BRO. SMITH: The Review is twice welcome to us, for we are not blessed with the privilege of going to meeting as some are. We are living eighteen miles from Gilboa, and eight miles from any brother or sister; but thanks be to God, our lonely pilgrimage here we think is almost done. Time is short; therefore it is necessary to be preparing ourselves for the great change that will soon take place. Our way seems very lonely. We are persecuted on every hand. Our neighbors are against us, and seem to be given over to hardness of heart, for they will not hear the truth. May the Lord turn them from darkness unto light; that they may see the evil of their ways, and turn to the Lord and live, while there is an opportunity. It is our determination to live out our profession, let others live as they will. It cheers our lonely hearts to hear that the Lord is speeding on the Third Angel's Message. May the Lord bless the laborers, and may the work not stop until it has gone to all parts of the earth.
Brethren, pray for us, that we may ever be found faithful and trusting in the Lord. We live eighteen miles east of Defiance, on, or near the Ridge road. If any of the brethren should come this way let them make our house their home. There are some precious souls here that have never heard the truth. Could not some one come and give us a few lectures? Is there no compassion for us, either? Thanks be to God, there is one that will never forsake us if we are faithful and keep his commandments.
Yours striving for an inheritance which fadeth not away.
E. M., & S. HASKELL.
Ridgeland, Ohio, Feb. 7th, 1858.
Firm in the Third Angel’s Message
By Isaac Sanborn
From Bro. Sanborn.
Bro. Smith: I wish to say to the brethren and sisters that I am a firm believer in the Third Angel's Message. There are five of us here who are trying to keep all the Commandments of God and the Faith of his Son. We are trying to arise and let our light shine brighter as we near the perfect day.
J. M. Stephenson came here about three weeks ago and tried to turn us from the holy commandment; but our faith stands in the power of God, and not in the wisdom of men; therefore being kept by the power of God, we are yet firm in the faith, and our prayer is that we and all God's faithful children may be kept until the day of redemption.
I have been holding meetings in the town of Spring Grove. The interest increased all the time till the close. A number acknowledged the truthfulness of our position on the Sabbath, and other kindred doctrines, and my prayer is that they may prove the power of God unto their salvation. I must express my gratitude to those friends for the kindness with which they treated me while I was among them, and may God reward them by bringing them to a knowledge of the truth, and giving them an inheritance in his everlasting kingdom. May God help all his dear children to live out the faith that they profess, and let their light shine before men, and thereby constrain them to love and obey the truth, for Jesus' sake.
Isaac Sanborn.
Monroe, Wis., Feb., 1st, 1858.
ROSANNAH SMALLEY
By Rosannah Smalley
From Sister Smalley.
BRO. SMITH: Situated as we are here among those that trample God's holy law under foot, I feel thankful for the weekly visits of the Review. Am also thankful that the counsel of the true Witness is sounding in my ears, and that I can see some of my poverty and wretchedness. O I want the warning to settle down deep into my heart, so that I shall fully heed it and be zealous and repent. I want to see and confess all my wrongs, that my sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Truly we are living in a solemn time. The Testimony to the Church, No. 4, thrilled through my whole soul. In the shaking there spoken of, I sometimes fear that I shall be shaken out; but I mean by the grace of God to strive with all my heart to enter in at the strait gate. I am thankful that I feel his chastening rod upon me; for the Saviour says, As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. I am glad that God is fitting up a company to stand on Mount Zion.
ROSANNAH SMALLEY
Brookfield, Vt., Feb. 4th, 1858.
A New Field for the Third Angel’s Message
By John Fishell
From Bro. Fishell.
Bro. Smith: It is about three months since we moved to this place. There is no one here of like faith. It is a new field and the people are almost entirely ignorant of our faith. I have tried to talk the truth to some since we have been here. Some are almost persuaded to keep the Sabbath. I would to God they were not only almost, but quite persuaded to keep all of God's Commandments and the Faith of Jesus. They are quite anxious to have some messenger come and present to them the Third Angel's Message. I think good would be the result. Surely the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. My prayer is, Lord send forth more laborers into the harvest-field. Cannot some one come here and preach to the people? We live three miles up Grand River from Grand Lodge, Eaton Co., Mich. Should any of our brethren come this way, if they will call on us they will find a pilgrim's home.
John Fishell
Grand Lodge, Mich.
Sabbath Keepers in St. Charles
Bro. Wm. Merry writes from St. Charles, M. T., Jan., 1858: "I am again thankful to God in being allowed the privilege of saying that we are still keeping the commandments of God, that we may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city. Although we are deprived of meeting with any of like faith, we have the word, which is sure and steadfast, that where two or three are gathered together, he is in their midst. Thanks be to God.
"You have seen how some of the shepherds have destroyed the law, and scattered the flock. We numbered seven families of Sabbath-keepers, and many youths who were inquiring after truth. But alas! the Age-to-come doctrine has turned them from the Sabbath of the law. Bro. J., and J. T. Wilsie still cling to the law of God. We are striving to be of that number who shall stand on the earth cleansed from sin and iniquity, evermore to praise the Lord."
Overcoming Scandal and Self-Will
Sister A. P. Lawton writes from West Winfield, N. Y., Feb. 9th, 1858: "We have cause of gratitude to God for what he is doing for us, a feeble band. He condescends to meet with us though unworthy. We are praying earnestly and fervently for God to revive us for Jesus' sake, and heal all our backslidings. Through the mercy and goodness of God we have been, and still are, at peace among ourselves, but there is evidently something that hinders us from advancing as we desire. Israel cannot set forward while Miriam is a leper.
"Brethren and sisters, let us not hinder those who are ready and waiting to move. Are any of us saying, Lord, Lord, while we are not doing the things he commands us? It may be some of us are indulging in needless talk about the absent; perhaps we speak of a brother as we would not speak to him. This is a great sin, and it must be overcome if we have eternal life. We must not retail scandal even of an enemy. Let the wicked do this drudgery of Satan, we have something else and better to do. I see that I am not as careful in all my words as I should be. My conversation has not always been yea, yea, nay, nay, but I am striving to overcome. This sin has looked very grievous to me of late. God will have a pure people, and he knows when they are so. The gentle, tender Spirit of Christ cannot dwell in the heart that is filled with self and self-will. If we must have our own way, it must be at the expense of eternal life. We should yield to each other, sacrifice our own feelings to those of our brethren when we may without sin; treat them with consideration and kindness, while with ourselves we may be exact and suspicious. Let us not judge one another any more; but let us sit in strict judgment on ourselves. If we will judge ourselves, we shall not be judged. I long to see the church move in unison. My prayer is, for a teachable, meek and quiet spirit. I desire it more than life."
A Lover of the Truth
Bro. E. R. Whitcomb writes from Walton, Eaton Co., Mich., Jan. 23d, 1858: "Though a stranger, I write to let you know that I am a lover of the truths advocated in the Review. There are a few of us here who have kept the Sabbath of the fourth commandment since last Spring. I was first moved to search for the truth of the Bible on this point by conversing with Bro. Bates.
"We are living in a time when Satan is putting forth his most powerful efforts to hinder and destroy all he can; and will we let him destroy us when all heaven is interested to save us? God forbid. But we must fight if we would reign."
Meeting at Bakersfield, Vt.
By E. L. Barr
This meeting commenced Jan. 9th, and continued over the 10th, with an interest that brought to mind by-gone days. My health was so poor at that time that I did not feel able to put forth a single effort; but to see so much of the plain, humble gospel simplicity in some of our French brethren that have recently embraced the truth, and their manifest interest to hear more; to see some come miles with oxen and sled because they must hear the truth, and then to see the neighbors gather in to the large school-house until it was crowded, and then to hear their kind offers to entertain the friends from abroad in large numbers, was enough to make every lover of present truth for the time being, forget a large share of the sufferings of earth, and use what little life and strength he had to do these honest souls good.
How cheering also to meet some dear saints of whom we had often heard but never seen before, and find them straight and strong in all the present truth. How encouraging to find such men as Bro. E. Kellogg rallying around the standard of the Third Angel. He was once an efficient itinerant minister in the Methodist church, but called out by the First and Second Angels' Messages to look for Jesus and share with the saints in their disappointment in 1841, and now is brought into the truth at this late hour to finish up his work and share in the glory when Jesus appears. Eld. Cole and his companion, formerly Baptist, but Adventist in '44, and now disposed to examine the present truth, were also here. May the Spirit of truth guide them in their researches. Eld. Rockwell, an Advent preacher also attended this meeting, but did not appear very anxious to have it go that we have the truth, yet listened candidly.
The Lord in great kindness helped to proclaim his truth, to which good attention was given. We were also aided by Brn. Bourdeau and Evans, and the warm exhortations and straight testimonies of others. Our church meeting to provide for its spiritual wants was full of true christian union, and graced with the sweet, melting, heavenly Spirit of our Divine Master.
We tarried with the kind hearted saints through the following week, not able to labor much, but glad to find the next Sabbath that three more had made their calculations to go with the commandment-keepers. Others were much interested, and we hope ere this, have joined themselves to the Lord, to be his servants. Two were baptized on First-day, and we trust others will go forward soon and improve this last chance to make their calling and election sure. And now while the Lord is adding to this young church, many of whom have been gathered through the faithful labors of Bro. A. C. Bourdeau, we do pray that each member may bear in mind continually the solemn time in which we live, and so move that God can add continually to their graces, until they are fully prepared to sing with the redeemed.
Wolcott, Vt., Feb. 2nd, 1858. E. L. BARR.
Meetings in Ohio.
By G. W. Holt
Dear Bro. Smith: I have returned home to my family after an absence of five weeks, in which time I have visited brethren in Townsend, Green Spring, Jackson, and Portageville. In all the above places the brethren are holding fast the truth and making some progress in the way to the kingdom of God. In this we rejoice; but we are satisfied that the testimony of the True and Faithful Witness is realized and heeded by only a few in the State of Ohio. O Lord, wake up thy people and deliver them from a lukewarm state, and spare them from sharing the fate of Esau, is my daily cry.
In Portageville the Lord is doing a good work in the hearts of a few. In this place we had several interesting meetings and baptized five, who I believe felt the importance of being dead before they were buried.
From here we went to Lovett's Grove, about eight miles from Perrysburg which was an entirely new field. We called at a school-house in the place and gave notice for a meeting in the evening at the same house, after getting the consent of the teacher. A few came out to hear the stranger, and listened with some interest. After the close of my discourse I had an invitation to go to another house the next evening about one half mile from this, as the one we now occupied was to be used for another purpose. I accepted the invitation and continued meetings in that house until it was not sufficient to hold the people that came out to hear.
I then received an invitation to return to the other house on account of its being much larger, with the promise of the house as long as I wished it for that purpose. Other preachers who had appointments at the house gave way and let me have the floor. The people in this place had been imposed on by pretended preachers of the gospel, until they had become perfectly disgusted, and turned away to receive no more, unless they came from heaven, as some expressed it. For this cause I was watched with a jealous eye. Notwithstanding this the interest increased until it became intense. The breathless silence in the congregation at every pause told the interest of the hearers, though the house was very much crowded. We continued in this place laboring night and day for more than two weeks. After I had given twenty discourses in public, and as many more from house to house, I gave way for the people to speak and free their minds.
This was a heavenly time indeed while one after another gave testimony to the truth they had heard, with choked utterance and streaming eyes. Shouts of praise from full hearts burst forth when one learned that his neighbor, or brother, or son, or daughter, was resolved to unite in keeping all the Commandments of God and Faith of Jesus. About thirty heads of families have decided to obey and worship the true and living God that made heaven and earth, instead of the Beast that has thought to change times and laws.
Their day of worship is changed from the first day of the week to the seventh, the true Sabbath, when we expect the Lord to meet with them to bless and refresh, by the outpouring of his Spirit, and by adding more to their number.
G. W. Holt.
Bloomingsville, Ohio, Feb., 11th, 1858.
Note from Bro. Frisbie.
By John Byington Frisbie
Bro. Smith: I have been lecturing in the town of Wright, Ottawa Co., to a crowded house of very attentive hearers, for one week past, where the interest is increasing daily. It is a thickly settled neighborhood of industrious, enterprising farmers, mostly non-professors, but a reading and intelligent people. And if the community embrace present truth, and carry it out with as much energy as they do their worldly affairs, they will be very apt to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.
I intend to continue at least a week more here, and longer if necessary, as the Lord may direct. The calls and invitations are from every direction for lectures. But I cannot lecture in but one place at once you know. Bro. Edgar is with me.
J. B. Frisbie.
P. S. I designed to go to Newaygo, but the prospect is dull of my getting there this Winter, as the interest to hear in this place is so great. The whole section of the country around is getting stirred up to hear. We are troubled to get a house large enough to hold the people. They are all attention. I am almost out of books: the five sets of bound volumes are gone. I think I could sell five more sets if I had them. This is the place for me.
J. B. F.
APPOINTMENTS.
Providence permitting, I will hold meetings in Windsor, Eaton Co., as Bro. Newman and others may appoint. Feb. 27th and 28th. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
Appointments for Wisconsin.
PROVIDENCE favoring, we will hold a Conference in the Town of Christiana, Dane Co., Wis., commencing March 5th, and holding as long as may seem to be duty.
We leave the arrangements for this meeting with Bro. Mills and Bragg, and request them to select a suitable place and give notice as far as possible. If some locality in Jefferson Co. should be preferred by them they can make the change and give notice. To avoid disappointment, those from a distance had better call on the above named brethren. Bro. Andrews, Hart and Sanborn (of Wis.) may be expected at this meeting. We hope that Brn. Phelps and Steward will attend if possible, and all in that section interested in the present truth.
Also, a Conference will be held in Mauston, Adams Co., commencing March 20th. Most of the above named brethren expect to attend this meeting also.
Will Bro. Thurston, of Marquette, make arrangements for a Conference in that part of the county, to commence April 3d, and give notice? J. H. WAGGONER.
Receipts.
By Editor
Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the 'Review and Herald' to which the money receipted pays. If money for the paper is not in due time acknowledged, immediate notice of the omission should then be given.
FOR REVIEW AND HERALD.
J. Jessup 0,70,x.5 E. Seely 1,00,xii,21. Ann * (0,50 each for Eld. Ingreck, and D. Wooster) 1,00,xii,16 S. B. Craig 2,00,xiv,1. S. B. Craig (for S. Craig) 1,00,xiv,1. D. Hildreth (for H. H. Janes) 0,50,xii,16. B. Darling 2,00,xii,1. D. Wyman 1,00,xii,1. A. P. Colar 0,25,xii,3. I. Tubbs 0,25,xii,3. S. D. Corey 0,25,xii,3. S. D. McPherson 0,25,xii,3. G. J. Hodges 0,25,xii,3. F. Bostwick 0,25,xii,3. H. C. McDearman 0,25,xii,3. T. Gilbert 0,25,xii,3. J. Perry 0,25,xii,3. J. W. Dunning 0,25,xii,3. J. H. Palmer 0,25,xii,3. E. H. Root 0,25,xii,3. B. Britton 0,25,xii,3. H. Averill 0,25,xii,3. S. Treloar 0,25,xii,3. A. McKay 0,25,xii,3. R. M. Hale 0,25,xii,3. L. Ackley 0,25,xii,3. W. Worse 1,00,xii,16. H. H. Bramhall 2,00,xii,1. H. H. Bramhall jun. (for Mrs. A. Smith) 0,25,xii,1.
Meetings in Hillsdale, Mich.
By A. S. Hutchins
Bro. Smith: Since my last I have been in this place, visiting and holding meetings as my health and strength would admit; and I think I may safely say that the Brn. and Srs. are endeavoring to heed the injunction of the Apostle, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. iii, 18.
The efforts made when Bro. Waggoner was here, to set things in order in this church, have resulted in good. The blessing of the Lord rests sweetly upon us in our meetings, and around the family altar.
It does seem to me that the time has fully come for the church of God in different places to throw off their burdens, and to remove the stumbling-blocks out of the way. Not however till every effort has been made to comfort and encourage such as know but little about getting victory over the temptations and devices of Satan. But when such have been cautioned, and counseled, and exhorted faithfully a suitable length of time, and grow no better, but rather worse, why not obey the instruction of God's word? See Rom. xvi, 17; 2 Thess. iii, 6; 1 Cor. v, 5, 11; Titus iii, 10.
Says David, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Ps. cxxxiii, 1. But how can a faithful, devoted servant of the Lord have union with, and fellowship for, some that profess to love the appearing of Christ, and claim to be keeping the Commandments of God? "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" 1 Cor. vi.
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come 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, 11-13. Here we learn that the Church of God will yet be brought into the "unity of the faith," which will lead to unity in practice. And if for the accomplishment of this object it is necessary in some places to lessen our numbers, we say, let the work be done.
Last Sabbath evening, I spoke on the subject of the "unity of the church;" and in the forenoon on the importance and necessity of watchfulness and prayer. In the afternoon we had an encouraging and heart-cheering prayer and conference meeting.
In the evening of Third-day, I spoke on the duty of parents to their children, and of the obedience which children should render to their parents. That the prophecy, "disobedient to parents," is being fulfilled before us, and that "the child behaves himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable," it seems to me none can deny. But we hope to see our brethren and sisters wake up to their duty to their children. Much confusion is often produced, and the Spirit of God grieved in the house of prayer by the liberty given children, that might and should be taught to love God, and to respect the hours of his worship.
To-day we have had a meeting of interest and profit, in which the sufferings and death of our Lord and Saviour were commemorated. From this place we go to Burr Oak. A. S. Hutchins.
Hillsdale, Mich., Feb. 11th, 1858.
Conference in Gilboa, Ohio.
By S. W. Rhodes, T. J. Butler,; E. G. Hardesty
There will be a Conference of Sabbath-keepers, in Gilboa, Ohio, commencing Friday evening, March 5th, and holding over Sunday following. Brn. White and Holt, and any others that can, are expected on the occasion.
In behalf of the church of Gilboa, Ohio
S. W. RHODES.
T. J. BUTLER.
E. G. HARDESTY.
Against Copying Communications
By Editor
We wish to say to some of our correspondents that we have no idea that when Paul exhorted the church to all speak the same thing, he meant that they should copy each others' communications in the Review, and send them in for republication as their own.