Progress of the Cause by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 23, 1872

Progress of the Cause.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Sandyville, Iowa, Meeting.

This meeting was held Jan. 6 and 7. We were favored with fine weather and good sleighing. Had a full meeting, friends being present from nine different churches in this section. The outside attendance was the largest it ever has been here. Indeed, our meeting-house was crowded to its utmost capacity. This was quite encouraging to the church. A good number of books and papers were distributed among the audience.

Our meetings were very good and encouraging. The Tract Society engaged our principal attention. Several members were added to it, and all the arrangements were perfected for active and thorough work. Only four churches are included in this Society, as we shall organize similar societies in the other churches. It now numbers fifty-five members. Without much effort, we have already raised a fund of $127, and have on hand $100 worth of books at wholesale price. Our brethren and sisters have taken hold of this work with zeal and faith, and we hope to see good fruits of it.

The past few years the Lord has greatly blessed the cause in Iowa, for which all feel thankful and willing to sacrifice of their time and means to keep the work moving on. Southern Iowa, particularly, has proved to be a fruitful field. With Sandyville for a center, there are nine counties lying in a body nearly square, in each of which there is one church, and in some of them two, and several of these churches are quite large. Several meeting-houses are already built; and, with a little encouragement, others are ready to build soon. These churches are so well located as to distance from each other, that we can readily gather from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty Sabbath-keepers at almost any point, at a monthly meeting. The tent has been pitched in the county seats of most of these counties, and thousands have heard the truth either in the tent, or in school-houses and halls. A good many hundred dollars' worth of our books have been sold and distributed all over this section, besides all the REVIEWS which are taken. So that there are many thousands of people who have heard or read on the present truth, and many who have not embraced it are favorable to it.

What a good field is open here now for the operation of our tract society. We appeal to our brethren and sisters to go immediately about the work with energy and perseverance. Our next meeting will be held at Knoxville, in about two months. I now go to Osceola, and then to Decatur, &c. D. M. CANRIGHT.