Meetings in Oneida, N. Y by John Nevins Andrews; W. H. Littlejohn

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 11, 1870

Meetings in Oneida, N. Y.

By John Nevins Andrews; W. H. Littlejohn

Our course of lectures in this place closed Sunday evening, Oct. 2. We have labored with diligence and faithfulness, and have spared no pains to preach the truths of God’s word, which are specially addressed to this generation. We have found this a remarkably hard field of labor. Those who were interested at the camp-meeting, and who expressed so strong a desire to hear further on the present truth, have, with scarcely an exception, refrained from coming to our meetings, so much as one time. And it has been thus with the people of the country, who have never taken interest to come out at all. We have been therefore wholly dependent upon the village of Oneida for our congregation.

Our success has been small. We do not know of but eight who have decided that they will begin now to keep the commandments of God. Quite a large number promise that they will do this hereafter. Some of these we hope will fulfill their promise. But the people who have heard, are, so far as we know, almost unanimous in acknowledging that we have proved our positions by the plain testimony of the Bible.

We took an expression of the congregation at the close of our last meeting, to know how many acknowledged the authority of the commandments, when nearly every one arose. When the congregation was asked to show, by rising, how many believed that the keeping of the seventh day was requisite to the observance of the fourth commandment, the larger part of the congregation arose. And when those were asked to arise who believed that Sunday observance would answer the claims of the commandment, only four arose.

During the meetings we were favored with a short visit from Bro. and Sr. White, who spoke to the people two evenings, which added considerably to the interest.

The Presbyterian minister preached against us twice; once on the immortality subject, and once in behalf of Sunday observance. These discourses were answered by us, we think to the satisfaction of nearly all present. We then tendered our stand to any of the ministers of the place to preach against what we have been presenting to the people. This offer we renewed from time to time, but it was never accepted.

Our congregation was larger at the close of our meetings than when we began our series of lectures. But we found what is generally true of thriving railroad towns, that the world holds the people of these places with such strong hands that few will break them and obey the truth.

J. N. ANDREWS,

W. H. LITTLEJOHN.

Oneida, N. Y., Oct. 3, 1870.