Eastern Kentucky by Otho C. Godsmark

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 15, 1902

Eastern Kentucky

By Otho C. Godsmark

SINCE our last report to the REVIEW the work has steadily advanced in this part of our Master's vineyard. A general spirit of courage and labor has come in among our members, and we all feel that we have much for which to praise the Lord.

It has been our privilege to visit at their homes and to become personally acquainted with nearly all our people in eastern Kentucky, and we are glad to meet these dear souls and know of their hopes and fears, and to do what we can to encourage these isolated ones in the onward work of this message. In Covington, Bellevue, Dayton, and Newport, Kentucky cities that are suburbs of Cincinnati, we have a few brethren and sisters. We enjoyed our visit with these members, who are doing all they can to hold up the light of present truth in their respective places. We look forward to the time when something can be done to unite these scattered members and build up a thriving church there, for surely there must be precious souls in those large cities whom the Lord would have hear this last message of truth. We know of no place in the South where a devoted family could do more good in binding together the work than there, neither do we know of a more favorable opportunity for proper Bible and ministerial work to accomplish favorable results than are offered in these cities, which comprise a population of one hundred thousand.

At Lexington the work is advancing. Our tract society, located at that place, now has an office in which to transact its business, and is better equipped for work than ever before. Throughout the whole Cumberland Conference the work is gradually coming up, for which we are all thankful. The laborers in the field are being blessed, the canvassers are meeting with splendid success, the Bible work is yielding fruit unto eternal life. Our church schools have closed a most successful year. The work with “Christ’s Object Lessons” is proving an education to our people; and the work is moving onward.

Brother V. O. Cole, the conference canvassing agent, writes us most encouragingly about the canvassing work. Brother E. W. Carey, secretary of the tract society, is of good courage in his important branch of the work. Brother W. C. Wales has just closed a most successful tour of our conference in the interest of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” It was our privilege to go with him among the brethren in this part of the field, and we felt that a good work was done.

Brother A. F. Harrison, the general canvassing agent for the Southern Union Conference, is now with us at Louisville, and we are enjoying the benefits of his instructions in the canvassing work.

Recently ten persons went forward in baptism, and united with the church here. This was largely the result of Mrs. Godsmark’s Bible work since coming here; others will soon follow. We praise the Lord for his wonderful blessings upon the church during the past year.

The many barrels and boxes of papers and tracts that were sent us from all over the North in response to our call, have been doing much good. Our members have carried them by the thousands to all parts of the city. Especially have they been of use to us in our work in hospitals and in the different public institutions. We yet have all we can possibly use for some time to come.

Among all the many blessings the Lord has seen fit to bestow upon the Kentucky end of the Cumberland Conference, none has come to us for which we feel more devoutly thankful than for our little sanitarium that has sprung up, so providentially, at Frankfort, the capital of our State. Brother John Osborn and his wife went there in the early spring to canvass the city for our work. The leading physician of the place, learning that they were skilled in our methods of treating the sick, immediately set them both at work nursing some of his most difficult cases. So marked were the results, that he insisted on their opening up treatment rooms where they could care for their patients in sanitarium style.

A ten-room brick building, with pleasant lawns and shade trees, was obtained in the choicest part of the city, and was nicely fitted up with beds, furniture, baths of different kinds, etc. From the very start, the institution has more than paid, and our work is being brought in a most favorable manner before the leading men of the capital of our State. While there, we had the privilege of speaking to the patients and friends on some of the truths of the message, and we found that a most favorable feeling existed, for which we were grateful indeed.

In a letter just received from there, Brother Osborn says: “We are having all we can do. We have four patients in the house, besides our regular outside treatments. The doctor has several other patients in view whom he may send when we get more room. An ex-congressman stayed with us a week, and was greatly benefited.

“Mrs. Osborn has written to her cousin to get her to come and cook for us, then she and her sister, Carrie Horning, can give more time to nursing. I think I will write to —, and see if I cannot get him to come and help me out.

“Are you praying that uncle [Father Osborn] may come here and help us? I do not think this work will ever be just what it should be until he, or some one equally as good, can come and carry on the pastoral phase of the work.”

Will the brethren in the North pray for the work here in this Southern field?

OTHO C. GODSMARK.