p. 110 | MISSOURY by GEO. L. BUTLER

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 3, 1879

MISSOURY

By GEO. L. BUTLER

Salisbury, March 25.—Our meetings have been in progress over five weeks, and yet we dare not leave. We have had a good, healthy interest all the time, and have yet. Last Sunday our congregations were as large as at any time since we came, and there is as much stir in the community as ever. The town has been stirred more than ever before; all admit this.

For a month our meetings were in the Baptist church. Soon after we began the lectures, the minister attacked us one night after the discourse, and said we had “wilfully misrepresented.” He said a child ought to know that the word Sabbath did not mean rest, but meant seventh, and made other statements about as sensible. He was in a state of excitement. He acted so supremely foolish that he hurt his own cause very much, and his own members were ashamed of him. After this he went away, and left us in quiet possession of the field; but he returned at the end of a month, and made a savage attack upon us in his discourses on Sunday. He called us “semi-infidels,” “false teachers,” “teachers of doctrines of devils,” etc., and promised to take up the Sabbath question. He stated that he would commence to prepare a series of discourses upon the Sabbath. He evidently proposes to put this off till we go away. He got us shut out of the church, so we have since used a hall. Meantime the people have become very impatient for the “other side.” Two men have already been off on the railroad to find some champion to defend the cause, but failed. The hope now is to get the famous Methodist debater, Mr. Deitzler, perhaps as famous as any in the West. He speaks within seven miles of us here next Sunday, and a committee will wait upon him to secure his services. The Methodist minister is confident he will come to their relief by next Monday. We hope so. We want them to hear the “other side” as much as anybody; for many cannot be got any further, apparently, till they do hear it. So we keep pouring the truth into them, till they get help.

Quite a number are keeping the Sabbath, and many more are almost persuaded. We had a good Sabbath meeting last Sabbath. Several spoke, and the Lord’s Spirit was with us. Have sold over $20.00 worth of books. Bro. Hollenbeck has been with me for two weeks, and helps much in the music and other ways. About $20 has been raised by donations. It seems to require a tremendous effort to get the people to take a stand; but our faith is, we shall have a church in Salisbury. Pray for us that God will help us. GEO. L. BUTLER.