Chapter 12—Publishing and Traveling
In June, 1849, the way was opened for us to make our home for a
time at Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Here, on the 28th of July, our second
child, James Edson, was born.
While we were living at this place, my husband was impressed that
it was his duty to write and publish the present truth. He was greatly
encouraged and blessed as he decided thus to do. But again he would
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be in doubt and perplexity, as he was penniless. There were brethren
who had means, but they chose to keep it. He at length gave up in
discouragement, and decided to look for a field of grass to mow. As
he left the house, a burden was rolled upon me, and I fainted. Prayer
was offered for me, and I was blessed, and taken off in vision. I saw
that the Lord had blessed and strengthened my husband to labor in
the field one year before; that he had made a right use of the means
there earned; and that he would have a hundredfold in his life, and, if
faithful, a rich reward in the kingdom of God; but that the Lord would
not now give him strength to labor in the field, for He had another
work for him; that he must walk out by faith, and write and publish
the present truth. He immediately commenced to write, and when he
came to some difficult passage, we would call upon the Lord to give
us the true meaning of His word.
About the same time he began to publish a small sheet entitled,
The Present Truth. The office of publication was at Middletown, eight
miles from Rocky Hill, and he often walked this distance and back
again, although he was then lame. When he brought the first number
from the printing office, we all bowed around it, asking the Lord, with
humble hearts and many tears, to let His blessing rest upon the feeble
efforts of His servant. He then directed the papers to all he thought
would read them, and carried them to the post office in a carpetbag.
Every number was taken from Middletown to Rocky Hill, and always
before preparing them for the post office, we spread them before the
Lord, and with earnest prayers mingled with tears, entreated that His
blessing might attend the silent messengers. Very soon letters came
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