The conference at Rocky Hill was held in the large unfinished chamber of Brother Albert Belden’s house. In a letter to Brother Stockbridge Howland, my husband wrote of the meeting as follows:
(LS 108.1)
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“April 20th Brother Belden sent his two-horse wagon to Middletown for us and the scattered brethren in that city. We arrived at this place about four in the afternoon, and in a few minutes in came Brethren Bates and Gurney. We had a meeting that evening of about fifteen. Friday morning the brethren came in until we numbered about fifty. There were not all fully in the truth. Our meeting that day was very interesting. Brother Bates presented the commandments in a clear light, and their importance was urged home by powerful testimonies. The word had effect to establish those already in the truth, and to awaken those who were not fully decided.”
(LS 108.2)
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Two years before, I had been shown that at some future time we should visit western New York. And now, shortly after the close of the conference at Rocky Hill, we were invited to attend a general meeting at Volney, N. Y., in August. Brother Hiram Edson wrote to us that the brethren were generally poor, and that he could not promise that they would do much toward defraying our expenses, but that he would do what he could. We had no means with which to travel. My husband’s health was poor, but the way opened for him to work in the hayfield, and he decided to accept the work.
(LS 108.3)
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It seemed then that we must live by faith. When we arose in the morning, we bowed beside our bed, and asked God to give us strength to labor through the day, and we could not be satisfied without the assurance that the Lord heard our prayers. My husband then went forth to swing the scythe in the strength that God gave him. At night when he came home we would again plead with God for strength with which to earn means to spread the truth. In a letter to Brother Howland, written July 2, 1848, he spoke of this experience thus:
(LS 109.1)
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“It is rainy today, so that I do not mow, or I should not write. I mow five days for unbelievers, and Sunday for believers, and rest on the seventh day, therefore I have but very little time to write.... God gives me strength to labor hard all day.... Brother Holt, Brother John Belden, and I have taken one hundred acres of grass to mow, at eighty-seven and one half cents per acre, and board ourselves. Praise the Lord! I hope to get a few dollars here to use in the cause of God.”
(LS 109.2)
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As we had before us the emblems of our dying Lord, and were about to commemorate His sufferings, this brother arose and said that he had no faith in what we were about to do; that the Lord’s supper was a continuation of the Passover, and should be partaken of but once a year.
(LS 111.1)
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These strange differences of opinion rolled a heavy weight upon me. I saw that many errors were being presented as truth. It seemed to me that God was dishonored. Great grief pressed upon my spirits, and I fainted under the burden. Some feared that I was dying. Brethren Bates, Chamberlain, Gurney, Edson, and my husband prayed for me. The Lord heard the prayers of His servants, and I revived.
(LS 111.2)
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The light of heaven then rested upon me, and I was soon lost to earthly things. My accompanying angel presented before me some of the errors of those present, and also the truth in contrast with their errors. These discordant views, which they claimed were in harmony with the Scriptures, were only according to their opinion of Bible teaching; and I was bidden to tell them that they should yield their errors, and unite upon the truths of the third angel’s message.
(LS 111.3)
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Our meeting closed triumphantly. Truth gained the victory. Our brethren renounced their errors and united upon the third angel’s message, and God greatly blessed them and added many to their numbers.
(LS 111.4)
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From Volney we journeyed toward Port Gibson, sixty miles distant, to meet another appointment August 27 and 28. “On our way”, wrote my husband in a letter to Brother Hastings dated August 26, “we stopped at Brother Snow’s in Hannibal. In that place are eight or ten precious souls. Brother Bates, Brother and Sister Edson, and Brother Simmons stopped all night with them. In the morning Ellen was taken off in vision, and while she was in vision, all the brethren came in. One of the number was not with us on the Sabbath [truth], but was humble and good. Ellen rose up in vision, took the large Bible, held it up before the Lord, talked from it, then carried it to this humble brother, and put it in his arms. He took it while tears were rolling down his bosom. Then Ellen came and sat down by me. She was in vision one and a half hours, in which time she did not breathe at all. It was an affecting time. All wept much for joy. We left Brother Bates with them, and came to this place with Brother Edson.”
(LS 111.5)
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The meeting at Port Gibson was held in Brother Hiram Edson’s barn. There were those present who loved the truth, but were listening to and cherishing error. Before the close of this meeting, however, the Lord wrought for us with power. I was again shown in vision the importance of the brethren laying aside their differences, and uniting upon Bible truth.
(LS 112.1)
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We left Brother Edson’s intending to spend the following Sabbath in New York City. We were too late for the packet, so we took a line boat, designing to change when the next packet came along. As we saw the packet approaching, we began making preparations to step aboard; but the packet did not stop, and we had to spring on board while the boat was in motion.
(LS 112.2)
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