REPORT FROM IOWA by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 27, 1869

REPORT FROM IOWA.

By George I. Butler

My last report closed with the meeting at Brighton, March 14. According to appointment, I met with the church at Knoxville, Sabbath morning, March 20. Quite a number met with us from Sandyville, and a few from other places. One brother came over fifty miles, from near Oceola, to have me come there and hold a few meetings, as some were interested. Two other friends came from Monroe, in an adjoining county, anxious for labor in their town. One of them, several years ago, when living in Wisconsin, accidentally picked up the tract, Scripture References, in the road. This led him to examine on the Life and Death question and others, till his mind became unsettled, and after much study he took his stand in the church to which he belonged against the immortality of the soul. This caused quite a disturbance. They tried to turn him out, but at last gave him a letter to get rid of him. Quite a number sympathized with him in his views, and altogether the case caused quite a sensation, and he, seeing my appointment in the REVIEW, which in the meantime he had begun to take, came down to get me to go there to preach, there being a general interest to hear on these subjects. This shows what a little tract, accidentally dropped, will do. It seems to be a promising opening for tent labor in the future. One of the most embarrassing questions I have to meet, from week to week, is the constant call for labor in all directions. Scarcely a week passes without one or more of these calls, and many of these seem good openings. I am very glad we are to have a new tent this spring, and hope it may be used where it will accomplish the most good. I will say to the scattered friends, we will do just the best we can to meet these calls. Be patient, your time will come by-and-by.

Our meetings in Knoxville were solemn, and heart-searching. I trust good was done by them. We re-organized S. B., and the brethren signed liberally on the tent.

Our meetings commenced in Sandyville the following Sabbath evening and continued through Monday, in all ten in number. I tried to bear a plain testimony in reference to some wrongs in this church. Our meetings were solemn, and there was some breaking down before the Lord. It seemed to me some were almost ready to be given up by the Lord to go their own way, and to take their fill of this poor world. I hope they will carry out the good resolutions they expressed in those meetings, and serve the Lord better than before. There is plenty of chance for improvement. On the whole, the meetings were much more encouraging to me than a year ago when I was with them. Bro. J. H. Morrison was elected and ordained elder. This church has passed through severe trials heretofore, lacking as it were a proper head, and being unfortunate enough to have some untamable spirits therein, the church was rent by sore trials. We hope now this state of things will not exist, and that God will give this dear brother wisdom to lead the church onward and upward to a nobler position in the Christian life. Systematic Benevolence was re-organized. They signed liberally on the tent enterprise, and about $150.00 were signed to aid a poor brother who was about starting for Kansas, because under the pressure of circumstances there seemed to be no chance for him there to get a little home for himself and family. The weakness of old age was already coming upon him, and it seemed almost like suicide to start out on the frontier and try to make a home for himself. The case seemed a very clear one. I have no doubt the spiritual death which seemed to be upon some of the members of this church will give place to life if they would become half as much interested in such cases as those as they have been in making what is called, “good trades,” but which will finally turn out to be very bad trades, if there is such a thing as a Judgment.

Three were baptized at this meeting. Several of the friends from Knoxville stayed through till the close of the meetings. The weather and going were not favorable to our meetings. There are a few young friends almost persuaded, apparently, to go with us. May God bless and help them to make a wise decision. Altogether, I trust, our meetings were profitable.

The Tuesday following, Bro. Hodges kindly took me to the vicinity of Oceola, near forty miles. I held eight meetings in Bro. Neal’s neighborhood. I had never been in this part of the State before. I found there were a few Sabbath-keepers scattered around Oceola who need help. The truth was preached here some eight or nine years ago. Since that time they have had but little labor, and some of that not calculated to help them much. Some of those who have gone out from us, formerly lived in this section, and had an influence. When they left of course it was felt here. But in spite of these and other causes, a few have struggled along in poverty and opposition, and are really in advance, spiritually, of many who have all the privileges of attending meetings, and the society of those of like precious faith. God can make up for all these things and more, to all who will really put their trust in him. There is quite an interest among the neighbors and friends to hear. The weather some of the time was most unpropitious, and the mud perfectly awful, yet several times the school-house was full of interested listeners. One young man of standing and influence in the township, has recently commenced keeping the Sabbath with his wife. The friends are holding Sabbath-meetings of interest, and I feel sanguine that a small church can be organized there as soon as a course of lectures can be given. This must be done as soon as possible under the circumstances. I also hope that some of the lost sheep who have wandered from the truth may be persuaded to return. How much we need more laborers. Monday morning I came on my way to meet with Bro. Cornell, to labor with him at Talleyrand. I stopped at Brighton, and happened into the regular Tuesday evening prayer-meeting. I was glad to find so many out. Some twenty-five or thirty testimonies were given, and I learn there is generally a good attendance. This was encouraging to me.

I met with Bro. C. the following day, after quite a separation, and we had again the privilege of laboring together for a few days in the blessed cause of truth. He has been laboring hard this winter under many discouragements, in the vicinity of this place. This winter has been so warm and open in this part of the State as to be very unfavorable for meetings, breaking them up from time to time, as the roads were almost impassable; yet as the result of his labors, we organized a church of eighteen members which will, we expect, come into the Conference this spring. I was favorably impressed with the intelligence and heartiness of most of those who have joined, and expect some of them will go through. Bro. Cornell baptized ten. We held in all ten meetings with them. Partially organized S. B. Some $73.00 were subscribed. Some others are keeping the Sabbath who may hereafter join.

I was interested in the case of Bro. A. L. Curl, who has been preaching among the Baptists more or less for years, and principally supporting himself by his trade as a harness-maker. He came out under Bro. Cornell’s labors, and commenced keeping the Sabbath with his family. He had two appointments where he preached, Sundays. These, through the efforts of another Baptist minister, were immediately closed against him, cutting off the little means he received from them, and being a poor man, with rather feeble health, it placed him in rather an embarrassed condition. It was truly a sacrifice, and so far as this world was concerned things looked dark. We felt it a privilege to call the attention of the friends to his case. About $75.00 were raised for his benefit, wholly unexpected and unsolicited on his part. Bro. Curl seems strong in the truth as far as he has investigated, and we hope some way may be provided so that he can have more leisure to investigate; as it is, his whole time is necessarily occupied in providing for his family. We trust that this dear brother will never regret the step he has taken in identifying himself with an unpopular truth.

I feel an increasing desire to give what little influence, ability, and strength, I possess to the advancement of this cause, which I have no doubt is the cause of God. GEO. I. BUTLER.

Brighton, Iowa, April 13, 1869.