Report from Bro. Strong.
By P. Strong
ATTENDED the monthly meeting at Bushnell the first Sabbath in March. There was a general turnout of brethren from Greenville and Orleans, and a number of outsiders were present. The brethren wished for more meetings, and I verily believe if this church would take a firm stand on the truth, and live it out, that much good might be accomplished there yet. Their neighbors are hungry for the word, and they can help them if they let their light shine. May the Lord help them to make a desperate effort for life; for they are in great danger. The second and third Sabbath, I spent in Leighton. This church has been laboring under trials on account of slackness. Some have been dropped from the church. My visit was timely and resulted in good. They have had much opposition from without lately, and one of the members, without consulting the elder, rashly gave out an appointment to review a slang discourse. He invited me to fill it, which I did by letting the review alone as being unworthy of attention. I think that as a general rule after our brethren have learned that when they attend certain meetings, liberty is taken to misrepresent our views, it would be better to remain at home, and save their own feelings, and those ministers the sin of telling so many falsehoods. The Lord gave me freedom in speaking to the people on the second advent. From March 20 to April 16, I spent in Oceana Co., holding meetings in five different places. Held in all eighteen meetings. The brethren are so scattered here in this new county that it will be impossible for them all to get together every Sabbath. They will for the present hold their prayer-meetings in three different places in the county, and all come together the last Sabbath in each month. I baptized seven, and organized one church in the town of Grant, making it a county church, which will be known as the church of Oceana. It numbers twenty-two members. Others I trust will soon unite. Systematic Benevolence was organized, amounting to one hundred and ninety-eight dollars and sixty-four cents ($198.64), eighty per cent of which is pledged to the Michigan Conference. They ask to come under the watchcare of the Conference. Their regular place of meeting for the present, is at Bro. B. F. West's, seven miles north of White Hall, and they would be glad to receive a call from any of our ministers. There are two daily trains running into White Hall from the south, and two stages running north, passing by Bro. W.'s house.