Minnesota by Harrison Grant

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 7, 1874

Minnesota.

By Harrison Grant

As I have spent most of the winter with the churches in Minnesota and know something of their condition, I can say that I feel really encouraged for what God has been doing for us. At our quarterly meeting at Tenhassen, in December, I found the church nearly discouraged. The grass-hoppers had destroyed most of the crops, and some were trying to make themselves believe that God had forsaken them. I spent a few days with them. The time was spent in prayer and social meeting, and in trying to draw nearer to the Lord. Bro. Call, from Iowa, has since labored with this church about two weeks with good success. I received a letter from the officers of the church a short time since which was very encouraging. I hope this church will put on the whole armor and be ready to hear it said, Well done, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

I have held quarterly meetings in all of our American churches. The enemy had been at work trying to ensnare and discourage some of our strong men; but I hope the lessons some have learned and the experience they have had will be of use to them in the future.

After our meeting closed at Medford, I went to Sauk Center, to look after the work there. Bro. Dimmick and Hill had been laboring at Grove Lake. About thirty had commenced to keep the Sabbath, and they are the best men in that community. We organized a Sabbath-school, and the young are giving their hearts to God. Bro. Hill had gone home, and Bro. Dimmick was laboring at West Union, twelve miles from Grove Lake. I found a good interest there. The ministers were determined to break down the work, and did all they could to discourage those who had taken their stand. They locked the school-house against us. We were out on an open prairie, with forty keeping the Sabbath, and we could find no room large enough to hold them and their children. But we found a vacated house, took the partitions and stairs out, and seated it. We bought a stove, and the next Sabbath over sixty took part in our Bible-class and Sabbath-school. Bro. Fulton is there to work, leading out in the prayer-meetings and Sabbath-school. Bro. F. is efficient help in building up a new church and organizing a Sabbath-school.

The brethren at both these places (Grove Lake and West Union) have taken steps to build meeting-houses. The committees are chosen, the building lots secured, and part of the material is on the ground. Bro. Dimmick is laboring in the town of Osakis, about six miles from West Union.

I next went to Maiden Rock. Bro. Butler held meetings at this place last winter, and the result of his labors is, that twenty are keeping the Sabbath. The most of those that have embraced the truth had been reading, and as soon as they heard the truth, received it. But how few in the church are in a condition to help new ones as they embrace the truth. Oh! that God will help the careless professors to get out of the way of those who embrace the truth.

While at Maiden Rock, I learned that Bro. Lee was at Lake City. I went there and stopped with him two days. He had commenced a course of lectures. I attended his meeting, though unable to understand a word he said. His congregation are all Swedes, in which language he addresses them. I never saw better attention, or such a desire to hear. The result is that a good work is being done. Twenty-five or thirty are keeping the Sabbath there.

Dear brethren, I well remember my feelings at the close of our last camp-meeting. All the help we had was Bro. Hanson with the Danes, Bro. Lee with the Swedes, and a few licentiates to go out and improve their gifts.

But God has blessed our efforts, and we see fruits from all our labors. Over one hundred have embraced the truth in our Conference the past winter, and we will give God all the praise and glory. Oh! that God will help us all to humble ourselves and take our place where we can do a little good, and by-and-by have a home with all the redeemed.

HARRISON GRANT.

Medford, March 25, 1874.