Untitled article by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, September 24, 1867

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 15

WESTERN TOUR.

By James White

AFTER enjoying a profitable meeting with the church at Battle Creek on second-day evening, we left on the train next day in company with brethren Smith and Steward, and brother and sister Maynard. The afternoon was very warm and the road dusty, yet our passage was more comfortable than we expected. We found Bro. Parker waiting at the depot to take us to his home. We leave for the Wisconsin meeting at four this morning.

In conversation with three gentlemen in the cars, I soon learned that they were brothers, and members of the regular Baptist denomination. I gave them some tracts upon the State of the Dead, and the Destiny of the Wicked. This gave rise to many questions and objections. I briefly laid before them Life and Death—that eternal life was to be brought to life at the resurrection of the just, and to live eternally—that eternal death is to suffer the second death, and so remain dead eternally.

Our position on the Sabbath seemed new to them. They seemed surprised to learn that they were not keeping the seventh day. They talked understandingly upon national affairs, and appeared to be men of intelligence, well posted upon matters of general interest. But on the great subject of the weekly memorial of the great God, they manifested extreme ignorance. They even declared that Monday was the first day of the week. I referred them to the almanac; they asserted with all confidence that all our almanacs set down Monday as the first day of the week. I told them their mistake, and finally they seemed to consent that I might be right.

Next came the effort usually made to slide from the seventh day by the aid of the seventh-part-of-time theory. And among many questions of no particular interest they proposed the usual one—How do you know that the first day of the week is the first day that God wrought in creation? I replied that the days of the week mentioned in both Testaments meant no more nor less than this—the first is the first day of creation, the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth, represent the other several days in which God wrought, and the seventh day, or the Sabbath, is the representative of the day on which God rested. This seemed to satisfy them, and one of them gravely said, “Well, if that is your faith I do not see as there is any harm in your keeping the seventh day.” I replied that I thought it one of the safest things we could do to keep the commandments of God.

The people are perishing for want of knowledge. Their blindness is gross, and their ignorance in regard to this very plain subject is astonishing. With no small degree of interest I left with these men several penny tracts. Brethren, let us have a fund to print millions of pages to hand to those with whom we converse, who give signs of having a teachable spirit.

We are now at Johnstown Center, Wis., where I finish this sketch. We are weary. Mrs. W. fainted at the depot this morning. But by the assistance of brethren Maynard and Olmstead, who led her from the train and supported her at the door of the depot where there was purer air, she did not become completely helpless and breathless for a season, as she usually is at such times. Our labors at Battle Creek were extremely hard. When will our brethren stand where they can strengthen and help us instead of occupying positions where labor necessary to move them is enough to crush mental and physical strength?

The large tent is up here, and the brethren are pouring in from all directions. Already four small tents are here and others are expected. Bro. Smith is with us, who will give the interesting particulars.

JAMES WHITE.