When I arrived I learned that an appointment was out for me to speak that night. The little hall was filled, and I spoke to the people with great plainness, explaining to them the reasons of our faith and our name Seventh-day Adventists. I dwelt particularly on the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and coupled with this the promise of Christ in the first three verses of John 14: “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also.”EA 104.2

After the meeting closed we made our way to our hired rooms in the house of Mr. Grant, —pleasant convenient rooms.EA 104.3

On Friday, Sept. 8, W.C. white arrived, and in the afternoon we drove out five miles to Norsewood, where Brother Anderson had (494) been laboring, and where two families were keeping the Sabbath. Others were convinced of the truth, but had not yet decided to obey. We called on one Norwegian family, the father of which was a cripple from rheumatism. I sympathized with him greatly. We left an appointment that I would speak in Norsewood on Monday evening. As it was now nearing the Sabbath we returned home.EA 104.4

On Sabbath I spoke in a house of worship well filled with believers and unbelievers, taking for my text Isa. 58. I again presented the Sabbath, showing its importance, and that it was not to be thought a matter of little moment whether it be regarded or rejected. I read to them from the 31st chapter of Exodus where it is plainly stated that the Sabbath is a sign between God and his people throughout their generations forever. “Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people; but because the Lord loved you, and because He would keep the oath which he had sworn unto our fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondsmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep them, and do them that the Lord thy God shall keep (495) unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he swore unto they fathers.”EA 104.5

John beheld the remnant people of God looking into the sanctuary above. They were represented to him as reverently looking into the ark, in which were the tables of stone containing the ten commandments graven with the finger of God, and he exclaimed, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.EA 104.6

(496) A social meeting followed, in which many bore testimony. Satan has worked hard in this place to keep souls from obeying the truth. We pray that he may be disappointed, and that truth would triumph over error. Many precious souls were convinced of the truth, but the determined opposition of the ministers was preventing many from accepting the light.EA 104.7

On Monday evening I spoke in the Rechabites Hall. This was a much larger place than the chapel we had used for our other services; but the seats were well filled, and many were obliged to stand. I spoke with much freedom on the subject of temperance. The people listened with deep interest, and this was the case in every meeting. Brother Codling, who came with W.C. White from Palmerston was greatly strengthened. We took me by the hand and said, “Sister White, your son did a good thing when he stopped off at Palmerston, and urged me to come to these meetings. They have been a great blessing to me.”EA 104.8

Monday proved to be a very rainy day, and I could not fill my appointment at Norsewood. W.C. White rode out the five miles to this place and spoke to the people, so that they would not be entirely disappointed. Fifty-five persons were out, some of whom had walked three miles in the rain to attend the meeting. On his return, when about a mile from home his carriage wheel set. They happened to be quite close to the home of Brother Amazon, who had loaned us his buggy. Bro. McCullagh’s sulky was there, so the horse was transferred to this, and they continued their journey. They reached home about midnight.EA 105.1

(497) Early on Tuesday morning we prepared to return to Hastings which we reached after a four hours’ ride in a slow jerky train. On the Sunday that we were absent, Brother Wilson had baptized eight souls. The following evening I spoke for a short time to a company assembled in Brother Wilson’s parlor in regard to the blessings promised to all who keep the commandments of God. Two precious souls had taken their stand for the truth since I had come to Hastings. One of these, an intelligent, discrete woman was laboring wisely for her husband. He had never made it was the only preaching he had ever heard that had had any effect upon his mind. On this evening Sister’s Dunn and Blackwell had come a long distance in the rain and dark. They said they could not consent to losing one opportunity of hearing Sister White. I prayed that the Lord might give me pure and holy words, the bread of life for these hungry souls.EA 105.2

Late in the afternoon of the following day, a young Maori sixteen years of age called on us. He was the first one to become interested in the truth at the school, and came to Brother Everson to learn all he could teach him about the Sabbath and kindred truths. He embraced the truth and was baptized. A schoolmate of his also came out firmly for the truth, and has gone to America to study to become a medical missionary. Still another has a desire to go to a school where these truths are taught, and his parents have given him the promise that he shall go next year. They probably think he will lose interest in the truth by that time.EA 105.3

On Sabbath Sept. 16. I spoke to a nice little company in (498) the Oddfellows Hall, used often as a chapel by our people. The power of the Spirit of God was upon me as I spoke in regard to the wickedness of the world and the inhabitants thereof and showed that the reason for this was that parents for generations back had not kept the law of God. I warned our brethren and sisters that they would meet persecutions and severe trials for the truth’s sake; but that they must not yield one iota of their faith. God is proving us as a people, and angels of god are commissioned to watch over those who suffer for the truth’s sake. We need to fear more the wrath of God than the wrath of the enemy of our faith. It is far better to lose the friendship of the world than to lose the favor of God by disobedience to his commandments. The acceptance of the gospel of Jesus Christ bestows a power inherent and independent, that will not yield to any circumstances.EA 105.4

The voice of God in His word calls to every man, woman, and child as it called to Abraham, to keep the way of the Lord. God is supreme. His will is to become our will. The light affliction that we may be called upon to endure for Christ’s sake will add to the exceeding and eternal weight of glory. His hand may lead through the deepest waters, but Jesus has gone before. The road may be rough and hard, but Jesus has trodden that way before us. His feet have beaten down the difficulties for the feet of His true followers. As His children bow in submission to God’s will, and take up the cross, inspiring faith will come to them, and God will give strength to endure trials and to obey Him in every trial.EA 105.5

While I was speaking a man with a cigarette in his mouth and a little child in his arms pushed his way through the gate (499) and entered the hall. Putting the child on the floor, he sent it to seek its mother, one of our sisters. The mother took the child on her lap, and her husband, catching her eye, motioned her to leave the meeting. She did not move. After a time he tried again to gain her eye, but she did not look his way. I spoke some words to this sister, bidding her to look to Jesus, to love God and have faith and confidence in him. If she put her trust in God, the divine presence would surely be with her in every difficulty.EA 106.1

* * * * *

We had a three days’ counsel in Hastings, when Elders Israel, McCullagh, Brother Simpson and W.C. White were present. According to the arrangements made at that time, we would soon have been on our way to hold meetings in Auckland, and from there have proceeded to Melbourne by way of Sydney. But a telegram from Auckland, stating that the Pitcairn would be there in a few days, and another telegram a few days later to the effect that Elder Olsen would be in N.Z. Nov. 23 to attend camp-meeting, (500) we decided to remain. W.C.W. left at once for Auckland. It had been promised that the camp-meeting should be held in that place, but now it was decided that it be held it in Wellington, as the more central place. W.C. White must meet the Pitcairn when it should arrive; for there was trouble among the crew, and it was necessary to make some changes in the seamen.EA 106.2

We were soon engaged in the work of another camp-meeting, which held us in New Zealand two months longer. A baby camp-meeting it was, but it meant much to the people of this colony. We could not secure a church, and the people would not come to meetings held in the halls. This meeting seemed to be the only way to reach the people and get the truth before them. We prayed that God would help his people in this another effort to break down the existing prejudice.EA 106.3

[Pages 501-505 missing]EA 107.1

The Remnant Church Not Babylon.

Temperance.