p. 54 | Meetings in Michigan by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 1, 1883

Meetings in Michigan.

By Editor

AFTER the meeting of the Michigan State T. and M. Society in Greenville, we were detained with business in Battle Creek most of the week. During this time the missionary meeting of the Society in Battle Creek was held. The church in this city has nearly five hundred members, while the T. and M. Society has only about one hundred and fifty members. This should not be so. The work of the Third Angel's Message is pre-eminently a missionary work, and the churches of Seventh-day Adventists ought to be missionary churches. It would be sad indeed if, in the great day, a minority only of our church members were to hear the words: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." They who hear these words spoken to them will not only be servants, they will be good servants. They not only profess, but they do. And they not only do something, but they do it well; they do it faithfully. They must not—they cannot—be negligent. They cannot love their own ease. They cannot choose their own way in preference to active, energetic service in the cause of God. They who do not give all diligence to make their calling and election sure will surely fail of a reward in the kingdom at last. 2 Peter 1:5-11.

And the Lord will make no mistakes; he will not deal in flatteries. He will not say "Well done" to any who have not done well. He will not call any one a "faithful servant" who has not been faithful in his service. We fear that many who profess the faith of the Message will stand on the unhappy side of Matt. 7:21-23, in that day. They surely will unless they consecrate their lives to his service, and move forward in the work of spreading the light to their fellow-men. God commits the message of warning to his people, and who that neglects the work can hope to be accepted in the day of his appearing?

The Society in Battle Creek resolved to take one thousand copies of the SIGNS, with which to work the coming year. It was a question whether this number would be sufficient to meet the demands of the work in this church for all the year 1883. If the society were as large as it ought to be, it would easily double the number. All honor to the workers in Battle Creek. Among all the missionary workers with whom we have met, we have found none more zealous and energetic than the officers and members of the Battle Creek Society.

Sabbath and first-day, January 6 and 7, we spent with the church in Burlington. This was the only Sabbath we had the pleasure of passing with the church with which we have stood related since its formation. In 1857, in company with Bro. Bates, we had the happiness of pitching a tent in the quiet little village of Burlington, where a goodly number embraced the truth; some of whom we met at our late meeting there. Some of the original number have fallen asleep; a few apostatized; and quite a number have moved away. And most of this last number have made a great mistake. They have suffered loss, either financially or spiritually. We are confirmed in our belief that brethren should not leave a church which has need of their help, without a clear duty calling them.

By reason of removals, we have sometimes feared that the organization in Burlington would become extinct, and the meeting-house which we helped to erect be lost to the cause. But our late visit gave us much encouragement, and we are hopeful for the cause in that place. There is a good interest in the Sabbath-school. On Sabbath we spoke of the early days of the church, and the progress and present condition and prospect of the cause. It was a time of good cheer to our hearts. On Sunday they had a business meeting. Bro. H. W. Miller was re-elected Elder, and Bro. R. B. Barker, Clerk. On Sunday evening we had the privilege, which was truly a privilege to us, of speaking to a full house of our old neighbors and friends. We had little hope of ever seeing many of them again in this world, and, with a sense of this fact pressing upon us, we presented to them the provisions of God's grace in the gospel. We pray that God may make that opportunity a blessing to some others, as it was to us.

Sabbath, Jan. 13, we met with those assembled in District Quarterly meeting in Newton. We spoke in the morning and Bro. Butler in the afternoon. Our subject was the missionary aspect of the Third Angel's Message. Sunday morning the resolutions adopted at the Greenville meeting were considered, one by one, and indorsed, and others to the same intent adopted. It was a good meeting and we trust will prove profitable to the cause. All were encouraged, and every one seemed fired with new zeal to work in this glorious cause.

About half past three in the afternoon we parted with our friends and kindred there and started for Battle Creek, a distance of about twelve miles, where we had an appointment for the evening. The air was piercing cold, and we were strongly reminded of many similar experiences in our past labors. We also thought of California! We arrived in Battle Creek before six o'clock, but felt somewhat unfitted for the evening service, our last meeting in Michigan. We feared that we did not succeed in expressing half what we felt on this occasion.

We are now preparing for our journey to the "Far, far West," on which we hope to start in a few days. Battle Creek, Mich., Jan. 15. EDITOR.