p. 9 | Untitled article by Isaac Sanborn

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · December 17, 1867

MEETINGS IN WISCONSIN.

By Isaac Sanborn

The good work of the Lord is still onward here in Grant county, Wis. I have now labored in this place four months, in which time I have preached one hundred times, in four different places. My work has drawn out quite a spirit of opposition from a few sectarians. Eld. Ball preached twice against the Sabbath, taking the position that the law of ten commandments was done away. Eld. Bushly, another Methodist minister, took the position that the law was all binding, and that any day of the week was the seventh day, and therefore the Sabbath day. The Lord helped me to review their positions, which resulted in much good. Eld. Bushly then preached a sermon on the immortality of the soul, which the Lord also helped me to review, which resulted in establishing scores of people upon the Bible doctrine that the saints receive immortality at the second coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead, when those who seek for immortality by patient continuance in well doing, will receive, as the gift of God, eternal life through Jesus Christ. See Rom. vi, 23; ii, 6; 1 Cor. xv, 51–55.

When Eld. Bushly commenced his sermon on immortality, he held in his hand some tracts which he said he had not picked up in the neighborhood, but had sent to the publishing house and got himself. In the afternoon, after I had reviewed him and shown the people that the tracts he quoted from were published by first-day Adventists, he said the tracts bore the name of Mr. Ganyard, who was formerly a first-day Adventist, and had obtained some tracts two or three years ago, and lent them to some of his Methodist neighbors, who are now opposers of the truth; and they had furnished Eld. B. with the tracts which he said he had sent to the office or publishing house for himself. Well has the Lord said of such by Isaiah: "Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, . . . that this is a rebellious people, LYING children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord." Isa. xxx, 8–10. Again in Isa. xxviii, 15, the Lord says that they have made LIES their refuge, and under falsehood they have hid themselves; but in verse 17 the Lord says, The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. These hailstones will fall upon them in the seventh plague of God's wrath. See Rev. xvi, 17–21.

The elder's falsehood concerning the tracts was so glaring that most all the congregation noticed it.

After this, I continued my meetings another week; and last Sabbath, after preaching a sermon from the text in Matt. v, 16, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven," we repaired to the water, cut away the ice, and baptized twenty-seven willing souls in the likeness of Christ's death, that they may now walk in newness of life by keeping all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This makes sixty-five that I have baptized since I commenced meetings here. There are over eighty who are now keeping the Sabbath in this vicinity, where, four months ago, there was not a Sabbath-keeper. I have organized two prayer and social-meeting societies, one numbering fifty-four members, and the other twenty-three, who have put down their names to the following covenant: "We, the undersigned, do hereby associate ourselves together into a prayer and social-meeting society, covenanting together to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Others will unite soon. Their meetings are very interesting. Two men, of past religious experience, have been chosen leaders of the meetings. May the Lord help them to be faithful is our prayer. They will have monthly meetings, when all will try to get together in one place for the worship of God.

We have also made arrangements for the organization of a Bible-class in each place of meeting, which will be very interesting to all who can engage in it.

I have sold about seventy-five dollars' worth of publications, and obtained twenty-four subscribers for the Review.

I commenced meetings last evening in Springville, Clayton Co., Iowa, just across the Mississippi river, where Bro. Segraves lives. I can remain here but one week, as I am very much in need of rest, not having rested any for six months. The Lord has, during this time, wonderfully sustained me, for which I praise his great and holy name.

Since writing the foregoing, I have preached eight times in the village of Springville, Clayton Co., Iowa. I did this by the urgent request of Bro. and sister Segraves, who had but recently moved in there. I introduced but two subjects in the main, which were the promises of God and his holy law, with faith in Christ, as the conditions of receiving the promises, if they are strictly lived out in our daily walk and conversation. At the close of the meeting last evening, I took an expression to see how many believed the seventh day to be the Sabbath now binding on the people. About thirty arose. Quite a number of these I expect will soon keep the Sabbath. I think it is an excellent opening for labor, and had I not been so badly worn out by my past labor, I would have stayed a few weeks. If the way should close up for my going to Trempeleau, I shall return to these parts as soon as I rest awhile.

I know of nothing that is likely to stop me from going to Trempeleau, unless a protracted meeting should be started there. Bro. Ingalls will therefore write to me at Johnstown Center at his earliest convenience, and let me know if the way is still open for me to come about the middle of January. I will answer by letter and tell them when I will come and commence meeting.

I held my last meeting with the dear people of God in Waterloo to-night. Our meeting to-night was very large and interesting. Many could not get into the house. Truly have I seen the testimony of the Lord fulfilled in this place by people coming out on the truth and learning in a few weeks what some of us have been years learning. May we not look upon this as a sign that we are drawing near the loud cry of the message? I am now at Bro. Thompson's, at Woodman, where I have stopped to rest over night. I expect to reach home to-day, where I will try to recruit for a few weeks. I hope the brethren and sisters will pray for me that I may be revived and strengthened for further usefulness in his blessed cause, and that a door of utterance may be given me to speak his word.

ISAAC SANBORN.

Woodman, Grant Co., Wis., Dec. 11, 1867.