REPORT FROM BRO. CANRIGHT by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 30, 1869

REPORT FROM BRO. CANRIGHT.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

My last report was from Richland, about four weeks ago. From there I went to Sigourney, and labored two weeks to set things in order. Partially organized. Fifteen joined at the time. Others will come in soon. Baptized four. Tobacco, I believe, has been entirely abandoned by all here. Since the Conference, we have organized s. B. amounting to $198.00. I see no reason now why this little company should not prosper. There is as good interest outside as ever. We have a good attendance at our public meetings, and have many warm friends whom we yet hope for.

The camp-meeting was a very pleasant and, I think, profitable season to me. I felt new courage and zeal to labor on, hoping for the end soon. We deeply sympathize with the worn servants of God in their hard labors and many trials. My most earnest desire was and is, that we may have faith and courage to hold out to the end. Satan is not dead yet, nor is the battle won.

From the camp-meeting I returned to Sigourney, and held a four days’ debate with Eld. W. G. Springer, Disciple, the one whom Snook reviewed. Eld. Higgins, lately from Ohio, was with him to assist, and Eld. Cornell of Brighton to post him on my position; also, about a dozen other ministers. The Sabbath was the question. Eld. S. made many admissions fatal to his theory, which his friends do not admit. He admitted, 1. That the seventh day was set apart to a holy use in Eden; 2. That it was a memorial of creation; 3. That there were two laws in the Old Testament; 4. That the ten commandments was a law by itself; 5. That it was perpetual in a certain sense; 6. That it was established by faith. It was amusing indeed to see him try to show that we were not obliged to obey a law that was established and perpetual! Matt. v, was a terrible thorn to him, on which he took a different position at almost every speech. Rom. iii, 31, he first said applied to the law of Christ. This was so manifestly false that he turned square around and said it was the ten commandments! He dreaded this chapter very much, as well he might. His main argument he founded on Acts xv and 2 Cor. iii. These of course were easily met. His efforts for the first-day Sabbath, or “Lord’s day,” as he called it, were simply amusing, the old story poorly told. When out of everything else to say, he attempted to introduce the visions, but was stopped by the moderators, of whom we had a good board. This hurt him much.

Eld. S.’s forte was, not in strong or sound arguments, but in turning everything into ridicule, and in getting up a laugh. But this did not avail him, and, so far as I could learn, all admitted that he utterly failed to meet my positions. We think the impression will be good on the people.

Sabbath after the debate, I enjoyed a very happy season with the friends there. The Lord met with us

and encouraged our hearts. Oct. 17, I came to Monroe by earnest invitation to see about giving a course of lectures. Think it is a good opening. Have to wait till next week for a hall to be prepared. Came to Knoxville, 16 miles, to spend the Sabbath. Am feeling quite well once more. My address will now be Monroe, Iowa.

Since the above was in type we have received the following in addition from Bro. C:

I have been here about three weeks. Everything has been very quiet. The ministers say nothing publicly. They stay away and keep all away they can. Few or no stories have been circulated about us here as is usual. In short, I have had a very quiet time. The weather has been bad for the past week or more, so that with other things my congregation has not been large—about sixty usually. On account of failure of wheat, &c., every body feels very poor here this winter; hence I do not sell many books, nor get many names for the REVIEW. But I think a good, encouraging work will be done here. Yesterday we had our first Sabbath meeting. Several good testimonies were borne to the truth, and by a rising vote twenty-five decided in favor of the truth. We hope for a few more yet. Shall remain here some time yet, and open a field near by if possible. Evidently God is blessing the efforts of the friends here in circulating tracts before I came. Bro. Johnson, who was fifteen years a Methodist class-leader, and a prominent member of that church, has come out heartily on the whole truth. Others here also are well-informed, stable citizens.

We also have good, encouraging news from the little company at Sigourney. We feel of good courage in the Lord and his truth.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Monroe, Iowa, Nov. 21, 1869.