Thirty Years in the Itinerancy

by W. G. Miller

Green Lake Mission Continued.--An Assistant Employed.--Quarterly Meeting at Waupun.--Love Feast.--Forty Miles Ride, and Four Sermons.--A Sermon and its Fruit.--Portage Prairie.--Randolph.--Randolph Centre.--Rolling Prairie.--Cheney's Class.--Brandon.--Rosendale.--Reed's Corners.--Strong's Landing.--A Night in the Openings.--Rev. Uriel Farmin.--Going to Conference.--Madison.--Visit at Platteville.--Bishop Hamline.--Humorous to Grave.--Galena Conference.

The work of the Mission was now well in hand. But already the field was becoming extended and the labor onerous. Thirteen regular preaching places had been established, and invitations were being received weekly to increase the number. To meet this demand, it was now determined to employ an assistant.

The Quarterly Meeting was held soon after at Waupun, and Rev. Uriel Farmin was employed by the Presiding Elder to assist in filling the appointments. The meeting, the first of the kind ever held in Waupun, was one of rare interest. The revival had just added a goodly number to the membership, besides greatly quickening others. There were present a number of visitors from the newly formed classes in other parts of the Mission, and as a spirit of revival seemed to pervade their respective localties also, they struck the same plane as those at Waupun. The Elder preached the Word, "in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power." But the meeting reached its climax in the Sabbath morning Love Feast. The house was filled, and many were compelled to sit on the writing desks at the side of the room. The meeting was opened in the usual order, by passing to each a crumb of bread and a sip of water, in token of Christian regard. Christian testimonies followed each other in rapid succession, interspersed by singing spiritual songs, for a full hour. At times the tide of feeling rose, like swelling billows, to a great height, threatening to carry the meeting into disorder, but by giving it a happy change at the right moment, the Elder was able to maintain a complete mastery. There were two periods specially critical. One, when a young lady, one of the converts at Waupun, gave her testimony. Standing on a seat, as there was no other place to stand, she first related her own experience, and then, turning to the young people, she delivered an exhortation that thrilled the audience with overwhelming emotions. The other was when a Brother Mosher, somewhat eccentric in his exercises, gave his experience. As he advanced in its recital, he grew excited and eloquent, and the "Amens" and "Hallelujahs" came from every part of the audience. Now, leaping upon the tide of feeling he had raised, he passed from one to another, shaking hands and congratulating them, until he came in front of the desk where sat my father and Father Smith, the two Patriarchs of the occasion. Throwing his arms around their necks, he fairly lifted them from their seats, but in a moment, he discovered his awkward position and resumed his seat. Instantly the clear voice of my father was heard in one of those outbursts of song, which so effectually kindle the fervors of devotion, or if needed, stay the flow of feeling. In a moment more, the meeting had passed the crisis.

The Mission was now put under a new plan, providing for alternate appointments, each preacher making the round in four weeks. But while this arrangement was the general order, the numerous calls received from various localities required frequent changes. In most cases, however, the new appointments were crowded between the others. To meet them, it required three sermons on the Sabbath, besides many others during the week. As to myself, I sometimes rode forty miles on the Sabbath and preached four sermons.

On one of these excursions, I became very much exercised on the subject of Christian holiness. I had before given the subject special thought, but now it seemed to assume unusual importance. Not only did the teachings of our standards bear an unwonted clearness to my perception, but my heart began to realize its essential value.

At my morning service, I preached on the subject, and as I swept over the prairie ten miles, in the face of a driving storm, I resolved to preach on the same subject again at my noon-day appointment. I did so, and with much better satisfaction than in the morning. Twelve miles more of storm, and I was again before a congregation to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. I had now become so full of my theme that I concluded to make it the subject of my next discourse. So, changing my text, I preached on Gospel purity, showing that experimental religion presents itself to the conception of the mind under three clearly defined ideas. These are Justification, Regeneration, and Sanctification. The drift of thought ran in this wise: By Justification we mean the pardon of sin. The man, who finds this grace through Christ, stands as fully accepted before the Law, as though he had never sinned. By Regeneration, we mean that radical change of man's moral and spiritual condition which subjects all the faculties and powers of the soul to the control of the Divine Spirit. This work of grace, wrought in the heart by the Spirit, includes not only the entire subjugation of the "Man of Sin," but the introduction of the reign of Christ. These two achievements of grace, wrought in the subject at the same moment, we ordinarily call Conversion. By Sanctification, we mean that higher state of grace which contemplates the removal of all sin from the heart of the believer, and the experience of "Perfect Love."

This last attainment comes to the believer through earnest seeking, and personal consecration to God. In thus "going on to perfection," the believer passes through several phases of experience. He finds that if he shall retain his justified state, it is necessary to seek advanced attainments. And if he shall be faithful in the use of grace already received, he will find the Spirit ever leading him to new fields of experience. As the Astronomer rests his calculations on worlds already discovered when he looks into the regions beyond, so the Christian must maintain his present experience, if he will know the further revelations of the Spirit.

But the moral perceptions, quickened by the Spirit, will furnish painful revelations to the justified soul. He will discover that there linger still within him remains of the carnal mind. Pride, the love of the world, selfishness, self-will, and sometimes even anger or other evil passion, will begin to stir in the heart. Such revelations will awaken a profound spiritual concern, and perhaps, become the subject of temptation. But there need be no alarm. It is but an evidence that the good work, began in Regeneration, has not been fully completed by entire Sanctification. The tree has been cut down, but the shoots around the old stump show that there is vitality still in the roots. The "Mightier" than the "strong man" must now come and pluck up the roots. The work of eradication thus accomplished, the absolute reign of Christ will be established. The heart will now become the Garden of the Lord, without briar, thorn, or thistle. Relieved of these hindrances, the graces will speedily acquire maturity.

At the close of the sermon, a good sister referred in very earnest terms to the discourse, and was grateful for the ministry of a man who so well understood the deep things of God. Instantly the thought came, "Ah, yes! but there must be a great difference between merely understanding the theory, and realizing a happy experience of the power." A hasty supper was eaten, and I was away for another ten miles to my evening appointment. The snow was still falling, and the winds were driving it fiercely across the prairie, rendering the track invisible. Out on the prairie, my noble horse dashed forward with great speed, but I scarcely noted the distance, as my thought was busy. The question that was ringing through my heart was this: "How can you preach to others what you do not know yourself?" At length I resolved; and scarcely stopping to measure the movement, or estimate the consequences, I was on my knees, engaged in prayer. My first conscious thought of my surroundings was awakened by the wrestling of my horse, as my right hand held him firmly by the lines. Then came the suggestion, "This is a very unpropitious time to settle a matter of this importance. With a fractious horse by the rein, a terrible storm sweeping over the prairie, and an already blind snow-path, you had better defer the matter for the present." My reply was, "It is time these questions were settled, and I propose to settle them now" "But the snow-path is nearly filled; you will lose your way and perish." I still replied, "It is time these questions were settled, and I propose to settle them now." "But it is getting dark, and your congregation will be waiting for you. You had better go forward, fill your appointment, and then attend to this matter." The Lord helped me to reply once more, "It is time these questions were settled, and, God helping me, they shall be settled now." Instantly the light broke upon me, and I was able "to reckon myself dead unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ my Lord." I was found in due time at my appointment, preaching from the text, "He is able to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by him."

Learning that a settlement had been made on Portage Prairie, at a point where Mr. Langdon, of Lake Maria, had erected a lumber mill, I resolved to visit the locality. I found Mr. Langdon had erected a small house, and had already moved his family. I was welcomed to his new home and again invited to make his house a chapel until better accommodations could be secured. I accepted the kind offer, and thus Cambria was made a regular appointment. I visited the few scattered families in the vicinity, and found sufficient material to organize a small class. The class was formed on the 10th day of January, 1846, and at the beginning included Mr. and Mrs. Irwin McCall, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Wilson, Mrs. Maria Langdon, and Mrs. H. W. Patton. Cambria has since been largely settled by emigrants from Wales.