Hutchinson, Minn by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 24, 1872

Hutchinson, Minn.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Two weeks more have passed in our work here, and the prospect looks still better than it did before. The interest in our meeting has kept up good, so that we had about as large a congregation yesterday as at all—some dropping off, of course, but others becoming interested. Farmers are exceedingly driven with their work yet, but still take time to come, evening after evening, for miles, to our meetings. We are obtaining a goodly number of subscribers for our periodicals, and selling a great many books.

Notwithstanding we have visited from house to house every day for the last three weeks, we have not been able to get around and fill the many urgent calls we have. Last Sabbath we had our first Sabbath meeting. Bro. Russell spoke on the importance of the Advent movement, after which a goodly number of testimonies were borne for the truth, that being the first Sabbath they had ever kept. About twenty-five voted to keep the Sabbath. We still have hopes of quite a number more, as the interest seems to be deep and wide; and what is the best, the people receive this as light from the Lord, not simply as a cross, but are very thankful for it. Last evening, before preaching, we had a sweet season of prayer and social worship. It did our souls good to hear strong men and women confess the truth and receive it with great joy and thankfulness.

Bro. Grant came in the afternoon with Bro. and sister Armstrong, who reports the little company there all holding on and growing strong in the work. We have seldom seen a better prospect for a good sound church than we have here. They are all families of good standing and intelligence, and have nearly all come in by whole families. The Methodist class-leader, a zealous and devoted man, was so prejudiced against us at first that he would not come to hear; but after venturing out once, he got caught with the truth, and has come out strong and firm in the whole truth, and rejoices in it, with his whole family, as one that has found a great pearl. And one of their licensed ministers has embraced the truth; also two men in the village who have for years been looked up to as the best informed in the Scriptures of any men in the whole section around, not even ministers excepted. This looks to me like the Lord's work, and indeed all have to confess that it is, and say that they have never seen such a deep moving among the people as in this place. The presiding elder in this district is very friendly. He comes to hear us and talk with us whenever he has an opportunity, and is reading and investigating.

We still keep up our meetings through the week in our tent. Bro. Russell leaves us this morning, to enter a new field to present the truth. We regret to lose his company and his labor. We hope and pray that the good blessing of God may go with him. Bro. Grant will remain in his place for the present.

To the numerous friends in all parts of the State who have now sent in requests for labor, we would say that their letters are all carefully preserved, and we shall follow these calls as fast as Providence shall open the way. We cannot consistently reply to all. Most urgent calls are being pressed upon us from adjoining towns, and we must first follow up these. If those who are owing me for the paper and for books could consistently pay up, I would be thankful for it. I do not like to write to them personally for it.

I design now to visit Iowa about the first of November, and to hold a large meeting at Osceola, Richland, Sigourney. This will be all the time I can spare in that State. We hope our friends will make arrangements to attend these meetings and make the most of them. I hope to have some good strong man with me. We are in good health and strength, and enjoy some of the blessing of the Lord. Pray for us.

D. M. Canright.

Sept. 9, 1872.