McLeod Co., Minn by Dudley Marvin Canright

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

McLeod Co., Minn.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THE Lord still continues to bless our labors in this section. We have now been in this county three months. About eighty are now keeping the Sabbath, of whom only one was in the truth when we came here. Still, the way is opening before us. We now have Sabbath meetings in three different places; and I have just commenced a course of lectures in another neighborhood, where eight are already keeping the Sabbath. I did not expect to see many out, but the whole neighborhood turns out, and there is as good an interest as I have had anywhere. Yet, there are some ten or a dozen places more, right in this immediate vicinity, where they are earnestly urging for meetings. The interest has been such that I have tried to do more than I ought to, preaching nine or ten times every week, and visiting during the day.

Bro. Grant is with me, and greatly aids in carrying on our prayer-meetings and visiting from house to house, &c. Bro. F. W. Morse is coming to help me soon, so we hope to occupy these fields, more or less, during the winter. Probably we shall have all that all three of us can do till spring. We are thankful to God for such an opening for the truth, especially after having so little interest during the forepart of the season.

Last Sabbath, the friends in Hutchinson had an excellent meeting, in which several made their first start to become Christians. All are settling into the truth and learning to love it. Bro. Grant led the prayer-meeting here, and Mrs. Canright the Bible-class, while I attended the meeting four miles out of town, at what is called Bear Creek school-house. Preached on the gifts. Then we had a most excellent social meeting and a good Bible-class. On Sunday, about forty brethren and sisters came together at Bro. Whitlock’s, and I spent nearly all day in talking to them on practical duties, the progress of the cause, and what the Lord was doing for us. Here, we also had another good social meeting, in which several made a start for the kingdom. Preached that evening to a full house. All the American families in that neighborhood are now keeping the Sabbath. I believe there is not a single exception. A few weeks ago, some of these were first-day Adventists, some Baptists, some Methodists, some Presbyterians, some worldlings, &c. Now they are all united in the truth. This is more remarkable from the fact that many of these had, heretofore, been strongly opposed to the Advent doctrine, and would not attend the meetings, nor unite with them in Sabbath-school. One good sister said to me, “Bro. Canright, we have set up here nights to hate the Adventists.” Another said that if an Adventist came into his house he would set the dog on him; but we have now preached in his house several days, and have not been bitten yet. He and his whole family are obeying the truth. Another man, after attending a few of our meetings, being asked if he was becoming an Adventist, replied, “When you hear that I have become one, you may set it down that I am crazy.” He and his family are now rejoicing in the truth. A sister and her family embraced the truth while her husband was absent. When he came home, and found what had occurred, he felt terribly, and said that his peace was destroyed, and the harmony of the family was forever gone. He wept like a child. But, after praying over the matter, and becoming composed enough to hear and read in regard to it, he soon saw the beauty there was in it, and now rejoices with them in the truth. The tears run down his cheeks as he speaks of the glorious light he sees in it. Who can deny that this is the work of the Lord? A half dozen, or more, school teachers are among those who have received the truth. We hope to see them becoming useful in the cause.

This is a very new country, and, quite generally, the people have not many conveniences; yet, nearly all have homes and are industrious people. They all make us welcome to their simple fare, and seem to share with us what they have most gladly. When people feel this way, we can put up with most anything.

Bro. and sister Cox and Bro. and sister Pugh, in town, furnish us with good homes, and do everything for our comfort when we are here. What we miss most is fruit, of which there is scarcely a taste.

Preachers abound in this section, as it will be seen in the fact that more than twenty have attended my meetings, more or less, in this section. I have not softened the truth any for their sakes. With a single exception, not one of them, thus far, has ventured to say anything in opposition; not so much as to raise an objection to our meetings. A great effort is just now being made to send away off East, or somewhere else, for a smart man to meet us. This shows that they think their cause is a desperate one, requiring the best talent and greatest experience to defend it. How they will succeed remains to be seen.

Eld. Lombard, Adventist, attended several of my meetings, while in this section. He and his wife seem to be sincere, earnest Christians, seeking for the truth. I hope God may help them to see the whole truth. Bro. White thinks there is danger of us older preachers getting above the simplicity of the work, so that we cannot content ourselves to preach to small congregations. No doubt there is danger of this. But I think I have had a pretty good trial of small congregations this year. At the time I read his article, I was preaching in a little, old, log school-house, in the brush, where my head almost touched the ceiling, while standing up. Eighteen or twenty make it comfortably full. I have preached here to congregations of six, ten, fifteen, and so on. But I kept to work till I got my whole congregation. It is just such houses as this in which I expect to labor all winter. The next one we have in view is covered with bark. So, until we have a little more room, there is not much danger of our being puffed up very high! But as long as we find good, honest-hearted people, who are willing to receive the truth, we are very glad to labor under just such circumstances. We shall take steps immediately to build a meeting-house, some four or five miles out of town.

Tobacco flourishes here in all its glory; but we shall never give it rest, till all have cleansed themselves of it. Among those who first embraced the truth, very few now use it. I believe that when the subject is fairly set before them, and they realize what a dirty, filthy habit it is, injuring the health, destroying their minds, their tempers, breaking down their nerves, and squandering their Lord’s money, I say, I believe that they will give it up.

We have abandoned the idea of going to Iowa this fall. It was no small sacrifice of feeling to give this up; but, all things considered, probably it is all for the best.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Oct. 22, 1872.