A housekeeper’s sacrificial giftPPP 60.1
Those who up to this time (1847) had accepted the third angel’s message, were poor in this world’s goods, and consequently could do but little financially for the spread of the message. Elder White and his wife and Elder Bates saw the importance of personal labor among the scattered brethren, and also the necessity of preparing reading matter to place in the hands of the people, as an aid in leading them to the knowledge of the truth. Elder Bates was aided much in presenting the Sabbath question by his tract on that subject, as he went to different localities, and by the circulation of the same through the mail. He labored with the utmost perseverance. At one time, owing to a lack of money with which to pay his fare, he was about to start on foot to go from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Just then he received a letter from a young sister who had engaged to do house-work at $1 per week that she might have something with which to help the cause. After working one week, she was so impressed with the thought that Elder Bates needed money that she went to her employer and obtained advanced pay so as to enable her to send him at once $5. With this he paid his fare to New Hampshire, by public conveyance. At every place he had good meetings, and many souls accepted the truth.—J. N. Loughborough, Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, pp. 132, 133.PPP 60.2
I well remember when Bro. Bates felt deeply impressed with the duty to labor in Vermont, and, being destitute of means, resolved to start on foot from Fairhaven, Mass. A natural sister 35Sarah Harmon (1822-1868). She later married Stephen Belden. of Mrs. W. had come from Maine to Fairhaven, to perform the duties of the kitchen for one dollar a week, and in this way raise means to spread the truth. On learning Bro. Bates’ intention to perform the long journey on foot, she went to her employer and asked for five dollars, which she obtained and gave to Bro. Bates to help him on his way to Vermont. God greatly blessed the mission, as many witnesses, who still observe the Sabbath, can testify.—James White, Life Incidents, p. 270.PPP 61.1
Ticketless travelPPP 61.2
On another occasion Captain Bates was under conviction to go to a certain place, and actually took his seat in the train, having neither money nor ticket. He had been in his seat only a few moments when a man who was a perfect stranger to him came and handed him $5 to assist him in his work. Such providences were common in the life of this devoted pioneer, and he was always so sure of the divine help just when it was needed that he was never known to hold back from any enterprise that promised to help forward the cause he loved.—M. Ellsworth Olsen, Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, 1925, p. 188.PPP 61.3
Wading through deep snowPPP 61.4
Dear Bro. White: Since I started, in Oct. last, on my western tour, I have visited many places in western N.Y. Held protracted meetings in several places with our Sabbath brethren, who are loving the present truth more and more. In many places we found the brethren in deep trials; but prayer, and perseverance in the strait [sic] truths that the little flock, now see in their pathway soon triumphed over the Enemy, and our hearts were made glad and healed by the precious saving truths in the third angel’s message.PPP 61.5
Bro. [Hiram] Edson met me at Auburn N.Y. We crossed the St. Lawrence, for Canada West,36Province of Ontario since 1867. the last week in Nov., and have been working our way to the west, along the south shore of Lake Ontario, and wherever we have learned that there were scattered sheep in the back settlements north of us, we have waded through the deep snow from two to forty miles to find them, and give the present truth; so that in five weeks we have traveled hundreds of miles, and gained on the direct road westward one hundred eighty miles. We expect to close our labors here by the 5th, and then go north again to Lake Sincoe [sic], where we learn there are some of the scattered flock. From thence it is probable we shall pass on the same course westward to the borders of Lake Huron and Erie. When we have finished our labors between these seas, we expect to return towards Rochester, N.Y.PPP 62.1
The first twenty days of our journey we were much tried with the deep snow, and tedious cold weather, and with but few exceptions cold and impenetrable hearts. The truth was no food for them. Since that time the scene has changed and the truth begun to take effect, and some we trust are now searching for the truth. —Joseph Bates, Review and Herald, January 13, 1852, p. 80.PPP 62.2