Meetings in Wisconsin by L. Sanborn

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 14, 1870

Meetings in Wisconsin.

By L. Sanborn

ACCORDING to appointment I met with the church at Marquette, and commenced meetings May 25, and continued till the 30th. Bro. Thurston, of Fish Lake, and Bro. Baker, of Mackford, rendered me good assistance, which I appreciated very much. I pray that the Lord may ever keep them faithful, and ready to help in every such time of need.

We found the church in a contentious and distracted condition, and woefully in the dark, because they did not love each other. As John says, “He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness has blinded his mind.” 1 John 2:11. Again he says, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God; neither he that loveth not his brother.” We showed that all those who do not love their brethren and neighbors as themselves, and prove that love by doing unto their neighbors and brethren as they would have their neighbors and brethren do unto them, are, according to John, of the devil, no matter what they profess to be; and that all such are under condemnation, and walking after the flesh, and manifesting the fruits of the flesh, which are hatred, wrath, strife, &c. And James says that there is every evil work. James 3:16.

After we had thus faithfully, in several discourses, showed them their condition, by our advice they unanimously, by a standing vote, disbanded themselves, declaring at the same time that they could see no chance for salvation only by a new and thorough conversion to God, which they then commenced to seek for, and which we showed them they could only obtain by a thorough confession and putting away of all their wrongs. They soon began to do this, and continued two days, with three short intervals of preaching. On the second day, in the afternoon, the confessions began to meet the mind of the Spirit of God, and sweet peace and love began to come in. Then they began to hunt up their sins and make clean work. They sent confessions to those who were miles away; and the Lord met us in a wonderful manner. We then organized them into a prayer and social meeting society, with the same officers they had before. But we advised them to counsel with brethren Baker and Thurston, and we also advised these brethren to have a watchcare over the church. And we are truly thankful to God that we now can report to our brethren everywhere that love, and union, and peace now reign throughout the entire church, and also between that church, and the Mackford church, and the Fish Lake church. They will now make arrangements for union meetings between the three churches. We do sincerely wish that every church in the Conference had such a universal conversion as the brethren and sisters of the Marquette church have had, and which they will now show by their love and good works. And we pray that the Lord may still help them to humble themselves before him, and continue to hunt up all their sins and put them away, and earnestly seek unto God for pardon and peace, and love God with all their hearts, and their neighbors as themselves, and thus be ready for the Judgment, and for the coming of the Lord.

Wednesday, June 1, I commenced meetings at Fish Lake, Waushara Co., where the dear cause has suffered much for the want of ministerial help at the right time. The church here had the promise of help last fall, but did not obtain it. Then there was a general interest to hear and know the truth, which has since died away, and some who then were trying to obey the Lord have since given up in discouragement, and lost their interest. I think that, as ministers, we should be very careful to fulfill our promises to those who make such calls. If we do not, I fear the Lord will charge us with all the loss. See Eze. 33:1-12.

I have now preached seven sermons, closing up with a Grove Meeting on Sunday, having a respectable congregation, and a good degree of liberty in the word. After the last sermon on Sunday we repaired to a beautiful lake, where four were baptized, and five were added to the church, three by conversion, and two by letter. At our Sabbath meeting, Bro. Thurston was ordained elder of the church.

The brethren and sisters seem to be much encouraged to press on in the narrow way to life, realizing more than ever the straitness of the way. May the Lord help them all to be faithful in confessing and forsaking their sins, and helping the backslidden to return to their Father's house, and live.

June 7. I preach this evening at Dell Prairie, and to-morrow start for Burns Valley to spend a few days. Then I go to the Ill. Camp-meeting, the Lord willing.

L. SANBORN.

Kilbourn City, June 7, 1870.