Minnesota by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1873

Minnesota.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Friday evening, May 2, began meetings at Oronoco, in the Presbyterian house. A good delegation of our people was there from all around. The town's people turned out largely and filled the house. I had fair freedom in speaking the word. One was baptized, and several came forward for prayers. All appeared to be much encouraged. Brn. Grant, Edwards, Gibson, Phelps, and others were present. Eld. D. P. Curtis, Seventh-day Baptist, was also there and aided in preaching and other exercises of the meeting. Could he get out free, and give his whole time and attention to the ministry, he might do much good. He is well convinced of much of the present truth, and now feels it his duty to advocate it as far as he sees the light. I think the way is now open for him to give himself wholly to the work of God. Probably we shall labor together this season.

Monday, May 5, came home with Bro. Phelps to Pine Island. I wish all our people in Minnesota could see what he has done in the line of small fruits and gardening, and go and do likewise. He has apples on four-year-old trees; raspberry stalks seven feet high and nearly an inch thick, bearing wonderfully; strawberries; gooseberries; &c., &c. There is more profit in these things to a family than anything a farmer raises. Health reformers should take special interest in these things. A little time laid out in a good garden adds greatly to the comfort and health of a family.

May 7, had a meeting of the church to set things in order as far as possible. Found things in a very disorderly condition. Persons were still members of the church who had made no profession and who had not even kept the Sabbath for years. How can God smile upon such things? We did all that we could, for the present. Two were disfellowshiped, and several censured. A number of these will probably have to be expelled at the next business meeting. Four were baptized and five were received into the church. Several more are ready to join by letter. A leader was chosen, and regular Sabbath meetings were appointed. Some in this church are four years behind on their s. b.! Only about half are any where near up with their pledges. Several, I am glad to say, are entirely up. Something must be done in this State to correct this terribly slack way of doing church business or we never can come into a healthy condition. We closed with the ordinances, feeling that the church had begun to move in the right direction.

Friday, May 9, came to Kenyon with Brn. Ellis and Phelps. Held four meetings with them. The church here numbers fourteen members, ten of whom lately embraced the truth under the labors of Brn. Ellis and Phelps. I liked their appearance much. If they have the proper instruction, I think they may become a strong church. All take hold readily in the meetings, family prayer, &c. They take our papers and want to read and learn. I sold them thirteen dollars' worth of books. Baptized six. Organized s. b. to the amount of seventy dollars. All took hold of it readily. Would have organized a church, if it had not been that some are still using tobacco. This stood in our way. Hope they will soon abandon this bad habit, and open the way for a church organization.

The next day, Sunday, May 11, came to Concord and re-organized s. b., amounting to $79.00; chose a delegate to Conference, and looked into the standing of every member of the church; inquired after those not in the church; appointed committees to visit them, and took other steps to set things in order. Found less difficulty here than in most other places. I think this is a good little company, and that many more can be added to it by a few lectures here, which we hope to give in the fall.

Wednesday, May 14, came to Greenwood Prairie, and had a meeting of the church. Carefully examined the church book and looked into the case of every one, whether in the church or not. Some were disfellowshiped, and others taken in. We did all we could to set things in order. One was baptized. The church record here, as in most of the places visited as yet, can hardly be called a record. So of the s. b. book. It is not kept so that anything can be told by it. I find, in nearly every church, that the church treasurer has a book separate from the regular s. b. book, in which he really keeps his account every one after his own idea. This is because neither clerks nor treasurers have ever received any instructions as to how to keep their books. I hope it is not so in other States.

Re-organized s. b. to the amount of about $250, I believe. Several hundred dollars are back on old pledges. I hope these will soon be paid up. This is a large church and there are some excellent men and women in it. With the right management, it will be a strong church.

May 17 and 18, at Stewartsville. Here are now about sixty Sabbath-keepers, but much scattered. Most of them are good, honest Christians. A few are quite doubtful. There was not a word of record as to the organization of this church. The names were there, that was all. We made the best of it, and straightened it out as well as we could. Spent a whole day in examining those present, and appointed persons to visit or write to all who were absent, whether members of the church or not. Six were added to the church, and three, baptized. Some difficulties were settled up, and other matters attended to, as far as possible; s. b. re-organized to amount to about $250.00. This church has done the best of any visited as yet, in paying up their s. b. Nearly all had paid up.

A very rash and presumptuous act was committed by a few persons here. From a lack on some one's part, the ordinances had not been attended here for five years. This is bad, entirely wrong, for which there was no reasonable excuse. So three members of the church, one who had never belonged, and one who had been disfellowshiped, met together without any elder, deacon, or any other officer, and attended the ordinances. To me, this seemed like the height of presumption, and the most disorderly act one could well commit, showing a wonderful blindness and lack of reverence for the sacred things of God. After much arguing, they saw their error and confessed to the church. In justice it should be said that probably one person, and she was not a member of the church, was mostly responsible for it, the others being led into it. Trust we may never hear of such a thing again.

I feel a good deal discouraged on account of a difficulty in my throat, which gets no better, but rather worse. I don't know what to do. I see no chance to stop, and I fear to keep on preaching. I have to avoid speaking, as far as possible, and only attend to the business matters in the meetings we are having. Hence, brethren must not give out appointments for me to preach. D. M. Canright.