p. 45 | Didn't Care to Go

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 1, 1870

Didn't Care to Go.

“PRAYER-MEETING and lecture as usual, on Wednesday evening, in the lecture-room. Dear brethren, I urge you all to attend these weekly meetings. ‘Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.’”

Some of the “dear brethren” deported themselves in this way:

Brother A. thought it looked like rain, and concluded that his family, including himself, of course, had better remain at home. On Thursday evening it was raining very hard, and the same Brother A. hired a carriage, and took his whole family to the Academy of Music, to hear M. Agassiz lecture on the “Intelligence of the Lobster.”

Brother B. thought he was too tired to go, so he stayed at home and worked at the sled he had promised to make for Billy.

Sister C. thought the pavements were too slippery. It would be very dangerous for her to venture out. I saw her next morning going down street to get her old bonnet “done up.” She had an old pair of stockings drawn over her shoes.

Sister D. thought there would n't be more than a dozen people at prayer-meeting. She does n't like those little meetings, so she did n't go. If she had gone, there would have been thirteen. I met her next evening at a social gathering, where there were just ten folks. She said she had spent a “delightful” evening.

Brother E. thought he might be called upon to lead in prayer, or make some remarks. He stayed at home. Next day he went around with a petition, praying Congress to repeal the tax on beeswax. His name headed the list of petitioners, and he spoke eloquently, and waxed warm, as he urged his reasons in favor of repeal. Three-fourths of the members stayed at home. God was at the prayer-meeting. The pastor was there. One-fourth of the members were there, and God blessed them. The persons who stayed at home were each represented by a vacant seat. God don't bless empty seats.—United Presbyterian.