As soon as we saw Nathaniel, we feared that consumption had marked him for the grave. The hectic flush was upon his cheek, yet we hoped and prayed that the Lord would spare him, that his talent might be employed in the cause of God. But the Lord saw fit to order otherwise.
(LS 147.1)
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Nathaniel and Anna came into the truth cautiously yet understandingly. They weighed the evidences of our position, and conscientiously decided for the truth.
(LS 147.2)
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May 6, 1853, we prepared Nathaniel’s supper, but he soon said that he was faint, and did not know but that he was going to die. He sent for me, and as soon as I entered the room, I knew that he was dying, and said to him: “Nathaniel dear, trust in God. He loves you, and you love Him. Trust in Him as a child trusts in its parents. Don’t be troubled. The Lord will not leave you.” Said he, “Yes, yes.” We prayed, and he responded, “Amen, praise the Lord!” He did not seem to suffer pain. He did not groan once, or struggle, or move a muscle of his face, but breathed shorter and shorter until he fell asleep, in the twenty- second year of his age.
(LS 147.3)
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August 29, 1854, another responsibility was added to our family in the birth of Willie. He took my mind somewhat from the troubles around me. About this time the first number of the paper falsely called the Messenger of Truth was received. Those who slandered us through that paper had been reproved for their faults and errors. They would not bear reproof, and in a secret manner at first, afterward more openly, used their influence against us.
(LS 155.1)
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The Lord had shown me the character and final come-out of the party; that His frown was upon those connected with that paper, and His hand was against them, and although they might appear to prosper for a time, and some honest ones be deceived, yet truth would eventually triumph, and every honest soul would break away from the deception which had held them, and come out clear from the influence of these wicked men; as God’s hand was against them, they must go down.
(LS 155.2)
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Sister Anna continued to fail. Her father and mother and her older sister came from Maine to visit her in her affliction. Anna was calm and cheerful. She had much desired this interview with her parents and sister. She bade them farewell, as they left to return to Maine, to meet them no more until God shall call forth His faithful ones to health and immortality.
(LS 155.3)
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In the last days of her sickness, with her own trembling hands she arranged her things, leaving them in perfect order, and disposing of them according to her mind. She expressed a great desire that her parents should embrace the Sabbath, and live near us. “If I thought this would ever be,” she said, “I could die perfectly satisfied.”
(LS 156.1)
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The last office performed by her emaciated, trembling hand, was to trace a few lines to her parents. And did not God regard her last wishes and prayers for her parents? In less that two years, Father and Mother White were keeping the Bible Sabbath, happily situated within less than one hundred feet from our door.
(LS 156.2)
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We would have kept Anna with us; but we were obliged to close her eyes in death, and lay her away to rest. Long had she cherished a hope in Jesus, and she looked forward with pleasing anticipation to the morning of the resurrection. We laid her beside dear Nathaniel in Mount Hope Cemetery.
(LS 156.3)
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At Tittabawassee we found a large house of worship recently built by our people, well filled with Sabbath keepers. The brethren seemed ready for our testimony, and we enjoyed freedom. The next day fifteen were baptized.
(LS 185.1)
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At Vassar we held our meetings Sabbath and first day at the union schoolhouse. This was a free place in which to speak, and we saw good fruit of our labors. First day afternoon about thirty backsliders, and children who had made no profession, came forward for prayers.
(LS 185.2)
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We returned home from this tour just before a great fall of rain which carried off the snow. This storm prevented the next Sabbath meeting, and I immediately commenced to prepare matter for Testimony No. 14. We also had the privilege of caring for our dear Brother Seneca King, whom we brought to our home with a terrible injury upon the head and face. We took him to our house to die, for we could not think it possible for one with the skull so terribly broken in to recover. But with the blessing of God upon a very gentle use of water, a very spare diet till the danger of fever was past, and well ventilated rooms day and night, in three weeks he was able to return to his home and attend to his farming interests. He did not take one grain of medicine from first to last. Although he was considerably reduced by loss of blood from his wounds and by spare diet, yet when he could take a more liberal amount of food he came up rapidly.
(LS 185.3)
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