DEAR BRO. WHITE: I have had the privilege of reading a few numbers of your paper, which I received from sister Whitcomb. I read them with interest, and believe that they contain present truth. Sister W. likewise supplied us with a few pamphlets which have thrown much light upon the Bible. This is the principal means we have had to obtain light.
The keeping of the seventh day is something new to us here; but there is a little number that have received the truth, and are keeping God's Sabbath. We want more light. Our number is small, only five or six in a large community of bitter opposers. The little few here have been blest, and wonderfully blest in receiving the present truth. Will you, Bro. Bates, or some other brother, make it in your way to visit us, and break the bread of life? We also wish two numbers of the "Review and Herald."
Yours in hope of soon seeing Jesus.
HORATIO FLOWER.
Ashfield, Mass., June 22, 1851.
[From Bro. Rhodes.]
By Samuel W. Rhodes
[From Bro. Rhodes.]
DEAR BRO. WHITE: I write to let you know that I am still in the field, crying the third angel's message to all who have ears to hear what the Spirit saith to the Laodicean church. The evidences that are now brought to show that this republican and protestant government and nation constitutes the two-horned beast of Rev. xiii, 11, are strong and mighty in convincing all who listen to us, that we have the truth on this part of the message. And the light from the Bible, and facts from history show clearly that the institution and observance of the first day of the week, as a day of rest, is the notable mark of the beast of Revelation.
The commandments of God as brought to view by the two witnesses, (Old and New Testaments,) when presented in their clear light, possess a power that binds those who break them, and holds in silence those who hear them, as the first angel's message bound hypocrites, and held sinners from rage, from 1840 to 1843. Truth is mighty and will prevail. Truth is stronger than the strong man armed, and is destined to triumph gloriously, till all are sealed. Truth obeyed sanctifies every faculty, sense and power of our being, and will enable us to reflect the image of our holy Lord and Master, and save us soon in immortality. Amen.
Bro. Andrews and myself arrived in Camden on Tuesday after we left Ballston Spa, and found the saints there strong and joyful in God their Rock, having one heart and mind to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Wednesday we started for Pitcher, stopped at Bro. Cook's in Manlius over night, found him and his companion growing in the truth. Bro. Case stopped at Manlius, and labored in the word of the Lord with a few brethren on first-day. He sends you the names of Daniel Bates and J. E. Waterman for the paper.
Sabbath and first-day, Bro. A. and self met with twenty or thirty dear souls at Pitcher, who have lately listened to the voice of the Good Shepherd, and opened the door, [Rev. iii, 20,] and received Christ by faith in embracing the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. They are fast obtaining the gold tried in the fire, white raiment, and the eye-salve needful to see the glorious light of the third angel's saying. We had a free time in talking the truth, and are satisfied that the sayings of Jesus sunk so deeply into the hearts of the dear children of God in McDonough, Pitcher and Lincklaen that the devil will not be able to catch away the good seed sown, though he may send along the wisest of his children to throw darkness over the "holy," "just" and "good" law of our blessed God. With tears we parted with the saints in that vicinity, praying that they might be kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation, which is soon to be revealed. Amen.
Last Sabbath and first-day we met in conference at Bath, with Brn. Edson and Case, and with about twenty brethren and sisters in that vicinity. The light on the Sabbath, and the light on that law that Paul calls a shadow, and the Sanctuary connected with that shadow, shown so brilliantly that the saints cannot be easily drawn away from the truth by fables, or vain philosophy, or traditions of men. The Lord's supper was administered, and the ordinance of washing feet was also attended to. The Lord blessed us with his Spirit, and we greatly rejoiced together.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, rejoice and praise his holy name, for he8hath done great things for the remnant of Jacob, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for those who love and keep his truth.
Yours to suffer with the saints a little while, and then to reign in glory with you to all eternity. O, put on strength, suffer trials, be bold in the truth. Turn the battle to the gate.
S. W. RHODES.
Wheeling, July 15, 1851
MARSHALL M. TRUESDELL
By Marshall M. Truesdell
[From Bro. Truesdell.]
BELOVED BRO. WHITE: Your remarks on my letter of April 23d, are satisfactory. All difficulty has vanished respecting the requirements of the Fourth Commandment. It is as plain to my mind that the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath, or rest of the Lord our God, and that no other day of the week will satisfy the demands of the Sabbath law, as the truth that Jesus will appear the second time to them that look for him. God did, we see, require his people for thousands of years to observe the seventh day of the week; not a seventh part of time. And calls it his Rest, his Holy Day. Now it is clear that if the same law is in force, the same day is required to be kept. Indeed, another day is another institution. O, how clear the light that now shines from his holy word upon his commandments. I feel the importance of the Sabbath more than ever before, and feel to call it a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, (not a yoke of bondage.) How sweet the spirit of the Sabbath. How blessed the day when we can rest, and dismiss from our minds all cares of this life, and then study his blessed word, and meditate on his works and goodness, and worship him who made the heavens and the earth.
May God have mercy on those who are teaching that the Sabbath is abolished, that we may violate the fourth precept in God's holy and just law, and be blameless. And thus leading the flock of God astray from the path which his word marks out for them. "Lord it is time for thee to work, for they have made void thy law."
I must tell you what the Lord has been doing for us in this part of his vineyard. Nine months ago there was not one here that observed the Sabbath of the Lord. But now there are eight or ten that have embraced the third angel's message, and keep the Sabbath, and there is a good prospect of a few more embracing the truth. Nearly all that believe in the speedy coming of Jesus, have embraced the Sabbath truth. Some think the truth will cause division among God's people. But I believe it will only separate the jewels from the rubbish.
O ye messengers of Jesus, that are proclaiming the solemn message of the third angel, do not be discouraged, the Lord is on your side. Be strong and of good courage, for they that be for us are more than they which are against us. Truth is spreading and God's people are receiving it. Indeed the truth has bore away the victory in this place. I do feel to praise the Lord for his goodness in opening my eyes to see the truth. The commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus are just what we need to fit us for the kingdom of God. It is meat in due season. My peace now is like a river. Well might David say, "Great peace have all they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them."
Our conference in this place was one of much interest. Dear Bro. Rhodes, that devoted servant of God, was with us. Also Brn. Alden and Stocking from Bath, preachers of the gospel, who have recently embraced the truth of the third angel's message.
Sabbath afternoon we met at the house of Bro. Upson. Bro. Rhodes spoke on the seven last plagues. He showed us that they were literal plagues, and yet in the future. The Spirit of the Lord was with us and we had a heavenly refreshing season. The exhortations of Bro. Rhodes melted the hearts of God's children. Tears flowed freely, and we were not a little strengthened.
MARSHALL M. TRUESDELL
Catlin, Chemung Co., N. Y., June 19, 1851.
[From Bro. Holt.]
By George W. Holt
[From Bro. Holt.]
DEAR BRO. WHITE: My heart is with you in this blessed work of the Lord. I feel to-day like adopting the language of Paul. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Glory be to God for this holy way of living. Again “I delight in the law of God after the inward man.”
Those that do not see glory enough in this holy law of God written by the Spirit of the living God on the fleshly tables of the heart, to excite them to love and serve God with a perfect heart, and to consecrate themselves and all their substance to the Lord and his cause, without the message of time, never will do it with definite time. What is stronger than the immutable law of Jehovah? The ten commandments are to be put in the mind and written to the heart under the new covenant, while Jesus the Great High Priest is a “Minister of the Sanctuary and of the True Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man.” This work will soon be done and Jesus will leave the new covenant Sanctuary to reap the harvest of the earth. Then those that have done the commandments from the heart will be gathered, and be able to stand before God without an intercessor.
I had the pleasure of reading the “Review and Herald Extra” of July 21st, last evening. My soul was fed with its contents. I am glad to hear from you once more, and that the Lord is prospering you in the work of publishing the paper to send out to the scattered and torn flock, as an instrument to help gather them in the “unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Eph. iv, 13.
The Sabbath and first-day following the conference at Milton, I met with the brethren in Waitsfield, (Vt.) that came together from that and the neighboring towns. The word of the Lord had free course, and was glorified. The brethren were much blessed, and strengthened in the truth of God’s word. Some were at the meeting that had not been with us, and came out clear on the whole truth. Three were baptized. The next Sabbath and first-day I held meetings at this place. The brethren from Randolph, Tunbridge and Royalton were present. The Lord was indeed with us, and his “word” was “quick and powerful.” Some were at this meeting that heard our position explained from the word of God for the first time, and they were astonished at the amount of scripture brought to sustain our present position, and were led to exclaim, “God is with this people.” One sister said she had been deceived by false reports. She had been informed that we were spiritualizers, and believed in spiritual union, &c., and she was surprised to learn that we had no fellowship with that class. She is now rejoicing in the truth.
The Lord is truly reviving his people, and fitting them to “stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.” Prejudice is giving way, and the honest are fast embracing the truth of the third message, and taking a firm and decided stand on the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus. Last Sabbath and first-day I met the brethren in Washington, (N. H.). The church in that vicinity are strong in the truth. The blessing of the Lord attended the meetings, and the brethren were revived, and I hope they will continue to rise higher and higher, until they get the victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. I found a few souls in Claremont that loved the present truth. Opposition is strong, but they have taken a bold and decided stand on the commandments of God.
We are satisfied that the Lord has set his hand to gather the remnant of his people, and that the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, are the standard to which all will be gathered. This is the burden of the third angel’s MESSAGE, and it will not fail to accomplish the work. This message is destined to prevail. The commandments of God, (the SABBATH not excepted,) is the test.—Everything else that is made a test, will fail to do the work necessary for God’s people to stand in the time of trouble.
GEO. W. HOLT.
East Bethel, (Vt.) July 25, 1851.
Publications and Postage Notices
By Editor
Bro. E. L. Chamberlain has about fifty copies of the pocket edition of the Apocrypha left, which can be had by addressing him post-paid, at Middletown, Conn.
Under the present postage law, they will have to be pre-paid at one cent an ounce, therefore the price will be 25 cents. It is a matter of economy to pre-pay postage on letters, as they can be sent three thousand miles for three cents, if pre-paid, but if not pre-paid will cost the receiver five cents. Bro. Chamberlain says, “If we are using the Lord’s money, we ought to save when we can. I find most of my letters unpaid since the first of July, so I suppose all do not understand the new postage law.”
We shall expect to receive letters from those we have never heard from, and who have not requested the paper to be sent to them, if they desire it continued. We have sent dollars worth of publications to some that we have not heard from, free of charge, and if they are as interested to receive them, as we have been to send them, they can certainly spend a few moments of time, and three cents, to let us hear from them. Let no one delay writing, if they have not means to send now. We shall send this No. only to such, and if we do not hear from them, shall erase their names from our list. The fact that we have sent all our publications, for two years, to a number who have never received them, and knew not that they were sent, is the main reason for taking this course.
A brother from Illinois sends for publications for distribution. But we find that we have not a large quantity on hand, and have not the means to publish more. Yet as long as we have them, they shall go freely, to be distributed where there is strong hope of good being accomplished. Will the brother write again and say how they shall be sent.
To Correspondents.
By Editor
Those who write for the paper should prepare their articles ready to put into the hands of the printer. But instead of this, most of the articles are written so badly that we have to copy them; therefore, much of our time that we should have to study the Word, write for the paper, and visit the brethren, is spent in copying communications. This is a source of grief to us. Now, with a little care, the brethren can save us this labor. Each letter in every word should be written sufficiently plain to be known, were it standing alone, and capital letters should not be used only when required. There is not the necessity of so much care in private correspondence, only when the names of those who wish the paper are sent.
[From Bro. Flower.]
By H. Flower
DEAR BRO. WHITE: The little band in this place are holding fast the present truth, and God is with us. Our meetings on the Sabbath are interesting and blessed. They are truly graced with the presence of God. Never did the light of truth shine so brilliantly into my heart as at the present. It is but a few weeks since we received the light on the Sabbath, and we can now look back upon past experience, and to the seventh month movement, and truly say that God was in it. My soul is filled to overflowing while I look back upon the past, and contemplate the future. My views on Rev. xiii have been since 1844, different from those held by the Advent brethren generally, and sometimes I almost gave them up, but all other views were dark to me. But being providently supplied with some publications, written by yourself and Bro. Bates, I found a harmony there with the views that I held upon this subject, and by examining the “sure word of prophecy,” I saw that the seventh day was the Sabbath of the Lord our God.
We find something of a trial in being obliged to take a different course from our old brethren. They consider us deluded and led astray. Pray for us that God may give us wisdom, and an abundance of his grace. I firmly believe that those, and those only, that are found walking in present truth will be carried through the time of trouble which is just before us.
We were blest with the labors of Brn. Lothrop and Lindsey the first Sabbath in July, and the day following. They came here unexpectedly to us, but timely. The word was preached in power and the saints were comforted. May the Lord reward them for their labors of love. One of our number, a young sister obeyed the Lord in the ordinance of baptism. We cordially invite the brethren that pass through this region to call on us, and preach the word of truth. Ashfield is in Franklin county, about 60 miles east of Albany, and 100 miles west from Boston.
Yours in the hope of the gospel,
H. FLOWER.
Ashfield, (Mass.) June 27, 1851.
Postage.
By Editor
We copy the following from the "Advent Herald" relative to postage on letters, which we think is a proper course to be adopted.
"As all letters (not weighing over half an ounce) may now be sent a distance of three thousand miles for three cents postage, when paid by the sender, which, if not thus paid, will cost the one who receives it five cents, it is expected that hereafter all who write letters will pay their own postage. Where a person wishes for an answer about what only concerns himself, or his own business, he will, besides paying his postage, enclose a letter-stamp to pre-pay the returned letter with.
Those writing from Canada, can now pre-pay their letters to any part of the United States for six cents."
Pamphlets.
By Editor
“The Advent Review,” “The Bible Sabbath,” “Thoughts on the Sabbath and Perpetuity of the Law of God,” “The Seventh-day Sabbath,” “The Parable Matt. xxv,” and “Bro. Miller’s Dream,” can be had by addressing Otis Nichols, Dorchester Mass. or at this place. All excepting the last two mentioned above, can be had also of Elias Goodwin, Oswego, N. Y.
Pamphlets sent by mail have to be pre-paid, therefore, those who send for them should send the means to pay the postage also.
Smiting
By Jesse Thompson
[From Bro. Thompson.]
Smiting.
DEAR BRO. WHITE: While reading an article from H. H. Gross in the “Advent Herald” of May 31st, in which he speaks of Bro. Geo. W. Holt in a very unchristian manner, I was led to reflect upon the two classes of servants mentioned in Matt. xxiv, 46—51, one giving meat in due season to the household, and the other smiting his fellow-servant.
Bro. Gross says, “A deceiver has passed this way of late, by the name of—Holt, of Auburn,” &c., and speaks of him as being “so lacking in valor as to skulk along through a back country, taking in the simple-hearted by guile.” It is true that I live in the “back country,” and hope to be “simple-hearted” enough to believe in the word of God, but I would ask if it is not possible that Bro. Gross is as much mistaken in Bro. Holt’s true character as a Christian, and a Minister of Christ, as he is of his place of residence? He resides at Oswego. The fact that Bro. Gross seems to be ignorant of Bro. Holt’s place of residence, and first name, is strong evidence that he is ignorant of the real character of the man that he has thus abused, and that he has spoken of Bro. Holt presumptuously and wickedly.
I am personally acquainted with Bro. Gross, he resided in this town one year. I am also personally acquainted with Bro. Holt, and his faithful labors, and know him to be a humble, devoted servant of God. Would to God that I could say as much of Bro. Gross. For years, myself and family and others in this vicinity, had been famishing for the word of life, but the Lord sent Bro. Holt to us last March, who presented the truth from the Bible, and like the faithful servant, fed us with meat in due season. And for so doing, he who was once his fellow-servant in the same cause must smite him. Now I wish to say that I wholly disfellowship this course of slandering and smiting those who may honestly differ from us on some points. I have seen so much of biting and devouring one another in the Advent papers, that my heart has sickened, and I have been of the opinion that it would be better not to take them; but search the scriptures of truth, which are able to make us wise unto salvation, through faith that is in Jesus Christ. I do not wish to give the idea that a paper is not needed. One breathing the sweet spirit of the gospel of Christ never was needed, more than now.
When Bro. Holt came to my house I listened to his views of the Sanctuary with intense interest; but when he mentioned the Sabbath, I introduced an article from the “Advent Harbinger,” written by Hiram P. Crozier against the Sabbath. But when Bro. Holt compared that article with the Bible, I was astonished to find that a number of statements in it were not according to the word of God. And then my mind was prepared to listen to the commandments of God, one of which I saw enforced the Holy Sabbath.
The light that I have received upon the present truth, explains the past Advent movement, shows clearly our present position, and gives certainty to the glorious future. Jesus will come and “they that do the commandments” will meet him with joy. And although they are denounced by the world, and the evil servant here, yet they will “enter in through the gates into the city,” and “have right to the tree of life.”
JESSE THOMPSON.
Ballston, (N. Y.) July 31, 1851.
Receipts.
Sarah Chase, $2; H. A. Mead, $3; Reuben Loveland, $5; J. Jackson, $2; J. K. Bellows, $1.50; Geo. Cobb, $4; D. Robbins, A. G. Phelps, Noble Luther, H. Flower, M. Edson, D. D. Corsoron, Estacy Young, Wm. Farnsworth, $1 each.
Letters received since June 10th.
M. M. Trucsdell, E. P. Butler, J. N. Andrews, Joseph Bates 2, Wm. A. Raymond, Geo. W. Holt, Frederick Wheeler, S. W. Rhodes 2, H. S. Gurney, Wm. Harris, Otis Nichols, David Upson.
DAVISON'S PRINTING AND STEREOTYPE ESTABLISHMENT,
Saratoga Springs, N. Y.