VISIT TO WRIGHT, MICH by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 14, 1868

VISIT TO WRIGHT, MICH.

By Editor

In company with Bro. and Sr. White, we left Greenville, July 3d, for the town of Wright, at which place they had an appointment for the 4th. Wright is about five miles south, and thirty-five west, from Greenville, and is one of quite a number of places, west, south, east and north-east, where there are churches of S. D. Adventists, conveniently situated within a day's drive, or less, of Bro. White's present location. The face of the country between these two points is diversified by a series of gentle but extensive swells, running north and south, affording quite a variety of hill and dale, at least for Michigan. Tracts of pine land from the north jut down into this region. In these tracts the soil is light and sandy, and almost worthless for purposes of cultivation. But these are only exceptions to a region otherwise heavily timbered originally with beech, maple, elm, ash, &c. On land of this description a farm is cleared, of course, with a great deal of labor; but when once cleared, it affords an inexhaustible mine of agricultural wealth. So rich and deep is the soil that crops of all kinds seem to vie in strength and vigor, not to say in size, with the adjacent forests.

From many of the elevations over which we passed, the surrounding country presented a most delightful prospect. Vast wheat fields just turning, in nature's wonderful laboratory, from green to gold, the luxuriant grasses, the thrifty orchards, the peach, plum, pear, and cherry, trees, wherever they were planted, loaded with fruit, the buildings, some of which would grace the suburbs of any city, each with its cluster of more or less numerous and capacious barns, nestled among the pleasant groves, and around all the grand old forests, presented a picture of a sea of wealth, richer than the richest mines of earth's choicest metals. The people of this section are mostly from New England and New York; and they are vigorously at work developing this new country with western energy and eastern elegance. Yet we were not expecting to find such a degree of cultivation from ten to twenty miles north of Grand Rapids.

There are probably no better farming lands in the State, all things considered, than are found in the town of Wright, Ottawa county. This town is far enough west to receive the benefit of Lake Michigan, a moderation of the temperature in the winter, and frequent cool breezes in the summer. It is well adapted to fruit of all kinds. Peach, pear, plum, cherry, and apple, trees, we saw in full bearing order. Small fruits do well. As proof of this we have only to state that three individuals in this place, two of them our brethren just entering upon the business, have furnished the market with five hundred and fifty bushels of strawberries the present season. Their route to market is direct and easy. First to Berlin, four miles; thence by Detroit and Milwaukee R. R. to Grand Haven, twenty miles; and thence across the lake 87 miles to Milwaukee and 112 to Chicago.

The church in Wright is large and flourishing. They have outgrown their present house of worship, and have the lumber already on the ground, nearly sufficient for a new building 36x50 feet.

Sabbath, July 4, the place of meeting was well filled with Sabbath-keepers at the hour appointed for worship. The fact that the great majority of the people of this country were then engaged in celebrating the day of our national independence, while a few of us were assembled to celebrate an institution much more ancient and important, the rest-day of Jehovah, furnished Bro. White a good text for a discourse on the Sabbath question, which he was not slow to improve, especially in showing the importance of keeping the very day of the week on which God rested, if we would preserve a memorial of his rest, just as the people of this country would not think of observing any other day than the 4th of July to commemorate the independence of this nation.

Tested by this illustration, the absurdity of the seventh-part-of-time theory is made fully apparent. Let us suppose, not speaking derogatively of the fourth commandment, that there was a law requiring the observance of the day on which the Declaration of Independence was signed, worded somewhat after the manner of the Sabbath precept, "Remember Independence day to duly observe it. The fourth day of July is Independence day; for on July 4, 1776, the Fathers of the Republic signed the Declaration of American Independence; wherefore they set apart Independence day, that we might duly celebrate it."

Now suppose that with such a law on the point, a company of persons are found on the 25th of August, singing, shouting, and declaiming, amid the display of flags, and the burning of powder. They are asked what they are doing; and they reply, "Oh! we are celebrating American independence according to the law." No, they are told, the law requires the observance of the 4th day of July for this purpose, but this is the 25th of August; and to this they answer, "The law does not specify any definite day; it only requires one day in the year, one day out of 365, or one 365th part of time; and we may take any day we choose. It was not convenient to observe July 4, so we have taken August 25." Now there is not a school boy in the land who would not at once pronounce such a company of persons, if such persons were serious in what they were doing, a set of idiots—idiots for their actions, and still more so for attempting to defend it with such a reason. Yet grave doctors of divinity, with black coats, and gray hairs, and gold spectacles, will observe the first day of the week for the Sabbath, when the only Sabbath commandment in all the Bible requires the observance of the seventh day as plainly as language can be made to require it, and then attempt to justify their course by deliberately asserting that the commandment does not specify a particular day, but only requires one day in seven, or one-seventh part of time, and the first day answers the requirement as well as the seventh. We often hear it said of individuals that they are sane on every subject but that of religion; and with reference to popular theology we are seriously inclined to think it is a good deal so.

Sr. White spoke in the afternoon, dwelling particularly on the responsibility resting upon the church to spread the light of truth and make known the way of salvation to their fellow-men. According to the light she has received, there are more or less in every town, city, and village, whose hearts are still susceptible of truth, and who, if it is meekly and judiciously placed before them, recommended by consistent lives on the part of believers, will yield obedience to its requirements, and take their stand with the people of God. Here is a mighty work for the church, the responsibility of which should be felt by all.

We speak often of a time when a great work will be accomplished by the present truth, when its power shall be felt in all the land, and believers and advocates be multiplied on every side. But it is a thought calculated to awaken serious reflection in every heart, that all the future of this work, so far as human agencies are concerned, depends upon those who are already believers in the truth. Are we looking for others to embrace the truth? How are they to learn it? Certainly from those who now believe it. Do we expect laborers to be raised up to help carry forward the work? How are they to get the truth? It must be from those who already have it. Thus we see that everything depends upon those who even now have the light in their possession. Now we may sit down and patiently wait for the loud cry, but we shall wait in vain. That must grow out of our own exertions. The work must go forward through the labors of present believers, gaining strength as it progresses, till it shall close in the state of triumph and glory promised in the prophecy. Is it not then high time that all give themselves to the work, with tenfold more energy than has yet been manifested?

At this meeting the subject of a general campmeeting was taken up, as is mentioned in another column by Bro. White. We believe this will result in a move which will prove a mighty auxiliary in getting at least a knowledge of this people and this truth before the world.

A number would have been baptized had there been opportunity. The church in Wright seemed to appreciate the privilege of again having the faithful labors of Bro. and Sr. White; and we doubt not the good instruction they received will be to them a source of strength and encouragement. EDITOR.