Chapter 23—Visiting the Brethren
While in Oswego, New York, early in 1850, we were invited to
visit Camden, a town about forty miles east. Previous to going, I was
shown the little company of believers there, and among them I saw a
woman who professed much piety, but who was a hypocrite, and was
deceiving the people of God.
The Camden Meeting
Sabbath morning quite a number gathered for worship, but the
deceitful woman was not present. I inquired of a sister if this was all
their company. She said it was. The woman whom I had seen in the
vision lived four miles from the place, and the sister did not think of
her. But soon she entered, and I immediately recognized her as the
woman whose real character the Lord had shown me.
In the course of the meeting, she talked quite lengthily, saying that
she had perfect love, and enjoyed holiness of heart, that she did not
have trials and temptations, but enjoyed perfect peace and submission
to the will of God.
From the meeting I returned to the home of Brother Preston with
feelings of great sadness. That night I dreamed that a secret closet
filled with rubbish was opened to me, and I was told that it was my
work to clear it out. By the light of a lamp I removed the rubbish, and
told those with me that the room could be filled with more valuable
things.
On Sunday morning we met with the brethren, and my husband
arose to preach on the parable of the ten virgins. He had no freedom
in speaking, and proposed that we have a season of prayer. We bowed
before the Lord, and engaged in earnest prayer. The dark cloud was
lifted, and I was taken off in vision, and again shown the case of this
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woman. She was represented to me as being in perfect darkness. Jesus
frowned upon her and her husband. That withering frown caused me
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