Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 2 (1869 - 1875)

Lt 11, 1869

Lockwood, Sister

South Lancaster, Massachusetts

September 1, 1869

Previously unpublished.

Dear Sister Lockwood:

I have just finished a letter to Marshall and Lois. I will write a few lines to you. I hope you are well and happy. We often think of you and seldom offer a prayer without praying the Lord to bless you. We never felt the necessity more than we now do of being often with God in prayer. We want more heavenly wisdom and special grace to do the will of our heavenly Father. 2LtMs, Lt 11, 1869, par. 1

I should love to write you all the particulars of the Springfield [First-Day Adventist] camp meeting, but cannot. I am not well enough to do this. But I wish you could have seen and heard what we did. It would have strengthened your faith greatly in our position, and would have led you to be settled as to one thing that the people who profess to be Adventists upon the campground were not the peculiar, chosen people of God. Such a satanic spirit as the ministers possessed cannot well be described. They would not permit us to speak or to circulate books, and even ordered us off the ground, because we gave away books. They sent spies to our tent to beg for books and then to betray us that these hypocritical priests might find some occasion against us. 2LtMs, Lt 11, 1869, par. 2

We could but think of Jesus of Nazareth, the chief priests and scribes and elders seeking to find some occasion to accuse Him and put Him to death. The same hate and satanic envy, jealousy and rage was manifested by [First-Day] Adventist ministers. Such a hellish spirit could not be so effectively exhibited by any other class of professed Christians. After we left, the last two days of the meeting were characterized by confusion and noise that should make those blush who have accused us of fanaticism. They had a praying circle and had a regular shouting and holloing time. One woman was made insane and others were not far from it. She kept up screeching and screaming all night and during the day. I did not mean to write all this, but I have. 2LtMs, Lt 11, 1869, par. 3

Sister Lockwood, do write to us. Tell us just how you get along at home. 2LtMs, Lt 11, 1869, par. 4

There are a couple of red plaid flannel shirts cut out, but a sister undertook to make them and cut off the yoke to suit her idea. Please see if you can do anything with them by setting on a yoke for Edson. James will want a shirt made out of black and white. He has one, that black and white twilled flannel. Do the blackberries do well? Let us know if you please. 2LtMs, Lt 11, 1869, par. 5

In haste, 2LtMs, Lt 11, 1869, par. 6

Your sister. 2LtMs, Lt 11, 1869, par. 7