Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 1 (1844 - 1868)

Ms 2, 1851

Testimony Regarding the Company at Camden, N. Y.

Camden, New York

June 23, 1851

See variant Ms 2a, 1851. Previously unpublished. See also Annotations.

The Lord shewed me the company in Camden. I saw that Sister Almira Preston was a child of God and that the band had been very wrong and had not stood in the light of God’s countenance. I saw that the destiny of a soul should never hang on dreams or impressions, that these two things have governed the band much. 1LtMs, Ms 2, 1851, par. 1

I saw that Sister A. Preston was in the midst of perfect darkness, none to help or encourage her. Her being in the midst of wicked influences had weakened and discouraged her. When she came among the brethren, then was the time for [them] to strengthen her, and pray for her, and call down the blessings of God upon her, and to try in every [way] that they could to encourage her. But instead of that, they had pushed her off into the jaws of the lion because she did not appear to be as strong as others. I saw that God loved her and frowned upon the course of the band; that if God bore no more with them than they had borne of some of their numbers He would long since have withdrawn His mercy from them and left them wholly to themselves. 1LtMs, Ms 2, 1851, par. 2

I saw that if Sister A. Preston would be humble and hold this faith before God, that would keep her and among all her trials bring her off victorious. 1LtMs, Ms 2, 1851, par. 3