OHIO

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 13, 1879

East Norwalk.—I have closed meetings here for the present. Regular Sabbath meetings and Bible-meetings and Bible-class will be held. Bro. Beebe and myself will meet with them alternately, he one Sabbath and I the next. Ten copies of the Bible Lessons are taken, and ten subscribers for periodicals were obtained. We expect that two or three others will sign the covenant soon. H. A. St. John.

Markley's Corners, Jan. 23.—Seven have commenced the observance of the Sabbath. As far as I can learn, all acknowledge the truth. I have sold three dollars' worth of tracts. I design to preach for the friends here once in two weeks. Have commenced a course of lectures at Hamler, a small town on the B. & O. R. R. A. A. Bigelow.

Corsica, Feb. 3.—The third angel's message is taking a strong hold on this people. Almost every day I find some who have been praying for the truth, and who rejoice as they find it. The first of last week the roads became very muddy, but every evening we had a good congregation.

Fifty were out to the Sabbath meeting, and thirty testimonies were borne by those who have embraced the truth. This was a very encouraging meeting. Our friends are sending reports of the meetings to the papers around, and this is awakening a deep interest to hear the truth in adjoining towns.

A banker five miles from here said to one of our hearers: “What's going on over to Corsica? Who is preaching there? What are the strange things they say? Can't you furnish me something to read? Haven't you got some tracts with you? I'll read anything you have. I'd like to know what it is that stirs the people so.” We shall see that his desires are all fulfilled.

The following is an extract from a letter which Sister M., the wife of “the good old granger,” has just received from her sister in Illinois. After the introduction, which we omit, she says:

“I was somewhat surprised at the contents of your letter, but nevertheless pleased. This is just what I have been hoping and praying for for the last six months. Some S. D. Adventists were here last July, and I knew they would be around your way in due time, so I was just patiently waiting to hear about them from some of you. We had an interesting time when they were here. I tell you they shook the M. E. church to the center. Almost every one that could throw away his or her prejudice enough to go and listen once, went again.

“One year ago a lady came to visit us who had left the Christian church and joined the Adventists, and she was so enthusiastic that she got me to promise to go and hear them if they came to town. Last summer they pitched the tent in the town park; but the weather was so warm, and I had so much to do, that I paid but little attention to them till they had been here a month. One day the M. E. minister and his wife came out to spend the day, and something was said about the Adventists, and I remarked, ‘I have not been to hear them yet.’ She said, ‘That is strange, but I am glad that there is one Methodist who has not gone to hear them.’ That evening we went to town to take them home, and had to pass by the tent, and since I had promised to go once anyway, we went. We got in in time to hear the last of the sermon. The result was, we wanted to hear the next evening, and the next, and the next, for four weeks. What do you think of that for going to meeting in August? It was the most interesting preaching I ever heard, and if it was not that immersion is their mode of baptism, I don't know but I should become a member. I believe the seventh-day Sabbath is right, and any time that A—— wants to join that church, I believe I am ready to say that I will go with him, if it does take me clear under the water. . . . Now I want to hear from you on this point. I should not wonder if baptism would be a sticking point with many of you. But you all have my consent to join the Adventists, even if you have to be buried in the watery grave, and I will say, Amen. Notwithstanding, I shall feel sorry for the dear old M. E. church. “They have thirty or forty members, and a regular

minister, but I have not attended much since the tent ministers left; but I must confess that I have not enjoyed myself spiritually so well since that time, and I sometimes think I shall not until I fully obey the truth.”

This shows the power of this message, and if this sister in Illinois would do as her friends here are doing, she would soon be free. We are getting the REVIEW into every interested family. We shall remain here for some time yet. A. O. Burrill. A. M. Mann.