Reports from the Field.
By Editor
(Condensed from Review and Herald.) Morges.—Elder Bourdeau gives encouraging reports of the work here. In his discourses he has reached the subject of the “third message.” The people follow strictly with their Bibles, taking notes. Several have called to ask questions on points not clear to them. He has obtained permission to sell tracts. December 17 he writes: “Last Saturday night I offered our tracts for sale to a company of about sixty persons. I had them prepared in one franc packages. I had twenty of these, which were taken in two minutes, and I had to immediately prepare several others for the occasion. Some took four. I then lent some to the poor. Several have come to my residence after tracts to send to their friends in other places. Among my most interested hearers is a Roman Catholic who has studied two years with the intention of being a priest. He is an intelligent and sensible man. He visits me regularly, and has not lost one meeting. The first time he called on me he said: ‘The first time I went to the hall, I went from curiosity, but the second time I went from conviction, and I believe all I have heard.’ Last night I showed how we become and continue to be the children of God. To-day this man has called on me, and on leaving me he said feelingly, ‘I mean to be thoroughly converted to God.’ Very encouraging news just received from France has greatly revived us.” Chautauqua County.—Elder C. Reynolds writes: “The cause in this county is onward. The little company at Jamestown are humbly confiding in the blessed promises and pressing forward. At Blockville, the M. E. minister, took advantage of the opportunity afforded by a funeral service to berate us, and denounce the doctrine of the unconscious state of the dead. He declared it was impossible for us to love our dead; to do so would be to love a negation. Death was not a cessation of existence, or extinction of being; if it was, the omnipotent God himself never could raise any one. At the resurrection he might raise something else, but it could not be the person that died. Death was not the penalty of sin; for good, pretty little birds and innocent little children died, but, thank God, they did not cease to exist. He became so excited that he forgot to address the mourners until some minutes after he had concluded his sermon, when he seemed suddenly to remember it was a funeral occasion. This has aroused a furor of excitement, and a discussion of the question, ‘Mortal or immortal, which?’ for the elder has a reputation for scholarly acquirements. We reviewed his discourse on the following Tuesday. It was generally conceded that the Bible is on our side. The minister announced that he would preach on first-day, December 23, on ‘Sunday the Holy Sabbath.’ As he had postponed this discourse, and we expected if we remained he might again, we reviewed it before it was delivered, to an immense crowd, very many being unable to get into the building. The afternoon preceding the review of the undelivered sermon, three earnest, happy souls followed their Lord into the watery grave, and arose to walk in newness of life.” Kentucky and Tennessee.—Elder Haskell writes: “Our meetings in both these States were characterized with much of the good Spirit. The brethren and sisters generally, manifested more than a willingness to come up in the work. We never saw brethren more earnest to take hold in the missionary work in such a manner that God could bless their efforts. When this work was set before them, and they began to see what might be done, their talk had the right ring in it. They were anxious to commence their work immediately. Over fifty copies of the SIGNS were taken at our meetings.” Neosho County.—Brother C. F. Stevens writes that he has held meetings near Flat Rock and at another place east of Chanute. Twelve or fourteen have decided to obey all the commandments of God.