A Few Words to My Iowa Friends
By George I. Butler
In my ministerial work the Iowa Conference occupies a very conspicuous place. I lived twenty-two years in that grand State. All my early Christian experience was there. I was connected with the work in that conference while my father's home and my own were there. At the famous Snook apostasy, I was elected his successor as president of the Iowa Conference, though only a farmer in Allamakee County. I received my first license, and was ordained to the ministry, in that State. I then began to labor energetically to recover the conference from the sad effects of that apostasy, which had taken nearly one third of its membership and churches, as Elders Snook and Brinkerhoof were the only ministers of the State, and held leading offices in it. Never shall I forget those labors, and the many happy acquaintances I then formed, as I drove my span of colts through the wintry cold from church to church, instructing all the conference membership in spiritual gifts and kindred subjects, and in practical religion, till, as I have ever firmly6believed, no other conference in the denomination was more thoroughly instructed or more perfectly and harmoniously united in all the precious truths of this message than was the small Iowa Conference of that time. It had only twelve small churches then, and a membership of perhaps three hundred. “But best of all, God was with us.” Never while life lingers can I forget the precious, happy meetings we enjoyed in those days, nor the blessed camp-meetings which we used to have. I never attended better ones in all my life, never saw more perfect union of sentiment, or more fraternal love. I can never forget the joyous reunions which took place just before the camp-meetings began, as hundreds, alighting from the incoming trains, met one another from all parts of the conference. It used to affect me to tears to see them embrace one another, so glad to meet once more after a year's separation. I have failed to see such a degree of affection in most of our camp-meetings since. And as the years passed by, how mightily the Spirit of God manifested itself at some of those meetings. It was the common thing in those days to see from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five happy souls buried with Christ in baptism before the meeting closed. From those early labors a phenomenal growth in Iowa began. It was a common thing to admit from four to six good churches each year to the conference. We were rarely disappointed in those days in not having a company of believers whenever a tent meeting was held. The Iowa Conference rapidly grew up to stand second to Michigan, which was always the largest conference in the denomination, perhaps because the leading institutions were planted there. California, because of similar conditions, has passed Iowa since. Our ministry and public laborers rapidly increased also. It was only a few years after I began to preach as the sole licentiate, and in a few months the sole ordained laborer, in the State (we had, of course, some valuable laborers sent to help us from abroad), when I saw six laborers ordained at one meeting—something rarely seen since that time, though the membership of our conferences has greatly increased. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life when I was called to leave the dear Iowa Conference, to which I had become so greatly attached, to enter the General Conference field. I can never forget it. Elected in my absence to the presidency of the General Conference of our people, it was very hard for me to see it to be my duty to accept the new position. I did not accept it till several weeks had passed, and no doubt did wrong in so treating the action of the highest body of our people. Well, dear brethren of Iowa, it was because I loved Iowa so well, and because I could not see any fitness in myself for such an important position, that I delayed. You will all see by these remarks how fondly my mind lingers on those early associations with you. I can truly say that in all my manifold labors in this precious cause I have never found a more congenial field. Long years have passed since those early labors, strange and trying experiences have been passed through. Sorrows and afflictions have come to me. In General Conference labors I often meet with you. But for fifteen years or more my feet have never been on Iowa soil. In our recent meetings at Battle Creek, where the General Conference Committee have held many meetings for planning the work for the future, leading brethren urged me to attend many camp-meetings as a general laborer. In view of the great necessities of our Southern field, in which I hold the leading position, I could not feel clear to be absent from this field so long as that would require. They advised that I should attend a few of the early Western camp-meetings, and especially the Iowa meeting. I preferred to attend that rather than any other because of my past relations with Iowa. At my earnest invitation, the conference committee kindly associated with me in that labor my dear fellow laborer, Elder S. N. Haskell. We have ever been closely united in love and affection for this blessed cause. We hope to have an old-fashioned camp-meeting in Iowa this season. I shall make every effort I know how to make to secure as large an attendance as possible. I greatly desire to see all my old friends and acquaintances there. Come, dear friends, without fail. Why?—Not merely because of my presence by any means; but because we expect to have a grand old-fashioned meeting, and see souls saved to the cause; and because the Lord is with us, and we are sure he will be with us at that meeting. I never heard Elder Haskell preach with more power than on a recent Sabbath at Battle Creek. His heart is deeply enlisted in this great work. He can give the best kind of instruction in all phases of missionary work. His companion, one of the ablest Bible workers in the field, will be with Elder Haskell on this trip. I look forward with much pleasure in this union of labor with my dear old colleague in work and tribulation. Of course it is not necessary for me to introduce myself to the Iowa Sabbath-keepers. All I care to say is, “Best of all, the Lord is with us.” Never in all my life did he seem so near to me as of late. My health was never better. My hope and courage in the work are most excellent. Why should we not expect great things of the Lord? For one, I do. What, then, shall I say to my old friends in Iowa? 1. Come one, come all, to the camp-meeting. Let us have the largest meeting ever seen of our people in the State. 2. Bring your children, especially your unconverted children. 3. Bring your neighbors, all you can induce to come. 4. Above all else, bring the blessed Lord with you. Make the prosperity and success of the meeting the constant theme of your prayers from the time you read this article till the meeting closes. Do all you can to wake up from your own lethargy, worldliness, and indifference, and seek the Lord with all your souls. The more you obtain of his blessing before you come, the more receptive will your hearts be for the great blessings we expect God will give us at the great feast we are looking for. O, how my heart longs to see of the outpouring of God's Spirit! And in no meeting I can think of do I desire to see it more than in this one in Iowa, my first field of labor. I hope the camp-meeting committee will not fail to make great preparations for an overflowing meeting. This will be no ordinary occasion, if I can read the horoscope aright. Expect great blessings from God, and we shall not be disappointed.