p. 38 | Report From Iowa by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 25, 1870

Report From Iowa.

By George I. Butler

My last report was in regard to our excellent camp-meeting. From that time I remained at home five or six weeks, preparing for winter and finishing my house.

From Nov. 26 to Dec. 5, was at Talleyrand. This small church came out under Bro. Cornell's labors last winter; and has not received the amount of labor during the summer that could have been profitably spent, as all our time was taken up with the tent. I endeavored to raise the standard of present truth before them as well as I could; and trust the labor was profitable. Most of those who came out are holding on and seem in earnest to advance with God's people.

Sabbath and Sunday, Dec. 11 and 12, I was at Brighton. We expected to have a large meeting, and that the brethren from Washington, and Pilot Grove, and other places, would be present. But we had such a thaw and rain-storm that it was well-nigh impossible to travel at all. I never saw the going worse. So our meeting was nearly a failure, and it was closed Sabbath. We will try again, and perhaps Providence will be more propitious. Most of the brethren are still firm, and others are favorable. The following week I labored at Richland where the tent was last pitched the past season. Found most of the friends still firm, though some have given up, of whom we had hoped better things. Some ten or twelve are keeping the Sabbath. Sold some fourteen dollars' worth of books. The going was very unfavorable, and the weather cold. The following Sabbath and Sunday I was at Knoxville. Bro. Canright came over from Monroe and met with us. Our meeting was not as good as I had hoped. We had but little freedom of spirit in speaking the word. We had a business meeting Sunday afternoon. Five were disfellowshipped who had fully apostatized; we also passed the following preamble and resolution, for the purpose of raising the standard of discipline.

Whereas, The Bible plainly teaches the obligation of assembling together and exhorting one another, and the duty of every member of the church participating in these duties and privileges, therefore Resolved, That we as a church consider the habitual neglect of attending meeting, or taking part therein, without a good reason, a sufficient ground for church labor. And we hereby agree to sustain the elder of the church in all legitimate efforts to carry this resolution into effect.

It is firmly believed that the carrying out of the above resolution would be salutary in many churches. It would either bring a lot of delinquent members to a sense of their obligations, or leave them where they belong, on the outside of the church. Pursuing the course that some do, the church can do nothing to benefit them, and they are no benefit to the church. Such a partnership might as well be broken up.

At Bro. Canright's request, I went with him to Monroe and remained a week. Tuesday, Dec. 28, the debate between Bro. C. and Mr. Johnson, United Presbyterian, commenced on the life and death question. This subject has been much agitated in that community for several months past. Mr. J. preached against the “Soul-sleepers” several months before Bro. C. came to the place to hold lectures. And there was a very bitter prejudice existing in the minds of the community against us on account of our views on this subject. Mr. J. was the man the people wanted to have meet Bro. C., as he was a learned man and supposed to be very able. The debate continued through six sessions, and closed prematurely by Mr. Johnson's candidly admitting he could not meet the arguments brought forward by Bro. Canright, and he said he thought it would be better to frankly admit this than to struggle on through the mud, pretending to meet the arguments before the people when he felt that he could not fairly do so. He made this frank and candid admission before a house packed full of people, many of whom had been very boastful and self-confident a little before, that Mr. J. would entirely finish the “Advents;” and also in the presence of five or six of the popular ministers who had come from the neighboring towns to give aid and counsel. We could but respect the candor of the man who would make such an admission under such circumstances. This sudden turn astonished us all, the more because up to the last session when it occurred, Mr. J. and all his supporters had seemed in very good spirits, and acted as if they expected to gain the victory. It seemed to us God's hand was especially manifested at this point of time. And to his name be all the glory.

Sabbath and Sunday we had excellent meetings. Several of the brethren were over from Knoxville and Sandyville, and our spirits were refreshed. It seemed to me the truth had taken hold of some there who would yet honor the cause of God. I believe some thirty or forty are keeping the Sabbath. We trust the work there is onward. Bro C. is building a house there for himself. And we hope God will abundantly bless him in his efforts to advance his cause.

GEO. I. BUTLER. Sandyville, Jan. 3, 1870.

REMARKS. The action of Mr. Johnson, as stated above, is in the highest degree honorable to him. It is considered very honorable to succeed in debate; and such it is if men win success by bringing out the truth, and not by any resort to unfair means. The truth is a mighty auxiliary, and when we succeed by its aid, the credit is due to its powerful assistance. But for any man in the heat of debate, when he sees that he has not the truth on his side, to come out frankly and own that fact, is an act that not one in a thousand has moral courage to perform. ED.