Western Tour by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 20, 1865

Western Tour.

By James White

We are happy to be in the field again, after the winter and spring of toil and anxiety at home.

Our labors have been confined almost exclusively to the church at Battle Creek, and in the Review Office, for the past six months. The great events of our country, the last call for men, the preparation of proofs that Seventh-day Adventists were entitled to the benefits of the exemption clause of the enrollment law, as non-combatants, and the days of fasting and prayer observed by our people, all have added to our anxieties and labors.

Then came our great yearly meeting with its preparations to make visitors comfortable and happy, its business session and religious services. A hundred ask counsel on this, that, and the other thing, and Committees meet early and late to consider the great work for the year, and make necessary arrangements. And business is done at the Office, requiring our attention more or less, to the amount of sixteen hundred dollars.

We needed rest, or at least a change, with all the rest our present tour will give, so on Thursday the 8th, at 4 P. M., we took the cars for the West, and arrived in Chicago at midnight. In consequence of the rush at that city to the fair, we were obliged to stop at a second class house near the track of one of the western roads, where the heat in our seven by nine bedroom, and the constant rumbling of cars and screaming of whistles utterly forbade sleep the balance of the night. At 9 A. M. we took the cars for Janesville, Wis., not yet much rested. Here we met Bro. Landen who took us to his house a few hours, and then took the train with us to Monroe, the place of our first appointment. Here we were happy to meet Elders Loughborough, Ingraham, Sanborn and Steward, and Elder Andrews of Illinois, and at the hospitable home of Bro. Ingraham, we found rest. A refreshing rain had just cleared this country, suffering for it, and had cooled the air, and sleep, robbed of its opportunity to restore our wearied energies, under such circumstances was doubly sweet.

Sabbath morning the modest bell upon the house of worship, which our brethren in Monroe purchased of the Christians, called us to the place of worship, and we were happy to find every seat filled with believers waiting to hear the word. We spoke in the morning, Elder Loughborough in the afternoon, and Mrs. White in the evening. It was a good Sabbath to us all. There was freedom in speaking, and a deep interest to hear. The cause has been gradually rising in Monroe and vicinity for a few years past, under the labors of Bro. Ingraham.

Sunday morning the brethren pitched the tent upon the beautiful rolling common, which was well filled at three services. We spoke twice, and Bro. Loughborough once, Mrs. White followed us twice in exhortation, with freedom. This was a good day for the brethren, and for the cause.

The preaching brethren were encouraged to go forth with stronger union to the work of saving precious souls, and a spirit of good cheer seemed to pervade the minds of all the friends of the cause.

Our traveling expenses up to this time have been $20.60. Receipts by donations from those who have chosen to bear a part, $25.56. We now design to attend general gatherings from State to State, and choose to have traveling and home expenses met by donations outside of S. B. funds, where the brethren feel able so to do, so as to draw nothing from Publishing Association, State or General Conference funds. At the close of the year, a strict account will be given of labor, expenses and receipts. It seems most like equality for those who have the benefits of these general gatherings to pay for them, and let the public

funds go for the extension, and general upbuilding of the cause. Let those who desire our labors let their wants be known in season to make proper arrangements.

We accompany Bro. Loughborough to the Hundred Mile Grove meeting, and he goes with us to Princeville, Ill., and the Iowa Conference. Our address till July 10th, will be Richmond, Iowa, and Battle Creek, Michigan. J. W.