Report from Bro. Loughborough by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 24, 1866

Report from Bro. Loughborough.

By John Norton Loughborough

My last report closed with the Iowa Conference. After spending the day following the Conference with the committee in arranging Quarterly Meetings, distributing labor, preparing minutes, &c., I parted with the Brn. Bourdeau and others, and journeyed with Bro. Jacob Hare forty miles to his home near Mt. Pleasant. Here I spent a day very pleasantly with this kind family. At Mt. Pleasant I had a couple of days for rest, and on Sabbath and first-day, held two meetings at the Centre school-house, two miles from Mt. Pleasant. The house was well filled both days with brethren and sisters, and attentive hearers, and the Lord gave freedom in speaking the word.

The Mt. Pleasant church is one of the largest in Iowa. The brethren here consider it of high importance to maintain a consistent walk, and one that will honor the profession they make. This has a telling influence for the advancement of the truth. When a church thus pursue an even way, people do not all turn a deaf ear to the truth, but some honest souls will hear. Matt. v, 16. So, at Mt. Pleasant and vicinity, one after another are embracing the truth by reading and observing, with no great privilege of hearing the truth preached. Right living is the most powerful preaching.

On Monday, June 18, I left Mt. Pleasant, journeyed by railroad all night, and at noon, the 19th, arrived at Rockton, Ill. Here I tarried till Thursday morning, visiting with the brethren and sisters, and preparing business for Ill. and Wis. Conference, then journeyed forty miles to Johnstown Center, the place of the Conference.

Quite a large number of brethren and sisters, with the delegates, assembled on June 22nd at the hour appointed for the Conference. The business of the Conference moved off with dispatch and harmony. All seemed to have "a readiness to will," and take hold of every enterprise that has as its ultimate object, the advancement of the cause of present truth. As no session of this Conference had been held for twenty-one months, it was a matter of interest for brethren and sisters again to assemble and exchange friendly greetings, join in their songs of praise, and speak words of good cheer to each other. Seven discourses were given at this Conference, all of which were listened to with marked attention, and the social meeting on Sabbath was refreshing.

One person, who had tried in times past to figure largely in Ill. and Wis.—L. G. Bostwick—was not there. No mourning on that account, however. The brethren only regret that the cause has been disgraced by the reckless course of this precocious young man, and that his creditors are left to suffer. To put the climax to his roguery, two hours before his secret departure for Canada, he ran into debt with a merchant's son for a suit of clothing for himself, from hat to boots. He also tried to get of another merchant a complete outfit for his family, but this man declined the trust. We understand he is now preparing himself for a Presbyterian minister!! We hope he may regain his character as an honest man, somewhere, if he gets no further than that toward the ministry; but we do not see how he can do that by talk and study. It will take at least $1200.00, ready money, promptly paid over to satisfy his creditors in Ill. and Wis. that he even designs to be an honest man.

The brethren of this Conference having learned of the proposed State Meeting in Iowa, decided to have one of the same character at Monroe, Wis., at a date about two weeks later than the Iowa meeting. Strong desires have been expressed that I should attend both these meetings, which I shall endeavor to do, if consistent with other engagements.

The Conference, on the whole, seemed to give new life and courage to the cause in Ill. and Wis., and we trust its fruit may yet be more fully seen.

On Tuesday evening, following the Conference, I gave by request, a lecture to the Johnstown Center church on health, or how to properly care for our bodies.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.