Iowa: Church Organized at Osceola, Meetings at Brighton and Richland by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 5, 1872

Iowa: Church Organized at Osceola, Meetings at Brighton and Richland

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Iowa.

TUESDAY, Feb. 6, returned to Osceola, and had an evening meeting, at which we finished organizing a church. Twenty-six members came in. Others will join soon. We had a very harmonious meeting, with which we were well satisfied. Thus far this church has gone straight forward in the right direction. All seem to heartily indorse the whole truth, and love it. There is a good, healthy interest outside, and everything is in as good and healthy a condition as we could desire.

Feb. 7 and 8, was at Brighton. Here Eld. Goodenough was endeavoring to sow seeds of discord among the brethren, and succeeded quite well with several disaffected ones. I endeavored to expose the nature and design of his work. Spoke two evenings to a full house.

Feb. 10 and 11, attended monthly meeting at Richland. Had quite a number of our brethren out from other places, though not as many as we had hoped to see. We were privileged to occupy the Disciple meeting-house. The outside attendance was much larger than we expected. Their house, seating some 300, was well filled all the time. Indeed, there seems to be a better interest to hear than there was when we were there with the tent. The brethren have decided to build a meeting-house there, which they will do as soon as warm weather comes. The interest of the cause demands this, and we are glad they feel the interest and decision about it that they do. A short course of lectures should be given there at the dedication. Our social meetings were good. We organized a tract society for the six churches represented in that district. This will be further completed at our next meeting, when we shall have books, etc., so as to commence work. It seemed too bad to leave them with so good an interest to hear, but we could not avoid it.

Feb. 12, came to Sigourney. This was the first place I labored on coming to the State. It has been two years since I was here last. It seemed good, therefore, to meet with all these dear friends once more; and especially to find them all holding on to the truth and growing strong in the work. Our prayer and social meetings were free and good. Several arose for prayers, and some took a decided stand to keep the Sabbath. There is here, and ever has been since the tent meeting, a very large number of friends of the cause who have never as yet come out to obey the truth. We found these friendly as ever.

I spoke seven times in the court-house, which will seat between three and four hundred. From the first night to the last, the hall was filled to overflowing. I was surprised to find so great an interest. Indeed we never had a better interest and attendance in our first course of lectures. Our audience was composed of the best informed and thinking men of the city. Court being in session, we also had the privilege during week-day evenings of speaking to men from all parts of the county. Thus the truth had a wide hearing. By special request of several prominent citizens, I gave three discourses at the close of my meetings on the Evidences of Christianity. We hope this will have a good influence for the truth. This is much needed now, as skepticism and infidelity are rapidly spreading among the people. The popular ministers do not even attempt to meet this generally. It seemed unfortunate to leave when there was such an interest. Could I have staid ten days longer, we could reasonably have expected much fruit of it; but I could not do it. My time for staying in this State is drawing to a close, and there are other churches that must be visited.

Here also the brethren propose to build a meeting-house this year. I hope it may be in the providence of God for some of us to give a course of lectures at the dedication. There is certainly a manifest change coming over the people. Years ago, after a course of lectures was finished in a place, we could seldom get out more than a small attendance from the outside; but it is not so now, at least in this section. In places where the truth has been preached for years, we can get as large an attendance as we could on the start. This is encouraging. In several places I have tried the following plan of advertising a meeting, which has worked first-rate. Make no appointment till the day of commencing meeting. In the morning, have little bills struck off with one or two subjects prominently advertised on them. Have enough of these to drop one in every house and post one in every store. It costs but very little, and by this means, if there is any interest, you can commence your first evening with a full audience, and not have to lose several meetings before you can get the people out generally.

Monday, Bro. Nicola came along on his way to Sandyville and brought me to Oskaloosa, where I took the cars for home, after an absence of seven weeks. I was glad to know that Bro. Nicola has decided to give himself fully to the work of nourishing and encouraging the churches. This will be very much needed in this State the coming year. My health and courage were never better. D. M. CANRIGHT.

Monroe, Iowa.