E. A. MERRELL by E. A. Merrell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Oct 4, 1906

E. A. MERRELL

By E. A. Merrell

Missouri

VERSAILLES.— Our camp-meeting at this place, August 2-12, was well attended by our own people, and by those not of our faith. After the camp-meeting I remained to hold a tent-meeting. Brother Miller and Sisters Hough and Warnock remained to assist in the work, and a few others stayed a few days only, to help in the singing, and in awakening an interest.

The attendance has been good, and the people are deeply interested. We are in the midst of the Sabbath question, and some seem to be deciding for the truth of God.

One minister has been preaching against the truth for three Sundays, and last Sunday he said that a man could “keep every one of the ten commandments and go to hell.” This rather startled some of his own members, and some of them attend our services even on prayer-meeting evening.

I have been loath to hold a tent-meeting after a camp-meeting as the people are usually so prejudiced they will not attend, and I believe there is a reason for it. As I expected to remain here, I requested that the change of the Sabbath and the United States in prophecy be not presented. Elder Porter spoke one evening of the Sabbath and First-day texts, and the subject of religious liberty was also presented in evening services, but these did not prejudice the people. They have come out to hear the truth from the beginning, and we have brought them up to these great subjects gradually, giving them time for consideration as we went along, and as a result, they are still deeply interested.

One of our leading ministers has written me asking if the camp-meeting proved to be an entering wedge so large that nothing more was wanted. I have seen many meetings where it seemed there should be a good interest after them, but no interest was manifested; and I believe that although the Testimonies say we should present the Sabbath at our camp-meetings, it is not wise to present the strong points of doctrine, which always arouse prejudice, until the subjects can be presented from the beginning in the regular course of the tent-meeting, so the people can have time to consider them as they go along, and have some one visit them to help them.

We are of good courage in the Lord and in the final triumph of the message. Remember us in your prayers.