Meetings in Michigan by Joseph Bates

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 8, 1870

Meetings in Michigan.

By Joseph Bates

SABBATH, Jan. 1, 1870, a good gathering of brethren and sisters from Tompkins, Leslie, Parma, and Grass Lake, came to the Monthly Meeting in Jackson and were strengthened to press their way onward in the message.

Jan. 3 and 4, by invitation of Sr. M. A. Eaton, we held two evening meetings in her house at Grass Lake. One decided to keep the Sabbath. Some were anxious, and there seemed to be a good opening for some brother to give a course of lectures in the place.

Jan. 5 and 6, held two evening meetings with the brethren in Leslie. Bro. Byington, on his way to St. Charles, united with us at our last meeting. We trust some were benefited and encouraged to urge their way onward in the good work of the Lord.

Bro. A. Richmond took me with his team seven miles to Bunker Hill, where we labored from the 7th to the 11th, and held five meetings. The brethren here seemed very thankful for our visit, as there had been no one to visit them since my last, in Feb. 1869. They manifested a readiness to hear and to be overcomers, that they may be saved when Jesus comes.

Jan. 11, Bro. Bailey took me in his sleigh to Alaiedon, where we commenced evening meetings and visiting from house to house. Bro. Waggoner and Littlejohn came on the 14th, and continued the meetings over the Sabbath and first-day, much to the edification and encouragement of their hearers.

Sunday, the 16th, their newly-erected meeting-house was dedicated. Bro. Waggoner preached to a crowded house from the words, “Preach the word.” 2 Tim. 4:2. Bro. Littlejohn followed in the P. M. from the testimony in Mark 16:14-30. Both discourses were listened to with stillness and deep attention; we trust some good was done. At the close of each discourse the elders of the church gratuitously distributed our pamphlets and tracts to the retiring congregation, who thankfully received them. Our prayer is, that they may read and believe.

By persevering effort and patient labor, a few enterprising, faithful brethren have, in a few months, erected, finished, and furnished, a neat and commodious house that will accommodate some three hundred worshipers of God. The Lord bless and strengthen them by adding to their numbers such as shall be saved, is our prayer. Monday, the 17th, Bro. Briggs brought us all to the railroad station in Mason. During this last tour we have distributed a few hundreds of our late tracts and pamphlets, especially to our fellow-passengers in the cars. Some have received them very thankfully. I have noticed that quite a number continue to read, and some come to my seat to ask questions and converse on the subject matter of the work they have been reading. Some say they cannot read in the cars. I say to such, pocket them, and read and distribute them when you get home. Thus the fruits of hard, mental labor become flying messengers to plead and instruct tens of thousands of our fellow-men that may be benefited and eventually saved by their instrumentality.

I well remember when I read Eld. T. M. Preble’s short article on the Sabbath of the Lord, (afterwards in a small tract,) some twenty-six years-ago: how I said, “THIS IS TRUTH!” and decided from henceforth to keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. So others, who may have tracts based on Bible testimony placed in their hands, may be as forcibly and silently convinced.

JOSEPH BATES.

Monterey, Jan. 26, 1870.