MEETINGS IN SAGINAW CO., MICH.
By Merritt E. Cornell
I HAVE now given eight lectures in this place. The interest which was good at the beginning has increased, until it has become most intense. The going has been very bad most of the time, yet the school-house has been crowded to about its utmost capacity. Mud or water from six to eight inches deep, rain or snow, has not seemed to make any difference in the size of the audience. People seemed determined to come even at the risk of their lives. They continued to cross the river on the ice with teams, until a young man on foot broke through. Though wet and weary with struggling to get out of the water and ice, he hastened home, changed his clothing and then came to the meeting in time to hear most of the lecture. I proposed that when the roads broke all up, we had better adjourn the meeting until they settled, but the people would not hear to it, saying that as long as I could get to the house I would find it full of anxious hearers. Dr. Hawley and wife kept the last Sabbath with me. The doctor has been preaching some, among the Methodist people hereabouts, and has been reading some of our books, and investigating as fast as his other cares would allow, he being the only physician here. He embraces the whole truth, Health Reform not excepted. The Dr. graduated at Albany, N. Y., and for several years practiced homeopathy successfully at Lansing. Since locating here, he has been giving small doses of medicine for the body, also small doses of truth for the soul. He is now convinced that the truth will bear to be given in much larger quantities and of greater potency. Last evening was my first lecture on the Sabbath. There were two Wesleyan Methodist preachers present. At the close of the service one of them openly avowed his purpose to keep the Sabbath, and the other acknowledged that he was convinced on the Sabbath question, and he did not see any other way but to keep it. Several others were heard to say they should have to keep the Sabbath. The circuit preacher from a neighboring town asked me to preach in his place last Sunday evening, which I of course accepted. He remained and heard again on Monday evening and seemed much interested. He very cordially invited me to the hospitality of the parsonage, and to give a course of lectures at the Court House in Midland, where he holds his meetings. There are many good singers here, and a great call for hymn books. They want to sing the truth. I am calling out hymns in the Methodist book appropriate for our service, but I fear these will not last long. What shall we do for hymn books? For forty miles up and down this river there is inquiry about our views. I must try to get through another course of lectures before Conference, if possible; and I want a supply of our publications sent on immediately. Brethren pray for us.
M. E. CORNELL.
Saginaw Co., March 27, 1867.