Chap. 1 - Sketch of Experience
From February 7, 1868, to May 20, 1868
After we had reached our home, and ceased to feel the inspiring
influence of journeying and laboring, we felt most sensibly the wearing
labors of our eastern tour. Many were urging me by letters to write what
I had related to them of what the Lord had shown me concerning them.
And there were many others to whom I had not spoken whose cases were
as important and urgent. But in my weary condition the task of so much
writing seemed more than I could endure. A feeling of discouragement
came over me, and I sank into a feeble state and remained so several
days, frequently fainting. In this state of body and mind I called in
question my duty to write so much, to so many persons, some of them
very unworthy. It seemed to me that there was certainly a mistake in this
matter somewhere.
On the evening of February 5 Brother Andrews spoke to the people
in our house of worship. But most of that evening I was in a fainting,
breathless condition, supported by my husband. When Brother Andrews
returned from the meeting, they had a special season of prayer for me,
and I found some relief. That night I slept well, and in the morning,
though feeble, felt wonderfully relieved and encouraged. I had dreamed
that a person brought to me a web of white cloth, and bade me cut it into
garments for persons of all sizes and all descriptions of character and
circumstances in life. I was told to cut them out and hang them up all
ready to be made when called for. I had the impression that many for
whom I was required to cut garments were unworthy. I inquired if that
was the last piece of cloth I should have to cut, and was told that it was
not; that as soon as I had finished this one, there
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were others for me to take hold of. I felt discouraged at the amount of
work before me, and stated that I had been engaged in cutting garments
for others for more than twenty years, and my labors had not been
appreciated, neither did I see that my work had accomplished much
good. I spoke to the person who brought the cloth to me, of one woman
in particular, for whom he had told me to cut a garment. I stated that
she would not prize the garment, and that it would be a loss of time and
material to present it to her. She was very poor, of inferior intellect, and
untidy in her habits, and would soon soil it.
The person replied: “Cut out the garments. That is your duty. The
loss is not yours, but mine. God sees not as man sees. He lays out
the work that He would have done, and you do not know which will
prosper, this or that. It will be found that many such poor souls will go
into the kingdom, while others, who are favored with all the blessings
of life, having good intellects and pleasant surroundings, giving them
all the advantages of improvement, will be left out. It will be seen that
these poor souls have lived up to the feeble light which they had, and
have improved by the limited means within their reach, and lived much
more acceptably than some others who have enjoyed full light and ample
means for improvement.”
I then held up my hands, calloused as they were with long use of the
shears, and stated that I could but shrink at the thought of pursuing this
kind of labor. The person again repeated:
“Cut out the garments. Your release has not yet come.”
With feelings of great weariness I arose to engage in the work.
Before me lay new, polished shears, which I commenced using. At once
my feelings of weariness and discouragement left me; the shears seemed
to cut with hardly an effort on my
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part, and I cut out garment after garment with comparative ease.
With the encouragement which this dream gave me, I at once decided
to accompany my husband and Brother Andrews to Gratiot, Saginaw,
and Tuscola Counties, and trust in the Lord to give me strength to labor.
So, on the 7th of February, we left home, and rode fifty-five miles to
our appointment at Alma. Here I labored as usual, with a comfortable
degree of freedom and strength. The friends in Gratiot County seemed
interested to hear, but many of them are far behind on the health reform
and in the work of preparation generally. There seemed to be among this
people a want of the order and efficiency necessary to prosperity in the
work and spirit of the message. Brother Andrews, however, visited them
three weeks later and enjoyed a good season with them. I will not pass
over a matter of encouragement to me, that a very pointed testimony
which I had written to one family was received with profit to the persons
addressed. We still feel a deep interest in that family and ardently desire
that they may enjoy prosperity in the Lord, and although we feel some
discouragement as to the cause in Gratiot County we shall be anxious to
help the brethren when they feel anxious to be helped.
At the Alma meeting there were brethren present from St. Charles
and Tittabawassee, Saginaw County, who urged us to visit them. We
had not designed to enter this county at present, but to visit Tuscola
County if the way opened. Not hearing from Tuscola, we decided to
visit Tittabawassee, and meantime write to Tuscola County and inquire
if we were wanted there. At Tittabawassee we were happily disappointed
to find a large house of worship, recently built by our people, well filled
with Sabbathkeepers. The brethren seemed ready for our testimony, and
we enjoyed freedom. A great and good work had been done in this place
through the faithful labors
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of Brother A. Much bitter opposition and persecution had followed, but
this seemed to melt away with those who came to hear, and our labors
seemed to make a good impression upon all. I attended eleven meetings
in this place in one week, spoke several times from one to two hours,
and took part in the other meetings. At one meeting an effort was made
to induce certain ones who observe the Sabbath to move forward and
take up the cross. The duty before most of these was baptism. In my
last vision I saw places where the truth would be preached and bring
out churches which we should visit. This was one of those places. I
felt a peculiar interest for this people. The cases of certain ones in the
congregation opened before me, and a spirit of labor for them came upon
me which I could not throw off. For about three hours I labored for
them, most of the time appealing to them with feelings of the deepest
solicitude. All took the cross on that occasion and came forward for
prayers, and nearly all spoke. The next day fifteen were baptized.
No one can visit this people without being impressed with the value
of Brother A’s faithful labors in this cause. His work is to enter places
where the truth has not been proclaimed, and I hope our people will
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cease their efforts to draw him from his specific work. In the spirit of
humility he can go forth, leaning upon the arm of the Lord, and rescue
many souls from the powers of darkness. May the blessing
