MY VISIT TO MISSOURI AND KANSAS.
By Wm. S. Ingraham
Oct. 7, I left the Iowa camp-meeting for Missouri, and reached Daviess county in time to meet with the brethren on the Sabbath. I continued meetings until Oct. 24. I found the most of the church in good working order, and all in harmony with our people. In my efforts to advance the cause of present truth, I felt in a particular manner drawn out on our experience on the great advent movement, commencing with the first angel's message and extending down to the present time, embracing our joyful expectations, our sad disappointments, and also the means the Lord has made use of to separate from the world a people for his name, to stand without fault before the Lamb. Our meetings were excellent. The Spirit of the Lord was present to encourage all his saints. Just before the close of my labors with the church in this place, a written request signed by quite a number, was handed to me to debate Sr. White's visions with B. F. Snook. I read the request to the people and gave my reasons for not accepting the invitation which were as follows: 1. His objections had been answered by Bro. and Sr. White to his satisfaction as he confessed in the REVIEW, and also to a Bro. T., in Iowa, in a private letter, both of which were read to the audience. 2. His objections had been reviewed by Uriah Smith and published in pamphlet form, which work I had with me, and as B. F. S. had circulated his pamphlets in the place, the reply I would furnish the people and they could read and compare the two, and I was willing to risk the result that would follow. 3. As B. F. S. was once in harmony with us, and then rebelled and turned his back to the cause he once professed to love, and was reclaimed, and confessed that while in rebellion he was doing the work of Satan, and after his confession, was restored to fellowship with his brethren, and has now rebelled the second time, and is engaged in the same work he condemned as being the work of the Devil; considering all these things, I feel that I have a higher calling, a more dignified station to fill, than to engage in controversy with such a person. 4. Our brethren in this place are in harmony with Seventh-day Adventists and cannot be moved by these rebellious influences, therefore a debate was not called for, there being nothing at stake. Receiving a strong invitation from the brethren in Kansas to visit that quarter, and being satisfied that the church in Missouri were well fortified, and Bro. Conrey was on his way from Iowa to Kansas who would take me among the brethren in that State, free of charge, I felt that it was duty to go. I found the brethren in Kansas very much disheartened for lack of labor. I commenced a course of lectures at Mount City, Linn Co., in a small village of about seven hundred inhabitants. The free meeting-house was opened for us. I gave only two lectures before the small pox broke out in the place, and I was obliged to close my labors. There is in this place a great anxiety to hear our religious sentiments. Being broken off from my lectures, I commenced a meeting seven miles below in Bro. Cook's neighborhood. Four times my lectures were broken off by severe rain storms which raised the streams so they could not be forded. A good interest was manifested, and as soon the streams could be crossed, I resumed my labors. Since my note appeared in the REVIEW, others have decided to keep the commandments of God. The State of Kansas is as good a field of labor as I know of. I hope the cause of truth will move onward, and that those who have lately embraced the truth will be strong. My expenses and time in Missouri and Kansas, will be cared for and met by the brethren in these States. They are willing to sacrifice, and have done nobly. The brethren in Kansas and Missouri are anxious to have a tent manned and sent into this county. A tent can run here seven or eight months in a year, and our brethren in these States are few, but they are ready to do manfully for the cause. Davies Co., Missouri, Jan. 13, 1869.