Untitled article by Francis Nelson

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · December 17, 1867

THANKS FOR LABOR.

By Francis Nelson

I wish to express through the Review my gratitude to the messengers for their labors in Gratiot county this season, as it has turned out quite different from what I anticipated when at the Conference last spring. I could see that there was much to do and but few to work; and a hasty visit seemed to be all that we could expect, though circumstances in Alma were such as to require more care than could be thus bestowed.

But we have been favored with a visit from Bro. Byington in June, and Bro. and sister White at Ithaca in August, accompanied by Bro. and sister Strong, who remained a number of weeks, the most of which time they spent with us in Alma, we trust very much to our profit.

These visiting brethren and sisters need no commendation from us. The promptitude with which they testified against wrongs was a rebuke to us for our timidity, and I trust will make us more careful by our walk and conversation to reprove sin and encourage righteousness.

While Bro. Strong was with us, some started in the truth, some difficulties were settled, the most encouraged, and one was disfellowshipped. I would say to all who may avail themselves of the benefit of her labors, that sister Strong was a great help to the sisters just starting out in the health and dress reforms, in which they have made good progress.

I am heartily in favor of all the reforms adopted by our people; yet I think there is great danger with some of their talking of the reforms in a manner that would carry the idea that our religion consisted in wearing short dresses and eating graham bread.

As some of our sisters who have unbelieving husbands and others who are slow to take hold of things that are new, may be somewhat sensitive, I think we should be very careful and not treat the subject of dress reform as a religious test, or as being of as much importance as the Sabbath. This is in harmony with Testimony No. 12, page 36. Let us while walking out in the truth and adopting the reforms, put on Christ's righteousness, the garments of salvation, and be clothed with humility; then will our bread be that which came down from Heaven, which if we eat we shall never die.

FRANCIS NELSON.

Gratiot Co., Mich.