Not long after our visit to Portsmouth, I was shown that I must visit Massachusetts, and there bear my testimony. This was in the summer of 1845. My sister Sarah accompanied me. When we reached Boston, we learned that Joe Turner, whose course in Maine had caused so much trouble, had arrived in Boston a few hours before us. It was evident that our being sent to Boston just at that time, was to save God's people from falling under his influence.
Meeting in Roxbury
It was arranged that I should go to Roxbury, and there relate my message. I found a large company gathered in a private house. I felt the opposition that existed in the hearts of some of the brethren, yet in the strength of the Lord I delivered my unpopular message.
As I was speaking, a sister who had been opposed to my work, arose and interrupted me. She grasped my hand, saying, "I said that the devil sent you, but I can doubt your message no longer." Then she declared to those present that she believed I was a child of God, and that he had sent me.
The power of the Lord attended the testimony I bore. All in the meeting were greatly blessed, and many testified that they were comforted and refreshed. The leader of the meeting, his countenance beaming with joy, arose and said, "The same power attends this message that attended the truth in 1844. I do not expect to find another so green a spot this side of our deliverance."
In Dorchester
From Roxbury we went to Dorchester, and had a meeting in the house of Brother Otis Nichols. At this meeting the leader of the company at Roxbury again testified that the Lord had abundantly blessed him and said he could go forty days on the strength he there received.
But Joe Turner was exerting his influence to discourage the brethren, and to close up the way, by spreading lying reports concerning my work. The brother who had been made so happy as he received my testimony fell under his influence, and as his mind turned, he became unsettled, then unstable and unhappy, and finally took up the spiritualistic view of the second advent, and received the grossest errors.
I next visited Randolph and New Bedford. In these places also the Lord gave me liberty to bear my testimony. It was generally received, and the desponding and weak were strengthened.
Kindness of Brother and Sister Nichols
Brother and Sister Nichols invited Sarah and me to make their house our home. This kindness we gladly accepted. They took us in their carriage from place to place to hold meetings, and were ever ready with words of encouragement and comfort. When in trial, their prayers often ascended to heaven in my behalf, until the clouds dispersed, and the light of heaven again cheered me.
They did not grow weary in their kindness. They were attentive to all our wants, and generously supplied us with means to travel.
Because Brother and Sister Nichols believed me to be a child of God, chosen to bear a special testimony to His people, they were often reproached and were obliged to be in almost constant conflict. No means were left untried to turn them against me. But a faithful record is kept of their acts of love and benevolence, and He who seeth in secret and is acquainted with every kind and generous act, will reward them openly.
At Carver
In a few weeks I visited Carver, and found that a few had been influenced by false reports of my enemies. But in many instances, where the way had been previously closed against my testimony, it was now opened for me to bear it, and I had more friends than before.
A Girl Cured of Fits
In the house where we tarried, there was a young sister who was the subject of fits. She had a most distressing attack while we were there. All seemed to be alarmed. Some said, "Go for the doctor;" others, "Put on the tea-kettle for hot water." I felt the spirit of prayer. We prayed to the Lord to deliver the afflicted. In the name and strength of Jesus, I put my arms around her, and lifted her up from the bed, rebuking the power of Satan, and bidding her, "Go free." She instantly recovered from the fit, and praised the Lord with us. We had a solemn, refreshing experience in this place. We told the brethren and sisters that we had not come to defend character, nor to expose the wickedness of men who were laboring to destroy our influence, but to do our Master's will. We said that God would take care of the results of the efforts made by designing men. Our hearts were strengthened, and the church encouraged.
Conflict with False Doctrines
About this time Sister C. S. Minor returned from Philadelphia to her home in Roxbury. She had recently made a trip to Jerusalem, Palestine, and was advocating some of the sentimental spiritualistic views that were coming in like a flood to ruin the faith of the Adventist people.
Spiritualistic View of Second Advent
The spiritual view of Christ's coming was ensnaring many. This great deception of Satan led many sophistries and corrupting errors. I could not understand the spiritualistic theories presented but the Lord gave me a message to bear, which cut its way through the entangling sophistries. Many accepted the evidence that God was working through a humble instrument, and laid aside their fanciful theories. With them the controversy was at an end.
At Roxbury we met a company over whom it seemed impossible to break the spell. The words of Scripture seemed to have no influence on them. They were bound by hypnotic influence.
I was invited to attend a meeting in Roxbury, and relate what the Lord had shown me. Brother Nichols took my sister and me to the meeting, where we found twenty persons assembled. Among them were brethren and sisters whom I dearly loved. They had acted a noble part in the advent movement, but they had been led astray by spiritualistic theories and fanciful doctrines, which led on and on, till they calumniated in lovesick sentimentalism and rank fanaticism.
Some of the company assembled were individuals whom I had been shown were strong fanatics. They dealt in human or satanic influence, and called it the Spirit of God. I had not seen them before with my natural eyes, yet as I looked upon them, their countenances were familiar to me; for their course of life, their errors and corrupting influences had been shown me. The power of God came upon me, and I warned them of their dangers.
The leading ones, considering this a favorable opportunity to exert their influence over me, and cause me to yield to their views, urged me to relate the visions. But I was impressed that their only object was to mangle the truths presented in the visions, and spiritualize away their literal meaning. I felt that they would endeavor to throw a Satanic influence upon me, and call it the power of God. I felt forbidden to relate my visions to this company, and I refused to tell them anything except the part which related to them. They flattered, but it had no effect. Then they tried to terrify me, commanding me. They said it was my duty to tell them the visions.
We told them we had no fellowship with their spirit, and that in the name of the Lord we would resist it. I faithfully warned those whom I believed to be honest, and begged them to renounce their errors, and leave the company that was leading them astray. I told them that the views that they had accepted were but the Alpha of a great deception.
Those were troublous times. If we had not stood firmly then, we should have made a shipwreck of our faith. Some said we were stubborn; but we were obliged to set our faces as a flint, and not turn to the right hand nor to the left. Those who believed in the spiritual coming of Christ, were insinuating, like the great serpent in the garden. When it suited their purposes they would show such a mild, meek spirit that we had to be on our guard, strengthened on every side with Scripture testimony concerning the literal, personal appearing of our Saviour. I left them, free from their influence and spirit. In a few weeks a portion of that company were left to run into the basest fanaticism.
In later years I have been shown that the false theories advanced in the past have by no means been given up. As favorable opportunities come, they will have a resurrection. Let us not forget that everything that can be shaken will be shaken. The enemy will be successful in overthrowing the faith of some, but those who are true to principles will not be shaken. They will stand firm amid trial and temptation. The Lord has pointed out these errors, and those who do not discern where Satan has come in, will continue to be led in false paths. Jesus bids us be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die.
We are not called upon to enter controversy with those who hold false theories. Controversy is unprofitable. Christ never entered into it. "It is written" is the weapon used by the world's Redeemer. Let us keep close to the Word. Let us allow Jesus and His messengers to testify. We know that their testimony is true.
Christ is over all the works of His creation. In the pillar of fire, He guided the children of Israel, His eyes seeing past, present, and future. He is to be recognized and honored by all who love God. His commandments are to be the controlling power in the lives of His people.
The tempter comes with the supposition that Christ has removed His seat of honor and power into some unknown region, and that men need no longer be inconvenienced by exalting His character and obeying His law. Human beings are to be a law unto themselves, he declared. The sophistries exalt self and make nothing of God. Restraint and moral control in the human family are destroyed. Restraint upon vice grows more and more feeble. The world loves not, fears not God. And those who do not love or fear God soon lose all sense of obligation to one another. They are without God and without hope in the world.
Those teachers who do not daily bring the Word of God into their life-work, are in great peril. They have not a saving knowledge of God or of Christ. It is those who do not live the truth who are most inclined to invent sophistries to occupy the time and absorb the attention that ought to be given to the study of God's Word. It is a fearful mistake for us to neglect the study of the Bible to investigate theories that are misleading, diverting minds from the words of Christ to fallacies of human production.
We need no fanciful teaching regarding the personality of God. What God desires us to know of Him is revealed in His Word and His works. The beautiful things of nature reveal His character and His power as Creator. They are His gift to the race, to show His power, and to show that He is a God of love. But no one is authorized to say that God Himself in person is in flower or leaf or tree. These are the things of God's handiwork, revealing His love for mankind.
Christ is the perfect revelation of God. Let those who desire to know God, study the work and teaching of Christ. To those who receive Him and believe on Him, he gives power to become the sons of God.
Personality of God and Christ
I had often been shown the lovely Jesus, that He is a person. I had asked Him if His father was a person, and had a form like Himself. Said Jesus, "I am in the express image of My Father's person." I had often seen that the spiritual view took away the glory of heaven, and that in many minds the throne of David and the lovely person of Jesus had been burned by the fire of spiritual interpretation.