MOVING by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 26, 1867

MOVING.

By John Norton Loughborough

A GREAT mania for moving seems to have seized the people. It pervades, to some extent, the ranks of Sabbath-keepers. Many are making moves that they will, no doubt, afterward regret. In moving, the principal thing to be considered is not personal interest, but to inquire, How can we move to glorify God? For a band of Sabbath-keepers, say twelve, fifteen, or twenty, to break up and move to a larger church who are sufficiently strong to take care of themselves, and leave the cause to die out where they were, does not look like just the thing.

My mind is called out to this subject by a few circumstances which have lately occurred. A great many are looking toward Battle Creek, desirous to move here, and are writing to know whether circumstances are favorable to their moving here. This is what any one should do before hastily moving here, without knowing whether they can find a location, or even work to do. There are some lonely ones who are situated where they have no privileges with those of like faith, and some who can lift in the cause with their means or influence, who would be excusable in moving from where they are, even to Battle Creek. But, to move from a good church, and leave that to break up and go to pieces, would be unwise.

There is a church not far from this, of comfortable numbers, who have long contemplated building them a house of worship. During the past winter they have made some effort in the direction of getting out lumber for a house. Several of the church now contemplate moving, some of them to Battle Creek, which will probably close up the meeting-house enterprise there. As far as numbers are concerned, the Battle Creek church would not increase its numbers by jeopardizing its spirituality and activity. Neither would we wish to have the interests of the cause in other places injured. Persons coming to Battle Creek must not expect to bear any less burdens than in the places they came from, nor be any less active here. In coming here their activity should increase in the same ratio as the importance of this place—being the center of this work—is above the places they leave.

There is another place not far from this, Parkville, St. Joseph Co., Mich., where there is a good Seventh-day Adventist meeting-house held by a legally-organized society, but the moving spirit has so affected the former members of that church that there are scarcely enough left to make trustees of to hold the house. Parkville is only about five miles from a railroad, is in the midst of one of the finest fruit and farming sections in the State of Michigan. Let some of those who wish to move, move to Parkville,—we presume locations and business can be obtained there. Thus you will secure the benefits of society, and be saved the trouble of helping build a meeting-house, and will save a good meeting-house from going out of the hands of S. D. Adventists. The Mich. Conf. in the course of the coming season will try and have an efficient course of lectures in the house, which will undoubtedly add many new ones to the number now there, and those who may move there. Any wishing to make inquiries concerning Parkville, will write to C. G. Langdon, a member of that society, Mendon P. O., St. Joseph Co., Mich. We cannot promise even as favorable inducements to those who move here, for our meeting-house is not yet paid for. Those who are here have done all they can afford to on it, and we presume the new ones coming in will make up the balance, cheerfully.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.