Work in the Vineyard by W. H. Littlejohn

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 21, 1871

Work in the Vineyard.

By W. H. Littlejohn

On the 26th of December last, I was called to Otsego, to preach a funeral discourse. From that point I went to Bunker Hill, Ing. Co., for the same purpose, one of our brethren there having been suddenly killed by a sad accident.

It was our design, when we started from home, to go to Orleans, Montcalm Co., with a view of giving a course of lectures in that place; but on reaching Bunker Hill, Providence seemed to point decidedly in the direction of this place, and, consequently, in company with Bro. Briggs, who is one of those men whose religion finds expression in a willingness to sacrifice for the truth, we rode thirty miles across the country to this point.

The day but one after our arrival here, we delivered the first of a series of discourses on present truth, in what is known as the Stone school-house. Last evening, we concluded our labors in this place, having delivered in all, thirty discourses.

From the outset, the attendance has been large, for a country place, and the attention good. Several times the house has been filled to its utmost capacity; and on one occasion some of the people were compelled to stand in the entry. Night after night, when the weather was such as to admit of it, persons have been in attendance, living from one to five miles from the school-house. But we were especially gratified with the zeal of two of our own brethren, one of whom, living at a distance of twelve miles from the meeting, has been in attendance repeatedly, driving for this purpose, each night, a distance of twenty-four miles. Another, whose place of residence is about seven miles from here, has, we believe, been present at every meeting in the series, with the exception of one or two.

Nevertheless, our experience here has not been without its trials and difficulties. From time to time we have seen manifested that same bitter opposition to the truth which has in all ages afforded good proof of its genuineness; but perhaps the most withering and blighting influence of all with which we have had to contend, has been that of the recollection, on the part of the people, of the unfaithfulness and apostasy of one who, in the providence of God, had once stood as the representative of the cause in the same desk which we occupied. But God has brought us safely through, and we think much has been done in the direction of removing the prejudice of the people. Some eight or ten have declared their intention to keep the Sabbath, and if the little church which the Lord has planted in this place, and to whom we have become very much attached during our labors, shall prove faithful, we shall hope to see many more still gathered into the fold.

From the outset, we have made our home at the house of Bro. Alexander Carpenter, who, together with his family, has spared no pains to make us comfortable. The remaining brethren in the church, also, have at all times shown themselves ready and willing to do anything which the interest of the cause demanded.

As it would have been impossible for me to carry on a series of meetings without the assistance of an amanuensis, the Lord, in his good providence, has provided me with one who has, in every respect, been such as I could have desired. And having concluded my work in this place, I shall go forth with new courage, and with a heart full of gratitude to the God of Heaven, for the goodness which he has manifested to me in this my first attempt to present the truth independently of the assistance of others, watching his opening providence in order to the selection of new fields of labor.

My address for the present will be Allegan, Allegan Co., Mich.

W. H. LITTLEJOHN.

Genoa, Mich., Feb. 13, 1871.