Untitled article by Joseph Bates

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, September 24, 1867

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 15

MEETINGS IN EASTERN DISTRICT, MICH.

By Joseph Bates

Our last report of meetings was from Woodhull, Shiawasse Co., Aug. 14. From thence Bro. J. H. Burlingame brought us to Lock, twelve miles. Here we visited and held five interesting meetings with the church and people, who seemed anxious to hear what the Lord is doing and will do for his people that love and serve him. During our series of meetings, Bro. Bailey of Bunkerhill, Ing., Co., came for us twenty-five miles to accompany him to attend the funeral of his wife's father, Bro. D. H. Beers. (See obituary notice in Review, 10th inst.) On our return the 21st inst., we filled our appointments. After speaking on the Health Reform, a Methodist minister who had attended two of our meetings said he was pleased with the subject, and urged the necessity and importance of knowing ourselves.

From Lock, Bro. J. M. Avery and wife took me to S. Genoa, Liv., Co., some twenty-six miles, where we found a hospitable home at Bro. A. Carpenter's. Brn. who compose the church here are living some distance from the meeting, consequently they meet on the Sabbath only, except at Quarterly Meetings. We visited and prayed with them and endeavored to instruct them on some points of present truth, and held four meetings, and celebrated the ordinances. Some testified that they were strengthened and encouraged to go forward.

August 26, Bro. and Sr. Carpenter started to take me nineteen miles to Dexter on the Central Railroad. Stopped on our way for the night at Bro. Poss's, who on the 27th took me to Dexter. From thence we came to Jackson and Leslie. Here we spent two days visiting brethren and sisters who are not organized with any church since the Tompkins church united with the Jackson church.

Aug. 29 to Sept. 2, visited members of the church, in Bunkerhill. Our meetings in the district school-house on the Sabbath and first-day were well attended, and many seemed anxious to walk in newness of life. Some had been waiting for baptism at the Quarterly Meeting. Six united with the church. On the death of Bro. D. H. Beers, above referred to, his son acknowledged and fully decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord, and thus fill his father's place in the church. His companion also decided to keep the Sabbath, and they offered themselves for baptism. Also a young man who had been keeping the Sabbath with his father and mother, and seven others, came forward for baptism.

In company with the church and some interested friends we rode eight miles on Sunday afternoon to Pleasant Lake. Others joined us there and we enjoyed a precious season and blessing from the Lord. The water in the lake was so low we had to wade a long distance to find the proper depth. The first Bro. that was baptized assisted me by leading the candidates a part of the way to meet me, and return with the baptized ones, and so on till the ten were all immersed, and raised to walk in newness of life. Our meeting in the evening was deeply interesting. Monday morning, Sept. 2, Bro. Bailey brought me to the cars at Leslie, seven miles. Stopped at Otsego to visit our afflicted sister Leighton, and came home Sept. 4, after an absence of twelve weeks, in which time we held series of meetings with fifteen churches of Seventh-day Adventists in the eastern district of Michigan.

On our return to Monterey we met with Bro. Loughborough, who had been holding a series of meetings here, and Bro. and Sr. White, just come to spend a few days with the church. On Sabbath and first-day, 6, and 7, we enjoyed an extra Monthly County Meeting; large congregations, good, experimental and practical preaching; hearing ears and falling tears. Bro. White's last discourse, connecting law and gospel from the fall of Adam to 1867 and onward, was listened to with profound attention.

Yesterday (Sabbath) was a good day with us. At the close of the Bible Class, Bro. C. Jones, the leader, proposed to commence with the book of Revelation, next Sabbath, and all the class try and furnish themselves with 'Thoughts on Revelation,' to aid them in getting its clear exposition. I hope they will, and all our brethren will have one in their libraries and love to study and feast on its contents. To those who love the 'present truth,' it is worth five times the price it is offered for. And we think we can say with safety that all those who have a heart-felt desire to learn the clear exposition of the prophecy of this book, will find it rich, and far beyond any other thoughts ever presented on this subject.

We thank God through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord, for what he has done, and is still doing, to prepare his willing people for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

JOSEPH BATES.

Monterey, Sept. 15, 1867.