Minnesota Tent by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 27, 1872

Minnesota Tent.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

WE had hoped by this time to have something favorable to report; but are sorry to say that this is not the case. This was the most favorable location we could find, a village of 300 inhabitants, with a good farming country around, quite largely Americans. The truth had never been preached here and the way seemed to open favorably, so we pitched our tent and commenced meetings. The weather is good, roads are fine, good moonlight nights, and we have done all we could to advertise our meetings; and yet it is the same here as in every other place we have tried, little or no interest.

We commenced with an audience of fifty, and this has dropped off to about thirty, with no interest in those who do come. This is the fourth time I have pitched the tent in this State this year in the most favorable locations I could find. The result has been the same every time. Nor is there any way that opens before us. No one asks for any labor; though I have been in the State several months, and have inquired, and written, and traveled, as extensively as I could, yet I have never had a single invitation from any soul—Sabbath-keepers or any one else—to come and hold meetings in their place.

Wherever we have gone, it has been uninvited, and entirely among strangers. Have had to go directly to a tavern, pay the highest rate for board and everything we had, even to a box of matches. We have sold no books of any account, nor obtained but very few subscribers for the REVIEW. Of course, under the circumstances, we cannot feel otherwise than a good deal discouraged. We know there are people who want to hear the truth. In coming to this State, we felt numerous promising fields, where scattered brethren and interested friends were earnestly calling for help, offering to bear our expenses, furnish us a home, &c., if we would come and help them. And now to labor under such circumstances as these, at times, seems a little more than we can stand up under long. We shall probably soon have to close our meetings here. There is no opening before us—no calls for labor that I know of.

If there are any friends to the cause in Minnesota, who want labor where they are, and can obtain a house in which to hold meetings, and will board us while there, we are ready to go. If not, we shall return home; or we are ready to go to any other State where the people do want to hear. We are at your service, brethren, and we want to hear from you immediately. We cannot consent to have these fine fall months go by without some prospect of doing good. D. M. CANRIGHT.

Hutchinson, McLeod Co., Minn., Aug. 18, 1872.