The Minister's Visit by Daniel Nettleton

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 31, 1907

The Minister's Visit

By Daniel Nettleton

DANIEL NETTLETON

It was about the year 1865. We were living on our homestead in Nebraska. There were no railroads west of the Missouri River at that time. Nebraska was a territory, and Omaha its capital. We were in the wild West. The Indian's wigwam and the coyote's call were familiar. But the church bell call to prayer and the gospel hymns of praise were sounds unheard. Settlers came, and soon all the “claims” were taken. Then came also the pioneer Methodist preacher, the man that has done more to make the great Methodist Church what it is to-day than any other agency. He held meetings in the home of one of our neighbors, then organized a Sunday-school. Later he held a revival or “protracted meeting” in our schoolhouse.

There was no prayer or hymn of praise in father's home then. My parents were worldly people, “strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” But we attended the meetings, and the minister came to our home. I shall never forget his visit. When his horse was cared for, he entered our home, with saddle-bags on his arm, in which were his Bible, hymn-book, and gospel tracts. He talked with us a little about the weather and crops, but much about Jesus and his great salvation. He read in the Book of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused us to understand the reading. Then he sang one of those blessed gospel hymns, through which the Spirit of God finds access to the heart. Then he knelt with us and prayed, and as he prayed, his voice and countenance were altered. He wept over our sins, as

Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He prayed not God to have mercy on us, and send repentance and peace to this house. He was not the only one who wept. God touched our hearts, and answered his prayer. That day salvation came to our house. He spoke to us children, laid his hands on our heads, and blessed us. Many years have passed since then, but that blessing is still on my head. He gave us some good tracts, and we subscribed for a religious paper. All fictitious reading was put away from our home, and such books as the Holy Bible, “Pilgrim's Progress,” “Saints' Rest,” etc., took their place. That minister's visit was an “Ebenezer” to our home, for there the Lord “helped us,” and blessed us.

Dear brethren, let us go and do likewise. Let us visit our neighbors, speak to them kindly of Jesus' coming and kingdom, take them our good tracts and papers, pray with them, sing the glorious advent hymns, and thus seek and save that which is lost. Read Matt. 25: 31-45. Observe that these words of Christ were spoken concerning his coming and kingdom.

“He is not willing that any should perish. Jesus, enthroned in the glory above, loved our poor fallen world, pitied our sorrows, poured out his life for us. Wonderful love!”

Mt. Tabor, Ore.