Sister Temple had left word for us to come and pray for her. We went with trembling, having sought in vain for the assurance that God would work in her behalf. We went into the sickroom, relying upon the naked promises of God. Sister Temple’s arm was in such a condition that we could not touch it, and were obliged to pour the oil upon it. Then we united in prayer, and claimed the promises of God. The pain and soreness left the arm while we were praying, and we left Sister Temple rejoicing in the Lord. On our return, eight days later, we found her in good health, and hard at work at the washtub.
(LS 122.1)
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We found Brother Leonard Hastings’ family in deep affliction. Sister Hastings met us with tears, exclaiming, “The Lord has sent you to us in a time of great need.” She had an infant about eight weeks old, which cried continually when awake. This, added to her wretched state of health, was fast wearing away her strength.
(LS 122.2)
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We prayed earnestly to God for the mother, following the directions given in James, and we had the assurance that our prayers were heard. Jesus was in the midst of us to break the power of Satan and release the captive. But we felt sure that the mother could not gain much strength until the cries of the child should cease. We anointed the child and prayed over it, believing that the Lord would give both mother and child peace and rest. It was done. The cries of the child ceased, and we left them both doing well. The gratitude of the mother could not be expressed.
(LS 122.3)
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Our interview with that dear family was very precious. Our hearts were knit together; especially was the heart of Sister Hastings knit with mine as were those of David and Jonathan. Our union was not marred while she lived.
(LS 123.1)
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[Note.—After the visit to the Hastings family in New Ipswich, Elder and Mrs. White returned to Maine, going by way of Boston, and arriving at Topsham March 21, 1849. The following Sabbath, while worshiping with the little company in that place, Mrs. White was given a vision in which she saw that the faith of one of the brethren in Paris, Maine, was wavering, and this led her to feel that it was her duty to visit the company there. “We went,” she wrote in a letter to Brother and Sister Hastings, “and found they needed strengthening.... We spent one week with them.... God gave me two visions while there, much to the comfort and strength of the brethren and sisters. Brother Stowell was established in all the present truth he had doubted.”
(LS 123.2)
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After returning to Topsham, they were in much perplexity as to where they should spend the summer. Invitations had come from brethren in New York and in Connecticut, and in the absence of positive light they decided to respond to the call from New York. They wrote a letter giving directions regarding their arrival at Utica, where some of the brethren might meet them. Soon, however, Mrs. White felt burdened and oppressed. Her husband, seeing her distress, burned the letter they had just written, knelt down, and prayed that the burden might be rolled away. The next day’s mail brought to them a letter from Brother Belden, of Rocky Hill, Conn., containing means sufficient to enable them to move to Connecticut, and urging them to accept the invitation. Elder and Mrs. White saw in this hearty invitation the manifest providence of God, and decided to go, believing that the Lord was opening the way before them.]
(LS 123)
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In June, 1849, Sister Clarissa M. Bonfoey proposed to live with us. Her parents had recently died, and a division of furniture at the homestead had given her everything necessary for a small family to commence housekeeping. She cheerfully gave us the use of these things, and did our work. We occupied a part of Brother Belden’s house at Rocky Hill. Sister Bonfoey was a precious child of God. She possessed a cheerful and happy disposition, never gloomy, yet not light and trifling.
(LS 123.3)
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