Streator Meetings and a Fanatical Hearer by R. F. Andrews; T. M. Steward

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 22, 1871

Streator Meetings and a Fanatical Hearer

By R. F. Andrews; T. M. Steward

From the Illinois Tent.

OUR meetings at Streator closed on the evening of the 8th. We had a very singular experience in that place. While we were confident that the Lord was with us, we could not account for the people staying away so much, making due allowance for haying and harvest. But we waited patiently for the Lord to reveal the mystery, and he did explain it to our satisfaction. When we first commenced our meetings, we had a fair congregation. Among our hearers was a man who claimed to have been called of the Holy Ghost to preach and to have special manifestations of the Spirit, which he called Holy Ghost religion. (We are confident the man is deceived, and it is fanaticism.) He had held meetings in the neighborhood until the people were disgusted with him, and had no confidence in his manifestations (this we learned afterward). He seemed to be much interested in our meetings at first and told the people we were God-sent men, and it was truth, and they were now having their last call, and it was just what he had been preaching to them only a little plainer. (He is a very illiterate man.) The people began to think if we were preaching his doctrine they did not want to hear, so they staid away. He attended one of our Sabbath meetings when quite a goodly number of our brethren and sisters were down from Northville. We had an excellent meeting. He and his wife made up their minds to keep the Sabbath. We trembled for the cause. But the next morning as he was praying (so he says), the Spirit told him to beware; there was danger ahead. He now concluded we were false teachers and the Sabbath a strong delusion. So he came to our meeting to warn those who had commenced to keep the Sabbath, telling them “there was danger ahead.” He proposed to preach against us. As soon as his neighbors saw that we did not indorse his manifestations, they came out, and the interest increased to the close, so the last week was the most interesting of all. He wanted to preach against us, and the people wanted to know what he could say; so we let him have the privilege one evening, of one hour and fifteen minutes. He undertook to show that the Sabbath was a type; and that Christ entered the most holy place at his ascension. Of course he failed, and all could see it. We reviewed him the same evening. We appointed the next evening for our last meeting. The Lord was with us, and it was the best of all. We felt relieved when this man took an open stand against us, for we were satisfied he stood in the way. It was the Lord’s will that he should develop himself so as to cut off his influence. We think the Lord has worked among the people. Some twenty have taken a stand for the truth, and others we think will. We were often cheered and encouraged by the brethren and sisters from Northville, some of whom came nearly every Sabbath. One of us will go back there next first-day to baptize. On the 9th, we took down our tent and moved fifteen miles to Farm Ridge, and pitched it the same day. We have held five meetings, our congregations are large and intelligent. We think it the best opening we ever had. May the Lord help us. Pray for us.

R. F. Andrews. T. M. Steward.