Labors in Ohio by R. J. LAWRENCE

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 6, 1866

Labors in Ohio.

By R. J. LAWRENCE

BRO. WHITE: My last was from Fredericktown, Ohio. From there I went to Bellville on foot, visiting different families as I went. Visited among the friends in Bellville, to encourage and cheer them under the strong prejudice and opposing popular influence which is increasing there. I attended their Wednesday evening prayer-meeting, which was very well conducted and quite interesting. There were about forty present on the Sabbath, and I spoke to the church in the Universalist house. Our brethren have hired it for one year. In the afternoon we had a very interesting Bible Class, on 2 Cor. iii. I told them that they would want to be posted on that; for it would be brought up to prove the abolition of the ten commandments; and they saw it fulfilled before I left the State. I spoke again in the evening, also on Sunday, and Sunday evening. On Monday I returned to Fredericktown; and on arriving felt somewhat disheartened to find that one on whom we had relied to take the lead of meetings in that place had given up the Sabbath. Oh! what a powerful enemy we have to contend with. The week was rainy. I visited what I could. Preached twice in the week, also on Sabbath, and had a Bible Class in the afternoon. Fourteen decided to maintain meetings on the Sabbath until further help could be sent them. I think it is very important that they have some efficient help soon. I also spoke on Sunday and Sunday evening three times. There are a few here that love the truth. Five were baptized here, and three in Bellville.

Monday, the 15th, I took the cars for Bellville, with the expectation of leaving there on Tuesday. But a Mr. Moffit, Disciple preacher, had come to town to set them right again on the Law and Sabbath, which he thought he did, by first reading detached sentences from Bro. Waggoner, Smith, Cornell, &c., and secondly, by trying to show that they believed in the existence of a law from Adam to Moses that had no penalty, hence was a nullity; and thirdly, by denying that there was any Sabbath in this dispensation; and, fourthly, by a disgraceful representation of our application of scripture; and fifthly, by classing the ten commandments with the ceremonial law, and nailing them to the cross; and sixthly, by saying he could find all the ten commandments but the fourth in the New Testament; but he did not undertake to prove it. Seventhly, he said there was a Lord’s day in this dispensation, and quoted Acts xx, 7, and 1 Cor. xvi, 1-3 to prove it, and said it was clear without further evidence. All this he produced in two discourses, descending almost to blasphemy. At the close, I gave notice that I would review his sermons Wednesday evening; which I accordingly did, quite to the satisfaction of most present.

Thursday, 8th, at noon, I started for Lovett’s Grove, and arrived at 3 o’clock. Friday morning, having taken a severe cold, which had settled in my throat, I was not able to speak with an audible voice, consequently I spoke only twice in Lovett’s Grove; once on the Sabbath, after which we had a very interesting social meeting; and once on first-day. Tuesday morning, at 8 o’clock, I started for home, where I arrived at 8 P. M., after an absence of just twenty weeks. Found all well. I am some better in respect to my cold, but not well.

R. J. LAWRENCE.

Rochester, Mich.