Untitled article by Daniel T. Bourdeau; George I. Butler

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, August 6, 1867

TENT MEETINGS AT CLERMONT, IOWA.

By Daniel T. Bourdeau; George I. Butler

OUR labors in this place commenced the 27th ult., and closed last Sunday. We remained over four Sundays, and gave twenty-eight discourses. Our congregations were small for the following reasons: 1. The citizens of Clermont, generally, according to their own admission, were noted for their lack of aptitude to attend religious meetings; though we were told, and saw for ourselves, that we had more to hear us than the other Protestant denominations, there being only about seventeen in attendance at the principal church in town on a Sunday that we were in the place. 2. We were cut off from the citizens of Elgin for the first two weeks by the rise of Turkey river, which made it unfordable. 3. On account of previous and almost incessant rains, farmers generally were very busy in hoeing their corn, which doubtless kept some away who would have attended.

But a great amount of prejudice was removed, a few took their stand on the Sabbath, and a good impression was left on those who came to hear us. We enjoyed the blessing of the Lord in presenting the truth, and obtained a good experience in laboring together; were we to go over the same ground again, we could not do differently from what we have done as an introductory effort in this section.

Last Sabbath we had quite a large gathering of the brethren and sisters from Waukon, West Union, and Elgin, which answered as a Quarterly Meeting for the church in this section. The Lord helped in preaching, and in the afternoon we had an excellent social meeting, in which about all the brethren and sisters took part.

We intend to remain several weeks, and perhaps months, in this part of the State.

D. T. BOURDREAU, GEO. I. BUTLER. West Union, July 24, 1867.