Monroe Co., Mich by E. Brackett, Jr.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 18, 1872

Monroe Co., Mich.

By E. Brackett, Jr.

After presenting the Sabbath question on which I was engaged when I wrote my last report, a Baptist minister came from Monroe City and gave one discourse against the Sabbath and law, and in favor of the observance of the first day of the week. This I reviewed the next night. The Lord gave freedom in showing the fallacy of such arguments as had been presented to put down the Sabbath of the Lord and defend a papal institution.

I continued in this place six weeks in all, speaking nearly every night. The attendance was good until the end, and the interest seemed to increase; but it was impossible to impress on their minds the need of obeying these sacred truths. This seemed to be the most discouraging feature of the meetings, yet I was led to hope on and feel that I was doing my duty in the fear of the Lord, and went from house to house to visit and pray with them. In so doing I found my soul much blessed, and a deeper interest on the part of the people than I had before realized. I found one worthy person obeying the truth, and others halting. As I could not have the church any longer for meetings, it seemed duty to leave.

I then commenced a series of meetings in the Moore school-house about three miles from this place. My health being somewhat impaired by overtaxing myself in study and labor, I was only able to continue a little more than two weeks, during which time I had to meet a great deal of opposition and prejudice. I was denied the privilege of entering one house to visit the people. A Methodist minister gave me an invitation to an adjoining district to hear him on the Nature of Man. He took the privilege of indulging in sarcasm and slang, calling me a deist, &c. He spoke again in the evening, and as I was not there, took the liberty to call even harder names than before. This disgusted the people so much that some even told him to sit down, while others left the house. Before leaving the place, I found that six or seven had commenced to keep the Sabbath, and the community at large were very anxious that I should return this fall when the farmers will not be so busy. A good field of labor is open in this county. I am now at my father's, near Marshall, to spend a few weeks, after which, Providence permitting, I shall respond to a call from Bro. Waggoner in Indiana, to go with the tent in that State. E. Brackett, Jr.