MISSISSIPPI by J. E. White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 12, 1900

MISSISSIPPI

By J. E. White

YAZOO CITY.—During the last few months considerable advancement has been made in the work of the Southern Missionary Society, among the colored people in Mississippi.

At Yazoo City the work has been going forward in a quiet manner for about three years. An important part of the work has been done from house to house, giving Bible readings, and teaching the people to read the word of God for themselves. As a result, many can now read who did not know their letters when this place was entered. As a consequence, a deeper respect and reverence for the teachings of the Bible is taking the place of the former blind following of whatever the minister and the church creed might say.

School work has been an important factor at this place. There is a flourishing day and night school at Lintonia, and another at Wilsonia, both suburbs of Yazoo City. In these schools the usual public-school readers have been discarded, and their place supplied with the “Gospel Primer,” “Gospel Reader,” “Christ Our Saviour,” and the Bible.

History is taught from the Bible standpoint. The present season, at the Lintonia school, “Christ Our Saviour” was used as the first book in history, as we believe that the work of Christ on earth is the first and most important branch of history to be taught.

This book was gone through carefully twice. “Patriarchs and Prophets” was then taken up as a second book in history, and is now being studied with the deepest interest. This book correctly treats of the history of our race in the beginning. Our fallen condition, with its causes and results, becomes fixed in the minds of the pupils before the history and works of wicked men and nations absorb their attention. The work of God in the earth, as shown in the history of his people, should certainly precede the study of the work of Satan, as exemplified in the history of his people—the wicked nations of the world. Thus fortified, the subsequent study of profane history will but more clearly emphasize the difference between God’s work and the work of evil men as they follow their great leader, Satan. The interest of these history classes is encouraging. Even the children, who are studying “Christ Our Saviour,” are all interested to know “what Jesus did next,” and they talk of it at their homes, thus deepening and widening the influence of the school.

The Sabbath has come to the people largely through the school. The workers and teachers have endeavored to follow the light given, to educate before bringing out these testing truths. And the wisdom of this instruction is now apparent. The workers have tried to be patient, and let the Lord send conviction to the hearts in his own way. And now the truth is reaching the hearts of the people through the teachings of the schools. Simple school lessons from the books already mentioned have taught the binding nature of the law of God, and historical events have brought the Sabbath question to their notice in the most simple and natural manner. Before they hardly knew it, they were themselves leading out on the subject of the true Bible Sabbath.

As soon as the Sabbath question began to be agitated by the people, it was thought time to start a Sabbath-school and a Sabbath service in the chapel at Lintonia. The Sabbath-school has now a membership of fifty-seven, an average attendance of forty-five, and its donations are about fifty cents each week. The meeting, which follows, consists of a Bible reading or a short talk, and then a social meeting. These meetings are excellent, and the testimonies borne are spirited and intelligent, expressing great joy because of the light being received from the word of God.

Already a goodly number have taken their stand for the truth, and many are investigating with the deepest interest. The Sunday-school, on Sunday afternoon, fills the chapel, and so does the preaching service that follows.

Opposition is following as a matter of course. Our work is preached against in the pulpits of other churches; but so far these efforts seem to awaken a greater interest to know what we are doing, and result in a larger attendance at our Sunday meetings. The ministers endeavored to pass measures in their churches to accommodate all who should attend our meetings, but the members would not allow it to pass. The people are interested, and it is too late for drastic methods to succeed.

We hope for good and lasting results in this place. Pray with us that the enemy may not succeed in any of his efforts to stop the progress of the work. The battle is on at Yazoo City. Everything that can be done to blind the eyes of the people and stop the progress of the truth will be tried. But God has a people in this part of his vineyard, and has been preparing their hearts and minds for the reception of his word. J. E. WHITE.