Allegan County Monthly Meeting.
By W. C. Gage
We had the privilege of attending this meeting, held at Douglas, Sabbath and first-day, Sept. 3 and 4. The attendance was quite large, a company of some fifty going from Allegan on Friday, the 2d, by way of steamboat on the Kalamazoo River. The trip was very pleasant, and served as a recreation and relaxation from Office cares and duties. The river is very tortuous in its course, the distance traversed by the boat in going from Allegan to Douglas being about fifty miles, while the distance by stage is only twenty-five. Our meetings were interesting, and, we have reason to believe, profitable to the little company at Douglas, as well as to those from other places, who made the sacrifice of time in coming. We had an excellent and spirited social meeting-Sabbath morning, followed by a discourse on the Christian warfare. In the afternoon Bro. Kenyon spoke on the subject of the successive steps in Christian experience. The subject was eminently practical, and was well received. In the evening the congregation was increased by a good attendance from without. We gave a discourse on the prophetic symbols of Rev. 12 and 13. On first-day, spoke three times, to a large and, to all appearance, deeply-interested congregation. The subject for Sunday evening was Modern Spiritualism. The question had been previously agitated in their midst by a Spiritualist grove meeting, which had not made a good impression on the community, and they were therefore well prepared to receive our remarks on the subject. The congregation was pronounced by the janitor of the hall, the largest ever assembled there except on the occasion of a funeral. We were much prepossessed in favor of the people of Douglas. There seems to be little or no prejudice against us or our views, and the profound attention with which they listened, and the respect paid to us, is a good indication of what might be accomplished by a course of lectures in that vicinity. At a business meeting on first-day, the brethren unanimously passed the following resolutions, requesting their publication in the REVIEW: Whereas, Our present system of holding monthly meetings involves the practice of traveling from five to forty miles on the Sabbath in going to and from the place of meeting, with only a few hours of meeting when together, and, Whereas, This practice cannot but be detrimental to the best interests of our churches, and a violation of the spirit of the fourth commandment; therefore, Resolved, That we abandon this practice, by holding our meetings quarterly, alternating with each of the four churches in the county, said meetings to continue two days. Resolved, That we earnestly invite our brethren throughout the county, to make persevering efforts to attend these meetings, and remain to their close. On Monday we returned up the river, by steamer to Allegan, thence by rail to Battle Creek, to resume the duties and routine of Office labor, refreshed by the change, but somewhat tired with the labor.