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| “The meeting was held at the house of Bro. Preston, and was interesting from the commencement to its close. Bro. B. took a decided stand for the truth, and thanked the Lord that he had property, for he should use it in his cause. At our season of prayer in the morning at Bro. Abbey’s, the Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon us, and I was taken off in vision, and saw that some of the church had been disfellowshipped without sufficient cause, through the influence of dreams and impressions. I was shown that Sr. E. P. was a child of God, and they had no cause for rejecting her. And others also had been set aside who should not have been, which had driven them nearly to despair. { 2SG 150.1 } |
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| At this time there was fanaticism in Maine. Some refrained wholly from labor, and disfellowshipped all those who would not receive their views on this point, and some other things which they held to be religious duties. God revealed these errors to me in vision, and sent me to his erring children to declare them; but many of them wholly rejected the message, and charged me with conforming to the world. On the other hand, the Nominal Adventists charged me with fanaticism, and I was falsely, and by some wickedly represented as being the leader of the fanaticism that I was actually laboring to do away. Different times were repeatedly set for the Lord to come, and were urged upon the brethren.—But the Lord shewed me that they would all pass by, for the time of trouble must come before the coming of Christ, and that every time that was set, and passed by, would only weaken the faith of God’s people. For this I was charged with being with the evil servant, that said in his heart, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” { ExV 7.1 } { RH July 21, 1851, par. 14 } |
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[On Sabbath] I was ... taken off in vision.... The state of things was revealed to me in Washington, which I declared plainly to them. The vision had a powerful effect. All acknowledged their faith in the visions except Brother Butler and S. Smith. We all felt it duty to act, and by a unanimous vote of the brethren, S. Smith was disfellowshipped by the church until he should forever lay down his erroneous views.... [For a fuller report of Stephen Smith’s erratic experience and his final turnaround after reading a testimony left for twenty-eight years in an unopened envelope, see appendix C.] { 1BIO 217.6 }
Sunday Eve, after we had disfellowshipped Brother Smith (in the afternoon) we had a glorious season. Many confessed that they had been prejudiced against us by different individuals such as S. Smith and J. Hart, but they praised God that they had seen us and were convinced that the visions were of God.... { 1BIO 218.1 } |
| similar content in 3 MR |
| You remember I was not very well when we parted. I continued to grow feeble and all day Sabbath was very weak, not able to sit up; in the eve I fainted quite away. The brethren prayed over me and I was healed and taken off in vision. I had a deep plunge in the glory, and the state of things in Washington was revealed to me which I declared plainly to them. The vision had a powerful effect. All acknowledged their faith in the visions except Brother Butler and S. Smith. We all felt it duty to act, and by a unanimous vote of the brethren, S. Smith was disfellowshipped by the church until he should forever lay down his erroneous views. His wife then broke down and said she knew that her husband was not right. { 3MR 242.3 } |
| The work of God went right on in the meeting. Sunday eve, after we had disfellowshipped Brother Smith (in the afternoon), we had a glorious season. Many confessed that they had been prejudiced against us by different individuals such as S. Smith and J. Hart, but they praised God that they had seen us and were convinced that the visions were of God. The brethren and sisters generally arose and expressed their opinions and feelings; it was a good time. Monday forenoon we held another meeting and it was the best meeting of the whole; sweet union and love prevailed in the meeting. We then sang the farewell hymn and with sad yet joyful hearts parted—sad that we must part with those we love so well and had taken such sweet counsel with; but joyful that our hearts had been strengthened and comforted together, that the clear light of truth had shone upon us, and that we were soon to meet to part no more, where no discord or disunion reigns.... { 3MR 243.1 } |
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