The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Dangerous Independence

I did not claim that the brother had committed actual sin in his course of action, but I reasoned that our enemies would make capital of what he claimed to be innocent. He took the position that he had a right to “do as he pleased” in the matter, especially when it was admitted there was no sin in what he was doing. Thus things went on until Jan. 23, 1872, when I went from Sonoma County to San Francisco to see what could be done to check matters there. GSAM 386.3

By this time our enemies were making use of his course as I had feared, and he was taking the position that it was “none of their business,” that he would show them that he had a mind of his own, and could walk the streets as he pleased, and with whom he pleased, without being subject to their remarks. I tried, by private labor, to show him that such a course of action would not answer, and that such an independent spirit would end in evil. He had his friends, who strongly sympathized with him, some of whom began to take a position which would subject him to still greater censure. A large portion of the church saw the evil of his waywardness, and were ready to second the efforts I was making to save the cause from dishonor. GSAM 387.1