Untitled article by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, March 17, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 14

REPORT FROM BRO. LOUGHBOROUGH.

By John Norton Loughborough

At the time of my last report I was in Battle Creek. Jan. 25, I went to Windsor to attend the Monthly Meeting for Eaton Co., at the Potter School-house. This meeting, which was held Sabbath, and first-day, Jan. 25 and 26, was quite well attended, and the Lord gave me good liberty in speaking to the people assembled. I believe the effort was not in vain, but that some good was accomplished. Especially were those encouraged who had of late commenced to keep the Sabbath. But in the churches of Windsor, and Charlotte, who are embraced in this Monthly Meeting district, there is much disaffection, doubting on the health reform, Gifts, Systematic Benevolence, &c. A work needs to be done here for those who have long professed to keep God’s law, before the church will be prepared to care for others who might be brought into the truth. I tried to do what I could for them in preaching, but my experience with such cases has learned me that many can be reached by visiting them at their firesides, and there prayerfully taking away their objections, and appealing to them to yield to God. I learned, during my stay at Windsor, something of what was needed, but as I had other engagements I passed on, hoping, and praying that God, in his own good time, would open the way for further labor in Windsor and Charlotte.

Jan. 27, Bro Howe met me at Windsor, and conveyed me in his sleigh some 42 miles to his own home in Orange. Here Bro. Strong had already given six lectures in a neighborhood where they had earnestly requested preaching. After attending one or two meetings, and learning the state of interest, I took hold to speak in the meetings. We continued our labors there together for four weeks. We had a number of day-time meetings with the church, and in these meetings some good was accomplished. Some who had not spoken in meeting for many months, were induced to take hold again of the work of the Lord. We believe some good impressions were made, also, on the minds of the young, some of whom expressed their desires to go with the people of God.

The Lord gave some freedom in our public labors, still there was not that interest we desired to see. This is a place where an interest was once raised to a high pitch, by one of our ministers giving about 10 discourses, then going off and leaving the work. Opposition discourses were preached with no one to defend the truth. The result was, those who were church members, almost to a person, decided against the truth, so much so that hardly a professor was seen in our meetings, aside from Sabbath-keepers, during the whole series. Those who were the most deeply interested in the ten lectures first given, carried such subjects as the Sabbath, immortality, &c., into their debating society, where it was “made a subject of repartee, and laughter,” and, as Bro. Waggoner said in his report of Feb. 19, “I have noticed that such debates tend to a spirit of lightness and irreverence in speaking of Bible truths. Where reverence for the word of God is destroyed, preaching is almost useless.” I think this was one of the main difficulties we had to contend with, in the effort in Orange. But we are not left to record, as the result of this meeting, “nothing.” Many were convinced of the truth, and a few expressed their determination to obey, before I left the place. The seed sown with care, will, we trust, still more of it, bear fruit to God’s glory.

Toward the last of this meeting my mind was deeply exercised that it was my duty to return to Windsor, and try to help things here in the church. I decided to leave Orange, Bro. Strong still remaining there to labor as the way might open before him. I came to Lansing, by R. R. Feb. 27, where I met Bro. Newman who conveyed me to his home in Windsor, and his house has been my head quarters while I have been here this time. My design was to hold meeting each Sabbath, at the Potter School-house, which is a central point for the churches of Oneida, Charlotte, and Windsor, to assemble. And as this is the breaking up season of the year, when it is difficult to hold a series of meetings, especially in the country, this seemed a favorable time to go from house to house, to labor for the disaffected ones.

I have now spent some 10 days here. Heavy snow first blocked me in. Next protracted rain, yet I have had opportunity to speak in public four times, with freedom, especially the funeral discourse of Sr. Kelley, on first-day, March 1. I have also visited several families, which has not been in vain, as some fruit appears. Still I press on in the work here, expecting the blessing of God to attend the efforts put forth in humility to advance his truth, whether those efforts are public or private.

Brethren, pray earnestly that success may still attend the efforts made in all directions to advance this truth.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Windsor, Mich., March 8, 1868.