Reclaiming the Lost
151
Caring for the Sick
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 Testi-
mony 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
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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.
Revival Meetings at Greenville
About this time we commenced labor for our brethren and friends
near Greenville. As is the case in many places, our brethren needed
help. There were some who kept the Sabbath, yet did not belong to the
church, and also some who had given up the Sabbath. We felt disposed
to help these poor souls, but the past course and present position of
leading members of the church in relation to these persons, made it
almost impossible for us to approach them.
In laboring with the erring, some of our brethren had been too
rigid, too cutting in remarks. And when some were disposed to reject
their counsel, and separate from them, they would say, “Well, if they
want to go off, let them go.” While such a lack of the compassion
and long-suffering and tenderness of Jesus was manifested by His
professed followers, these poor, erring, inexperienced souls, buffeted
by Satan, were certain to make shipwreck of faith. However great
may be the wrongs and sins of the erring, our brethren must learn to
manifest not only the tenderness of the Great Shepherd, but also His
undying care and love for the poor, straying sheep. Our ministers toil
and lecture week after week, and rejoice that a few souls embrace the
truth; and yet brethren of a prompt, decided turn of mind may, in five