EASTERN TOUR by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 13, 1859

EASTERN TOUR.

By James White

SABBATH and first-day, Sept. 17th and 18th, we were with our old friends at Dartmouth, Mass. It was so very stormy that our brethren from Fairhaven did not come up to this meeting. We had not met with them for six years, and were much disappointed in not seeing them. There is quite an interest in old Dartmouth, and we were told that there would have been quite a gathering of the people, had the weather been favorable. Our meetings were very small, but very good. Three decided to keep the Sabbath. If faithful they will have a good influence on others. Bro. Collins' death is being sanctified to the good of the church there.

The very heavy rains the past week prevented many of the friends in Maine from attending the conference at Topsham, so that our meeting there was also small, on the Sabbath. It was, however, very interesting and profitable. There has been a scattering influence in some places in Maine, which has also existed in some other places in the East. Some have been led to take positions which have destroyed their influence at present, and thrown them into trials. Certain exercises have been encouraged which amounted only to a cry of danger! without defining the danger. Why Maine should be so cursed with every grade of fanaticism is a mystery, but so it is. The Devil doubtless has his reasons for sending every form of scattering influence to Maine. It may be he sees a host of honest souls in this State ready to receive the truth when it shall be proclaimed under a right influence, and hopes, by keeping up his mode of operations, to discourage those who have the message in its purity, from entering this unfortunate field of labor.

The few brethren in Maine are poor, but liberal. The Topsham meeting raised $32,50 for missionary purposes. At the same proportion, the Conferences in Vermont, New York and Michigan, would raise from one to three thousand dollars each. It may be that this is one reason why Maine is so cursed with those who help them down hill. The brethren pay them well for their services. We advised the brethren to be cautious who they received as the Lord's messengers, and to hold on to their means until they knew they were giving it where it would do good, and be in readiness to sustain efficient labor in Maine. A great and glorious work will yet be done in this State.

First-day we moved our meetings to Agricultural hall, 125 feet by 50, to which hundreds of the villagers from Topsham and Brunswick collected, and preserved perfect order, and gave strictest attention. Here we were reminded of past years of trial and poverty.

After breaking down in health in preaching the Advent faith, we were driven to work on the Rail-Road in the towns of Topsham and Brunswick, and afterwards to chop cord-wood at a hard chance. For four months in 1848 we passed to and fro with narrow axe upon our shoulder, over the same street where hundreds crowded to our lectures the 25th. It was from Topsham, Me., that we started out to attend the first conference of believers in the third message in Ct. in the Spring of 1848. We borrowed five dollars, and a sister in Mass. gave us five more, so that when we left the boat at Middletown we had fifty cts. left. All we possessed on earth was in a small trunk and on our persons, and it was not worth ten dollars. What we wore as an over-coat, was a sack coat we had worn in the woods, and where economy could not darn, it used patches as near the color of the original as possible, still several shades were very apparent. We will not particularize any further, but add that we thank God for that experience, as it learned us to feel for the poor messengers, and pity the one who has too much minister or too little disposition to work, to labor with his hands when he has nothing else to do.

Bro. Smith, hope you and the printer will succeed in reading this. The cars are bearing us over the road twenty-five miles per hour, as we write.

Between Portland and Boston, in good health and spirits, with hope of life through Christ.

J. W.