We left Brother Edson’s intending to spend the following Sabbath in New York City. We were too late for the packet, so we took a line boat, designing to change when the next packet came along. As we saw the packet approaching, we began making preparations to step aboard; but the packet did not stop,113and we had to spring on board while the boat was in motion.
Brother Bates was holding the money for our fare in his hand, saying to the captain of the boat, “Here, take your pay.” As he saw the boat moving off, he sprang to get aboard, but his foot struck the edge of the boat, and he fell back into the water. He then began swimming to the boat, with his pocketbook in one hand, and a dollar bill in the other. His hat fell off, and in saving it he lost the bill, but held fast to his pocketbook. The packet halted for him to get aboard. His clothes were wet with the dirty water of the canal, and as we were near Centerport, we decided to call at the home of Brother Harris, that Brother Bates might put his clothes in order.
Our visit proved a benefit to this family. For years Sister Harris had suffered from catarrh. She had used snuff for the relief of this affliction, and said that she could not live without it. She suffered much pain in her head. We recommended her to go to the Lord, the great Physician, who would heal her affliction. She decided to do so, and we had a season of prayer for her. She discontinued the use of snuff entirely. Her difficulties were greatly relieved, and from that time her health was better than it had been for years.
While at Brother Harris’s I had an interview with a sister who wore gold, and yet professed to be looking for Christ’s coming. We spoke of the express declarations of Scripture against the wearing of gold. But she referred to where Solomon was commanded to beautify the temple, and to the statement that the streets of the city of God were pure gold. She said that if we could improve our appearance by wearing gold, so as to have influence in the world, it was114right. I replied that we were poor fallen mortals, and instead of decorating these bodies because Solomon’s temple was gloriously adorned, we should remember our fallen condition, and that it cost the suffering and death of the Son of God to redeem us. This thought should cause in us self-abasement. Jesus is our pattern. If He would lay aside His humiliation and sufferings, and cry, “If any man will come after Me, let him please himself, and enjoy the world, and he shall be My disciple,” the multitude would believe and follow Him. But Jesus will come to us in no other character than that of the meek, crucified One. If we would be with Him in heaven, we must be like Him on earth. The world will claim its own; and whoever will overcome, must leave what belongs to it.
VISIT TO BROTHER ABBEY’S — BROOKFIELD
The next day we resumed our journey by packet, and went as far as Madison Co., N. Y. We then left the packet, hired a carriage, and rode twenty-five miles to Brookfield, where was the home of Brother Ira Abbey. As it was Friday afternoon when we arrived at the house, it was proposed that one should go to the door and make inquiries, so that should we be disappointed in our hope of a welcome, we might return with the driver, and put up at a hotel over the Sabbath.
Sister Abbey came to the door, and my husband introduced himself as one who kept the Sabbath. She said: “I am glad to see you. Come in.” He replied: “There are three more in the carriage with me. I thought if we all came in together we might frighten you.” “I am never frightened at Christians,” was the reply. Sister Abbey expressed much115joy at seeing us, and we were heartily welcomed by her and her family. When Brother Bates was introduced, she said: “Can this be Brother Bates, who wrote that hewing book on the Sabbath? And come to see us? I am unworthy to have you come under my roof. But the Lord has sent you to us; for we are starving for the truth.”
A child was sent to the field to tell Brother Abbey that four Sabbath keepers had come. He was in no hurry, however, to make our acquaintance; for he had previously been imposed upon by some who had often visited them. These, professing to be God’s servants, had scattered error among the little flock who were trying to hold fast the truth. Brother and Sister Abbey had warred against them for so long that they dreaded to come into contact with them. Brother Abbey feared that we were of the same class. When he came into the house, he received us coldly, and then began asking a few plain, direct questions, as to whether we kept the Sabbath and believed the past messages to be of God. When he was satisfied that we had come with truth, he joyfully welcomed us.
Our meetings in this place were cheering to the few who loved the truth. We rejoiced that the Lord in His providence had directed us that way. We enjoyed the presence of God together, and were comforted to find a few who had stood firm all through the scattering time, holding fast the messages of truth through the mist and fog of spiritualizing and fanaticism. This dear family helped us on our way after a godly sort.
XVI
A VIEW OF THE SEALING
At the commencement of the holy Sabbath, Jan. 5, 1849, we engaged in prayer with Brother Belden’s family at Rocky Hill, Conn., and the Holy Ghost fell upon us. I was taken off in vision to the most holy place, where I saw Jesus still interceding for Israel. On the bottom of His garment was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Then I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every case was decided either for salvation or destruction, and that the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished His work in the most holy place, laid off His priestly attire, and clothed Himself with the garments of vengeance. Then Jesus117will step out from between the Father and men, and God will keep silence no longer, but pour out His wrath on those who have rejected His truth. I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead, were separate and distinct, one following the other; also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has finished His work in the sanctuary, He will stand up, put on the garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be poured out.
I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was done in the sanctuary, and then will come the seven last plagues. These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous; they thought that we had brought the judgments of God upon them, and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would then be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob’s trouble. Then all the saints cried out with anguish of spirit, and were delivered by the voice of God. The one hundred and forty-four thousand triumphed. Their faces were lighted up with the glory of God.
Then I was shown a company who were howling in agony. On their garments was written in large characters, “Thou art weighed in the balance, and found wanting.” I asked who this company were. The angel said, “These are they who have once kept the Sabbath, and have given it up.” I heard them cry with a loud voice, “We have believed in Thy coming, and taught it with energy.” And while they were speaking, their eyes would fall upon their garments118and see the writing, and then they would wail aloud. I saw that they had drunk of the deep waters, and fouled the residue with their feet,—trodden the Sabbath underfoot,—and that was why they were weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Then my attending angel directed me to the city again, where I saw four angels winging their way to the gate of the city. They were just presenting the golden card to the angel at the gate, when I saw another angel flying swiftly from the direction of the most excellent glory, and crying with a loud voice to the other angels, and waving something up and down in his hand. I asked my attending angel for an explanation of what I saw. He told me that I could see no more then, but he would shortly show me what those things that I then saw meant.
Sabbath afternoon one of our number was sick, and requested prayers that he might be healed. We all united in applying to the Physician who never lost a case, and while healing power came down, and the sick was healed, the Spirit fell upon me, and I was taken off in vision.
I saw four angels who had a work to do on the earth, and were on their way to accomplish it. Jesus was clothed with priestly garments. He gazed in pity on the remnant, then raised His hands, and with a voice of deep pity cried, “My blood, Father, My blood! My blood! My blood!” Then I saw an exceeding bright light come from God, who sat upon the great white throne, and was shed all about Jesus. Then I saw an angel with a commission from Jesus, swiftly flying to the four angels who had a work to do in the earth, and waving something up and down in his hand, and crying with a loud voice, “Hold!119hold! hold! hold! until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads.”
I asked my accompanying angel the meaning of what I heard, and what the four angels were about to do. He said to me that it was God that restrained the powers, and that He gave His angels charge over things on the earth; that the four angels had power from God to hold the four winds, and that they were about to let them go; but while their hands were loosening, and the four winds were about to blow, the merciful eye of Jesus gazed on the remnant that were not sealed, and He raised His hands to the Father, and pleaded with Him that He had spilled His blood for them. Then another angel was commissioned to fly swiftly to the four angels, and bid them hold, until the servants of God were sealed with the seal of the living God in their foreheads.
XVII
ENCOURAGING PROVIDENCES
Again I was called to deny self for the good of souls. We must sacrifice the company of our little Henry, and go forth to give ourselves unreservedly to the work. My health was very poor, and should I take my child, he would necessarily occupy a large share of my time. It was a severe trial, yet I dared not let him stand in the way of duty. I believed that the Lord had spared him to us when he was very sick, and that if I should let him hinder me from doing my duty, God would remove him from me. Alone before the Lord, with a sorrowful heart and many tears, I made the sacrifice, and gave up my only child to be cared for by another.
We left Henry in Brother Howland’s family, in whom we had the utmost confidence. They were willing to bear burdens, in order that we might be left as free as possible to labor in the cause of God. We knew that they could take better care of Henry than we could should we take him with us on our journeys. We knew that it was for his good to have a steady home and firm discipline, that his sweet temper might not be injured.
It was hard to part with my child. His sad little face, as I left him, was before me day and night; yet in the strength of the Lord I put him out of my mind, and sought to do others good.
For five years Brother Howland’s family had the whole charge of Henry. They cared for him without any recompense, providing all his clothing, except a present that I brought him once a year, as Hannah did Samuel.
HEALING OF GILBERT COLLINS
One morning in February, 1849, during family prayers at Brother Howland’s, I was shown that it was our duty to go to Dartmouth, Mass. Soon after, my husband went to the post office, and brought a letter from Brother Philip Collins, urging us to come to Dartmouth, for their son was very sick. We went immediately, and found that the boy, who was thirteen years old, had been sick for nine weeks with the whooping cough, and was wasted almost to a skeleton. The parents thought him to be in consumption, and they were greatly distressed to think that their only son must be taken from them.
We united in prayer for the boy, and earnestly besought the Lord to spare his life. We believed that he would get well, though to all appearances there was no possibility of his recovery. My husband raised him in his arms, exclaiming as he walked the room, “You will not die, but live!” We believed that God would be glorified in his recovery.
We left Dartmouth, and were absent about eight days. When we returned, little Gilbert came out to meet us. He had gained four pounds in weight. We found the household rejoicing in God over this manifestation of divine favor.
HEALING OF SISTER TEMPLE
Having received a request to visit Sister Hastings, of New Ipswich, N. H., who was greatly afflicted, we made the matter a subject of prayer, and obtained evidence that the Lord would go with us. On our way we stopped at Dorchester, with Brother Otis Nichols’s family, and they told us of the affliction of Sister Temple of Boston. On her arm she had a sore, which caused her much anxiety. It had extended over122the bend of the elbow. She had suffered great agony, and had in vain resorted to human means for relief. The last effort had driven the disease to her lungs, and she felt that unless she obtained immediate help, the disease would end in consumption.
Sister Temple had left word for us to come and pray for her. We went with trembling, having sought in vain for the assurance that God would work in her behalf. We went into the sickroom, relying upon the naked promises of God. Sister Temple’s arm was in such a condition that we could not touch it, and were obliged to pour the oil upon it. Then we united in prayer, and claimed the promises of God. The pain and soreness left the arm while we were praying, and we left Sister Temple rejoicing in the Lord. On our return, eight days later, we found her in good health, and hard at work at the washtub.
THE FAMILY OF LEONARD HASTINGS
We found Brother Leonard Hastings’ family in deep affliction. Sister Hastings met us with tears, exclaiming, “The Lord has sent you to us in a time of great need.” She had an infant about eight weeks old, which cried continually when awake. This, added to her wretched state of health, was fast wearing away her strength.
We prayed earnestly to God for the mother, following the directions given in James, and we had the assurance that our prayers were heard. Jesus was in the midst of us to break the power of Satan and release the captive. But we felt sure that the mother could not gain much strength until the cries of the child should cease. We anointed the child and prayed over it, believing that the Lord would give both mother and child peace and rest. It was done. The123cries of the child ceased, and we left them both doing well. The gratitude of the mother could not be expressed.
Our interview with that dear family was very precious. Our hearts were knit together; especially was the heart of Sister Hastings knit with mine as were those of David and Jonathan. Our union was not marred while she lived.
MOVING TO CONNECTICUT IN 1849
In June, 1849, Sister Clarissa M. Bonfoey proposed to live with us. Her parents had recently died, and a division of furniture at the homestead had given her everything necessary for a small family to commence housekeeping. She cheerfully gave us the use of these things, and did our work. We occupied a part of Brother Belden’s house at Rocky Hill. Sister Bonfoey was a precious child of God. She possessed a cheerful and happy disposition, never gloomy, yet not light and trifling.
LIVING WATERS — A DREAM
My husband attended meetings in New Hampshire and Maine. During his absence I was much troubled, fearing he might take the cholera, which was then prevailing. But one night I dreamed that while many around us were dying with the cholera, my husband proposed that we should take a walk. In our walk I noticed that his eyes looked bloodshot, his countenance flushed, and his lips pale. I told him that I feared that he would be an easy subject for the cholera. Said he, “Walk on a little further, and I will show you a sure remedy for the cholera.”
As we walked on, we came to a bridge over a stream of water, when he abruptly left me and plunged out of sight into the water. I was frightened; but he soon arose, holding in his hand a glass of sparkling water. He drank it, saying, “This water cures all manner of diseases.” He plunged in again out of sight, brought up another glass of clear water, and as he held it up repeated the same words.
I felt sad that he did not offer me some of the water. Said he: “There is a secret spring in the bottom of this river which cures all manner of diseases, and all who obtain it must plunge at a venture. No one can obtain it for another. Each must plunge for it himself.” As he drank the glass of water, I looked at his countenance. His complexion was fair and natural. He seemed to possess health and vigor. When I awoke, all my fears were dispelled, and I trusted my husband to the care of a merciful God, fully believing that He would return him to me in safety.
XVIII
BEGINNING TO PUBLISH
At a meeting held in Dorchester, Mass., November, 1848, I had been given a view of the proclamation of the sealing message, and of the duty of the brethren to publish the light that was shining upon our pathway.
After coming out of vision, I said to my husband: “I have a message for you. You must begin to print a little paper and send it out to the people. Let it be small at first; but as the people read, they will send you means with which to print, and it will be a success from the first. From this small beginning it was shown to me to be like streams of light that went clear round the world.”
While we were in Connecticut in the summer of 1849, my husband was deeply impressed that the time had come for him to write and publish the present truth. He was greatly encouraged and blessed as he decided to do this. But again he would be in doubt and perplexity, as he was penniless. There were those who had means, but they chose to keep it. He at length gave up in discouragement, and decided to look for a field of grass to mow.
As he left the house, a burden was rolled upon me, and I fainted. Prayer was offered for me, and I was blessed, and taken off in vision. I saw that the Lord had blessed and strengthened my husband to labor in the field one year before; that he had made a right disposition of the means he there earned; and that he would have a hundredfold in this life, and, if faithful, a rich reward in the kingdom of God; but that the Lord would not now give him strength to126labor in the field, for He had another work for him to do, and that if he ventured into the field, he would be cut down by sickness; but that he must write, write, write, and walk out by faith. He immediately began to write, and when he came to some difficult passage, we would unite in prayer to God for an understanding of the true meaning of His word.
“THE PRESENT TRUTH”
One day in July, my husband brought home from Middletown a thousand copies of the first number of his paper. Several times, while the matter was being set, he had walked to Middletown, eight miles, and back, but this day he had borrowed Brother Belden’s horse and buggy with which to bring home the papers.
The precious printed sheets were brought into the house and laid upon the floor, and then a little group of interested ones were gathered in, and we knelt around the papers, and with humble hearts and many tears besought the Lord to let His blessing rest upon these printed messengers of truth.
When we had folded the papers, and my husband had wrapped and addressed copies to all those who he thought would read them, he put them into a carpetbag, and carried them on foot to the Middletown post office.
During July, August, and September, four numbers of the paper were printed at Middletown. Each number contained eight pages. Always before the papers were mailed, they were spread before the Lord, and earnest prayers, mingled with tears, were offered to God that His blessing would attend the silent messengers. Soon after the sending out of the first number,127we received letters bringing means with which to continue publishing the paper, and also the good news of many souls embracing the truth.
With the beginning of this work of publishing, we did not cease our labors in preaching the truth, but traveled from place to place, proclaiming the doctrines which had brought so great light and joy to us, encouraging the believers, correcting errors, and setting things in order in the church. In order to carry forward the publishing enterprise, and at the same time continue our labors in different parts of the field, the paper was from time to time moved to different places.
VISIT TO MAINE
July 28, 1849, my second child, James Edson White, was born. When he was six weeks old we went to Maine. September 14 we attended a meeting at Paris. Brethren Bates, Chamberlain, and Ralph were present, also brethren and sisters from Topsham. The power of God descended something as it did on the day of Pentecost, and five or six who had been deceived and led into error and fanaticism, fell prostrate to the floor. Parents confessed to their children, and children to their parents and to one another. Brother J. N. Andrews with deep feeling exclaimed, “I would exchange a thousand errors for one truth.” Such a scene of confession and pleading with God for forgiveness we have seldom witnessed. That meeting, the beginning of better days for the children of God in Paris, was to them a green spot in the desert. The Lord was bringing out Brother Andrews to fit him for future usefulness, and was giving him an experience that would be of great value to him in his future labors.
ADVANCING BY FAITH
At a meeting held at Topsham, some of the brethren present expressed their desire to have us visit New York State again; but feeble health weighed down my spirits. I told them that I dared not venture, unless the Lord should strengthen me for the task. They prayed for me, and the clouds were scattered, yet I did not obtain that strength I so much desired. I resolved to walk out by faith, and go, clinging to the promise, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
On the journey to New York, our faith was tried, but we obtained the victory. My strength increased, and I could rejoice in God. Many had embraced the truth since our first visit, but there was much to be done for them, and all our strength was needed in the work as it opened up before us.
RESIDENCE IN OSWEGO
During the months of October and November, while we were traveling, the paper had been suspended; but my husband still felt a burden upon him to write and publish. We rented a house in Oswego, borrowed furniture from our brethren, and began housekeeping. There my husband wrote, published, and preached.
It was necessary for him to keep the armor on every moment, for he often had to contend with professed Adventists who were advocating error. Some set a definite time for the coming of Christ. We took the position that the time they set would pass by. Then they sought to prejudice all against us and what we taught. I was shown that those who were honestly deceived would some day see the deception into which they had fallen, and would be led to search for truth.
XIX
VISITING THE SCATTERED FLOCK
While in Oswego, N. Y., early in 1850, we were invited to visit Camden, a town about forty miles east. Previous to going, I was shown the little company of believers there, and among them I saw a woman who professed much piety, but who was a hypocrite, and was deceiving the people of God.
AT CAMDEN, N. Y.
Sabbath morning quite a number gathered for worship, but the deceitful woman was not present. I inquired of a sister if this was all their company. She said it was. The woman whom I had seen in the vision lived four miles from the place, and the sister did not think of her. But soon she entered, and I immediately recognized her as the woman whose real character the Lord had shown me.
In the course of the meeting, she talked quite lengthily, saying that she had perfect love, and enjoyed holiness of heart, that she did not have trials and temptations, but enjoyed perfect peace and submission to the will of God.
From the meeting I returned to the home of Brother Preston with feelings of great sadness. That night I dreamed that a secret closet filled with rubbish was opened to me, and I was told that it was my work to clear it out. By the light of a lamp I removed the rubbish, and told those with me that the room could be filled with more valuable things.
On Sunday morning we met with the brethren, and my husband arose to preach on the parable of the ten virgins. He had no freedom in speaking, and proposed that we have a season of prayer.130We bowed before the Lord, and engaged in earnest prayer. The dark cloud was lifted, and I was taken off in vision, and again shown the case of this woman. She was represented to me as being in perfect darkness. Jesus frowned upon her and her husband. That withering frown caused me to tremble. I saw that she had acted the hypocrite, professing holiness while her heart was full of corruption.
After I came out of vision, I related with trembling, yet with faithfulness, what I had seen. The woman calmly said: “I am glad the Lord knows my heart. He knows that I love Him. If my heart could only be opened that you might see it, you would see that it is pure and clean.”
The minds of some were unsettled. They did not know whether to believe what the Lord had shown me, or to let appearance weigh against the testimony I had borne.
Not long after this, terrible fear seized the woman. A horror rested upon her, and she began to confess. She even went from house to house among her unbelieving neighbors, and confessed that the man she had been living with for years was not her husband, that she ran away from England, and left a kind husband and one child. Many other wicked acts she confessed. Her repentance seemed to be genuine, and in some cases she restored what she had taken wrongfully.
As a result of this experience, our brethren and sisters in Camden, and their neighbors, were fully established in the belief that God had revealed to me the things which I had spoken, and that the message was given them in mercy and love, to save them from deception and dangerous error.
IN VERMONT
In the spring of 1850 we decided to visit Vermont and Maine. I left my little Edson, then nine months old, in the care of Sister Bonfoey, while we went on our way to do the will of God. We labored very hard, suffering many privations to accomplish but little. We found the brethren and sisters in a scattered and confused state. Almost every one was affected by some error, and all seemed zealous for their own opinions. We often suffered intense anguish of mind in meeting with so few who were ready to listen to Bible truth, while they eagerly cherished error and fanaticism. We were obliged to make a tedious route of forty miles by stage to get to Sutton, the place of our appointment.
RISING ABOVE DESPONDENCY
The first night after reaching the place of meeting, despondency pressed upon me. I tried to overcome it, but it seemed impossible to control my thoughts. My little ones burdened my mind. We had left one in the State of Maine two years and eight months old, and another babe in New York nine months old. We had just performed a tedious journey in great suffering, and I thought of those who were enjoying the society of their children in their own quiet homes. I reviewed our past life, calling to mind expressions which had been made by a sister only a few days before, who thought it must be very pleasant to be riding through the country without anything to trouble me. It was just such a life as she should delight in. At that very time my heart was yearning for my children, especially my babe in New York, and I had just come from my sleeping-room, where I had been battling132with my feelings, and with many tears had besought the Lord for strength to subdue all murmuring, and that I might cheerfully deny myself for Jesus’ sake.
In this state of mind I fell asleep, and dreamed that a tall angel stood by my side and asked me why I was sad. I related to him the thoughts that had troubled me, and said, “I can do so little good, why may we not be with our children, and enjoy their society?” Said he: “You have given to the Lord two beautiful flowers, the fragrance of which is as sweet incense before Him, and is more precious in His sight than gold or silver, for it is a heart gift. It draws upon every fiber of the heart as no other sacrifice can. You should not look upon present appearances, but keep the eye single to your duty, single to God’s glory, and follow in His opening providence, and the path shall brighten before you. Every self-denial, every sacrifice, is faithfully recorded, and will bring its reward.”
IN CANADA EAST
The blessing of the Lord attended our conference at Sutton, and after the meeting closed we went on our way to Canada East. My throat troubled me much, and I could not speak aloud, or even whisper, without suffering. We rode praying as we went, for strength to endure the journey.
Thus we continued until we arrived at Melbourne. We expected to meet opposition there. Many who professed to believe in the near coming of our Saviour fought against the law of God. We felt the need of strength from God. We prayed that the Lord would manifest Himself unto us. My earnest prayer was that the disease might leave my throat, and that my voice might be restored. I had the evidence that the133hand of the Lord there touched me. The difficulty was instantly removed, and my voice was clear. The candle of the Lord shone about us during that meeting, and we enjoyed great freedom. The children of God were greatly strengthened and encouraged.
THE MEETING AT JOHNSON, VT.
Soon we returned to Vermont, and held a remarkable meeting at Johnson. On our way we stopped several days at the home of Brother E. P. Butler. We found that he and others of our brethren in northern Vermont had been sorely perplexed and tried by the false teachings and wild fanaticism of a group of people who were claiming entire sanctification, and, under the garb of great holiness, were following a course of life that was a disgrace to the Christian name.
The two men who were leaders in the fanaticism were in life and character much like those we met four years before in Claremont, N. H. They taught the doctrine of extreme sanctification, claiming that they could not sin, and were ready for translation. They practised mesmerism, and claimed to receive divine enlightenment while in a sort of trance.
They did not engage in regular work, but in company with two women, not their wives, they traveled about from place to place, forcing themselves upon the hospitality of the people. Through their subtle, mesmeric influence, they had secured a large degree of sympathy from some of the grown-up children of our brethren.
Brother Butler was a man of stern integrity. He was thoroughly aroused to the evil influence of the fanatical theories, and was active in his opposition to their false teachings and arrogant pretensions.134Moreover, he made it plain to us that he had no faith in visions of any sort.
Rather reluctantly Brother Butler consented to attend the meeting at the home of Brother Lovejoy at Johnson. The two men who were the leaders in the fanaticism, and who had greatly deceived and oppressed God’s children, came into the meeting, accompanied by the two women dressed in white linen, with their long black hair hanging loose about their shoulders. The white linen dresses were to represent the righteousness of the saints.
I had a message of reproof for them, and while I was speaking, the foremost of the two men kept his eyes fastened upon me, as mesmerists had done before. But I had no fear of his mesmeric influence. Strength was given me from heaven to rise above their satanic power. The children of God who had been held in bondage began to breathe free and rejoice in the Lord.
As our meeting progressed, these fanatics sought to rise and speak, but they could not find opportunity. It was made plain to them that their presence was not wanted, but they chose to remain. Then Brother Samuel Rhodes seized the back of the chair in which one of the women was sitting, and drew her out of the room and across the porch onto the lawn. Returning to the meeting-room, he drew out the other woman in the same manner. The two men left the meeting-room, but sought to return.
As prayer was being offered at the close of the meeting, the second of the two men came to the door, and began to speak. The door was closed against him. He opened the door and again began to speak. Then the power of God fell upon my husband. The color left his face as he arose from his knees. He lifted his hands before the man, exclaiming: “The Lord135does not want your testimony here. The Lord does not want you here to distract and crush His people.”
The power of God filled the room. The man looked terrified, and stumbled backward through the hall into another room. He staggered across this room and fell against the wall, then recovered his balance and found the door out of the house. The presence of the Lord, which was so painful to the fanatical sinners, impressed with awful solemnity the company assembled. But after the children of darkness had gone, a sweet peace from the Lord rested upon our company. After this meeting the false and wily professors of perfect holiness were never able to reëstablish their power over our brethren.
The experiences of this meeting won us the confidence and fellowship of Brother Butler.
RETURN TO NEW YORK
After five weeks’ absence, we returned to New York. At North Brookfield we found Sister Bonfoey and little Edson. The child was very feeble. A great change had taken place in him. It was difficult to suppress murmuring thoughts. But we knew that our only help was in God, so we prayed for the child, and his symptoms became more favorable, and we journeyed with him to Oswego to attend a conference there.
XX
PUBLISHING AGAIN
From Oswego we went to Centerport, in company with Brother and Sister Edson, and made our home at Brother Harris’s, where we published a monthly magazine called the Advent Review.
SATAN’S EFFORTS TO HINDER
My child grew worse, and three times a day we had seasons of prayer for him. Sometimes he would be blessed, and the progress of disease would be stayed; then our faith would be severely tried as his symptoms became alarming.
I was greatly depressed in spirit. Such queries as this troubled me: Why was God not willing to hear our prayers and raise the child to health? Satan, ever ready with his temptations, suggested that it was because we were not right. I could think of no particular thing wherein I had grieved the Lord, yet a crushing weight seemed to be on my spirits, driving me to despair. I doubted my acceptance with God, and could not pray. I had not courage so much as to lift my eyes to heaven. I suffered intense anguish of mind until my husband besought the Lord in my behalf. He would not yield until my voice was united with his for deliverance. The blessing came, and I137began to hope. My trembling faith grasped the promises of God.
Then Satan came in another form. My husband was taken very sick. His symptoms were alarming. He cramped at intervals, and suffered excruciating pain. His feet and limbs were cold. I rubbed them until I had no strength to do so longer. Brother Harris was away some miles at his work. Sisters Harris and Bonfoey and my sister Sarah were the only ones present; and I was just gathering courage to dare believe in the promises of God. If ever I felt my weakness it was then. We knew that something must be done immediately. Every moment my husband’s case was growing more critical. It was clearly a case of cholera. He asked us to pray, and we dared not refuse. In great weakness we bowed before the Lord. With a deep sense of my unworthiness, I laid my hands upon his head, and asked the Lord to reveal His power. A change came immediately. The natural color of his face returned, and the light of heaven beamed upon his countenance. We were all filled with gratitude unspeakable. Never had we witnessed a more remarkable answer to prayer.
That day we were to go to Port Byron to read the proof sheets of the paper that was being printed at Auburn. It appeared to us that Satan was trying to hinder the publication of the truth which we were laboring to place before the people. We felt that we must walk out upon faith. My husband said he would go to Port Byron for the proof sheets. We helped him harness the horse, and I accompanied him. The Lord strengthened him on the way. He received his proof, and a note stating that the paper would be off the press the next day, and we must be at Auburn to receive it.
That night we were awakened by the screams of our little Edson, who slept in the room above us. It was about midnight. Our little boy would cling to Sister Bonfoey, then with both hands fight the air, and then in terror he would cry, “No, no!” and cling closer to us. We knew this was Satan’s effort to annoy us, and we knelt in prayer. My husband rebuked the evil spirit in the name of the Lord, and Edson quietly fell asleep in Sister Bonfoey’s arms, and rested well through the night.
Then my husband was again attacked. He was in much pain. I knelt at the bedside and prayed the Lord to strengthen our faith. I knew God had wrought for him, and rebuked the disease; and we could not ask Him to do what had already been done. But we prayed that the Lord would carry on His work. We repeated these words: “Thou hast heard prayer. Thou hast wrought. We believe without a doubt. Carry on the work Thou hast begun!” Thus for two hours we pleaded before the Lord; and while we were praying, my husband fell asleep, and rested well till daylight. When he arose he was very weak, but we would not look at appearances.