Rolla, Missouri by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 29, 1875

Rolla, Missouri.

By George I. Butler

As was suggested in a former report, Bro. Allen and myself came to Rolla about six weeks ago. But as the tent had not come, we did not commence labor at once. After waiting nearly a week, we commenced our lectures in the court-house.

Continued our meetings there about two weeks, and then changed to the tent. From the first, we have had a regular interest from some of the best citizens of the place, and the interest is full as good now as it has been at any time, our congregation being rather larger. We have canvassed the second advent and Sabbath questions quite thoroughly, and are now upon the immortality question. Our interest is by no means fully developed yet.

Last Sabbath, as near as I could learn, some sixteen kept the Sabbath of the Lord, who never had done so till they heard us. There are many more under deep conviction, some of whom I feel sure will take a stand in favor of the truth. I shall be greatly disappointed if there is not a good commandment-keeping church brought out here. The people here are very kind-hearted and sociable, and we meet with more cordiality than we generally do in northern latitudes. I can but believe, from what I see and learn, that God's truth will yet search out many souls in the South who will be jewels in the kingdom of God.

Some of the ministers of the place have manifested great bitterness, devoting sermons of denunciation to us and our work. But they seem to be killing their own influence more than ours. We can but pity them in their blindness. While they would have a small congregation, we would have a tent nearly full. Bro. Allen's acquaintance here, formed while he was professor in the School of Mines, located in this place, has been a great help to us in getting access to the people. He was much thought of by the citizens of the place when he left. After he embraced the present truth, reports came here that he was crazy, and that we were a set of fanatics. But they have since found out, that there is at least a "method in our madness," and these reports have only helped us and excited the people to come out. So they can "do nothing against the truth but for the truth." The Lord has greatly comforted our hearts in seeing the interest among the people. To his name be all the praise.

GEO. I. BUTLER.

July 13, 1875.