p. 46 | Missouri and Kansas by Geo. L. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 21, 1873

Missouri and Kansas.

By Geo. L. Butler

For upwards of four weeks I have been laboring in this Conference, although I have had no appointments in the REVIEW. Because of uncertainty concerning the time of holding the General Conference, and perplexity as to when I should go, owing to other calls for labor, I had not time to put appointments in the paper before I wished to start, so I notified the friends of my coming, by letter.

I left home, Dec. 4. Called at Bro. T. J. Butler's, on my way to my first appointment at Civil Bend, Mo. Bro. B. was away from home, laboring in the cause. Had a pleasant visit with the family. Four families embraced the truth there from the labor bestowed in the tent. No doubt others would, had not the weather been so cold, and had there not been so much sickness in the community. Held seven meetings with the church at Civil Bend, from Dec. 6 to 10. The numbers of this church have been much reduced by the removal of members to other parts, so that our meetings seemed small. I am sorry to say that some of these left a bad reputation behind them, which caused many regrets to those remaining; and while noticing this unpleasant point, I feel constrained from a sense of duty to my brethren in the ministry, as well as to all concerned, to offer a few words of caution about bestowing labor and organizing churches in Kansas and other new fields where Sabbath-keepers have moved from other parts.

Many worthy Sabbath-keepers have moved from other States to new fields, especially Kansas, for the purpose of bettering their condition, and to do good. But it is also a fact that quite a number have moved whose past record would not bear examination. Some have even gone off between two days, leaving debts behind, or other disgraceful circumstance to curse the good name of our people. And some of these very persons who could not get letters from the church they lived in, and who had been a constant burden where they lived for years, when they get out where they are not known, become very zealous in profession, and are among the very first to invite ministers to their vicinity to labor, and put on a great outward show of piety. And I fear some of our ministers have lacked in caution when organizing churches.

If our system of church organization amounts to anything, persons moving from one church to another place should be obliged to present letters of recommendation from the church to which they had belonged, or else wait till the circumstances which hindered them from receiving any be inquired into, before joining a new church. The good name of our people, and the cause we love, are of too much importance to be jeopardized by receiving every one that offers himself without any inquiry into his past record where he has been a Sabbath-keeper for years, and can get no letter of commendation. Let people tell their own story, and they can often make a very plausible showing. But some information should be obtained from the parts from whence they come. It is a bad-looking circumstance, to say the least, if old Sabbath-keepers, moving to new places, have no letters from the church to which they belonged; and before being received as members anew, these things should be inquired into; and before ministers go to labor in such places, it should be known whether those inviting them are in good standing.

If it be asked, Cannot those who have left a poor record repent and regain the confidence of their brethren? we answer, Most certainly. But the finest way to do it that I know of is to commence right back where the bad record was made. Pay up the debts, make their wrongs right by confession and restoration, and there will be no lack of confidence on the part of their brethren. I say these things because I know there is cause for it.

My labor in the church of Civil Bend was mostly practical, designed to stir up the minds of the people to renewed interest and zeal in the work of God. My design in coming to this Conference to labor was especially to help the financial interests of it. While the Conference has two tents already purchased, and men enough in its own limits to man them, and while there is a most promising field of labor in all directions, and a population made up from the most intelligent of the American people, among whom there must be many ready to receive the truth, the financial condition of the Conference has been in a very discouraging condition. In fact, there has been, as we may say, really no State Conference treasury at all. Times have been hard. Those settling here have had calls for all their means, and the cause has been neglected.

There are a good many Sabbath-keepers in this Conference, enough, we believe, if they would all promptly come up to their duty to put the cause upon a flourishing basis. It was with the hope of being instrumental in bringing about this good result that I have been laboring here. We are glad to say that the church at Civil Bend have done well in the past—better than any other church in the Conference; yet when the matter was set before them, although their numbers were few, they raised their figures some. They pledged the sum of $135.00 for the ensuing year. Others who were absent will doubtless swell the amount somewhat.

Brn. Rogers and Long were with me at this meeting. They had just been out laboring near Hamilton. Upwards of twenty had embraced the Sabbath in a few weeks. We were very glad they had received this encouragement, and hope they may see many brought to the knowledge of the truth.

My next meeting was at Centerville, Kansas. Held seven meetings there. This is a small church, and the friends seemed to be laboring under some discouragements, which we trust will not prove serious. At a business meeting, Bro. Smith Sharp was elected elder in place of Bro. Brown who resigned some months since. Systematic Benevolence was raised from $20.00 to $78.00.

My experience in getting to my next appointment at Avilla can only be appreciated by those who have traveled this winter where the epizootic rages. I started from Centerville, Wednesday morning, hoping some of the friends at Ft. Scott would take me over; but they had not received my letter, sent a week before. I went out three and a half miles from there to see a brother, and get him to take me through; but the disease had reached there, and his team was not usable. I walked back and took the train to Columbus, intending to take the stage.

On my arrival, found all the stage horses were laid up; not a hack or livery team could be had. The conductor told me to go down to Baxter Springs; said there were several hacks running from there. But before I reached that place, every stage line, hack, and livery team, was laid up. So I left my trunk, shouldered my carpet-bag, and started afoot, but found a man in the country who took me through to Carthage, within twelve miles of Avilla. The weather was bitterly cold, even for a northern morning. The mercury, at one time, was down as low as 15° below zero. I hardly expected to see such cold weather as far south as the southern part of Kansas; and from the reports of all the people, it was unprecedented for years.

Owing to all these obstacles, I was unable to reach Avilla till after the Sabbath. But there was no disappointment on the part of the brethren; for they were not expecting me, as they had not received my letter containing the appointment sent nearly two weeks before.

I remained there over a week, and held, in all, ten meetings. Some of these were very small on account of cold weather. We should have held others, but were prevented by the same cause. I found the church in a very discouraged state. It was very evident that there was need of labor from some source. Bro. Blanchard was taken sick last summer, at the commencement of tent labor, and did very little all the remaining part of the season. He had much sickness in his family. His health is now much improved. He attended but one of our meetings. We regretted very much the lack of his assistance. He hopes to be able soon to give his time to the work once more.

Toward the last, our meetings seemed more free, and the clouds partially broke away. The weather moderated, so we had quite an attendance of the brethren, and quite a number from the outside world.

Financially, this church has been in a very discouraging condition. They were much behind on past pledges. We trust they now realize these obligations and will do their best to meet them. The church signed again on S. B., those present signing $169.00 for the ensuing year. If those who were absent sign the same as last year, the whole pledge for the church will amount to as much as $240.00, which would be an advance of some $70.00 on last year's pledges. Altogether, we felt encouraged when the meetings closed, believing that good had been done and the cause advanced.

The following Monday, I started for Howard Co., Kansas, in company with Bro. Chas. F. Stevens, who had come in his wagon one hundred and forty miles to take me there to hold some meetings. We were nearly five days upon the road, coming through Jasper Co., Mo., and Cherokee, La Bette, Montgomery and Howard Counties, Kansas. These lie on the extreme southern boundary of the State. The ride was not as pleasant as I have taken, owing to the weather; but we arrived in safety, and have commenced our meetings, which we trust will result in good. GEO. L. BUTLER.

Elk Falls, Howard Co., Kan., Jan. 6, 1873.