Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Chapter 104—Conflicts and VictoryExperiences from April 26, 1867 to October 20, 1867We returned north, and on our way held a good meeting at WestWindsor, and after reaching home held meetings at Fairplains and Orleans,and also gave some attention to the matter of building, planted [593]our garden, and set out grapes, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.Then in company with a good delegation we returned to theGeneral Conference at Battle Creek.The first Sabbath on our way we spent at Orleans and observedthe fast. It was a day of great solemnity with us; we sought to humbleourselves before God, and with brokenness of spirit and much weepingwe all prayed fervently that God would bless and strengthen us to doHis will at the Conference. We had some faith and hope that ourcaptivity would be turned at that meeting.When we came to Battle Creek we found that our previous effortshad not accomplished what we had hoped. Reports and jealousy stillexisted. My soul was filled with intense anguish, and I wept aloudfor some hours, unable to restrain my grief. In conversation a friendwith whom I had been acquainted for twenty-two years related tome reports which he heard, that we were extravagant in expendingmeans. I inquired wherein we had been extravagant. He mentionedthe purchase of an expensive chair. I then related the circumstances.My husband was greatly emaciated, and it was exceedingly wearisomeand even painful for him to sit long in a common rocking chair, andfor this reason he would lie down upon the bed or lounge a great shareof the time. I knew that this was no way for him to obtain strength andbegged him to sit up more, but the chair was an objection.On my way east to attend the bedside of my dying father, I leftmy husband at Brookfield, New York, and while at Utica looked for aspring, sofa-seat chair. The dealers had none made at the price whichI wished to pay, which was about fifteen dollars, but they offered me avery excellent chair, with rollers instead of rockers, price thirty dollars,for seventeen. I knew that this was the chair in every respect. But547