcome. On first-day, 15th, preached a funeral sermon. Sabbath, 21st, held a meeting at the house of Bro. S. Pierce, in Roxbury, and preached twice with freedom. The brethren and sisters spoke with tearful eyes and joyful hearts of their hope of eternal life. Found Bro. P.'s family in affliction, but trusting in the Lord. Bro. P. was absent laboring with Bro. Bourdeau. From the 24th to the 29th, visited in Corinth, where I commenced to labor with the F. W. Baptists, some eighteen years since. With this kind people I spent a portion of the time till 1851, when my labors closed with them, and the following year I left the church. It was not without a keen struggle of some ten months that I decided to leave these beloved brethren and friends, to whom I was bound by so many tender ties. But when I saw the clear burning evidence from the word of God, that the Seventh-day is the Sabbath of the Lord, and found myself entirely destitute of the least fraction of evidence from the pen of inspiration that the first-day is the Sabbath, I was persuaded to obey God let the sacrifice be what it might. With Peter, I am led to ask, "What was I, that I could withstand God?" With the people of the Lord who were keeping the commandments of God, and looking for the soon coming of the blessed Saviour, I took my stand, which I have never seen occasion to regret. Thirteen years had passed away, marking their changes as they flew, and I was again with friends, who received me as friends, at the present time. I visited eleven families, to all of whom I spoke more or less on the subject of present truth, and our position, with perfect freedom. I think several of the most spiritual members of the church are favorably inclined to our view of the Sabbath. They are much interested to learn our position on church order and Systematic Benevolence. There being no meeting in the place on first-day, I was invited to stop and preach on that day. There was a very generous turn-out considering the short notice and the fact that there were two funerals in town. I spoke with good liberty on the Christian's hope. At the close of the services, the good deacon proposed to the friends to help me to some means, which I respectfully declined receiving. I parted with these kind friends in tears with expressions of Christian love falling from their lips. I feel very grateful to my Heavenly Father for this opportunity of giving a reason of my hope, and the position we occupy, and showing that we are sustained by the immutable word of God. On Sabbath I attended their Monthly Meeting, was favored with the privilege of speaking to them at this time. There is one copy of the Review taken here which is busy and doing a good work. May the good Spirit and holy angels still incline these dear friends more and more toward the truth till they see it, joyfully receive it, rejoice in it, and be saved from the errors and delusions of the last days, and finally gathered to the mansion of the blessed, when a voice of majestic sweetness shall say, "Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in."