The Discussion at Hutchinson by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 4, 1873

The Discussion at Hutchinson.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

I have been having very warm times here for the past few days, and many things of much interest have occurred; but as they are local in interest, I will give but a brief notice of some of the leading points.

I had been absent five weeks, lecturing at Silver Lake, twelve miles east, at the close of which I went to Glencoe and stopped a few days. Immediately, report was circulated that I had run away—left for parts unknown—and this, too, under very suspicious circumstances. This was told so confidently that many believed it; and even some of my friends thought that probably I had gone on some urgent business. In the midst of this general talk, I returned to Hutchinson, very much to the grief of some. Found three ministers actively at work giving lectures against the Sabbath. They had already given two or three, of which my friends had taken notes. Eld. Sweet had given the first of a series of four lectures. At the second, I was present, and before meeting requested the privilege of giving out a review of his lectures, as soon as he was through. The ministers thought it would be very bad to have the thing run on so far, and proposed that at the end of each lecture I review Eld. Sweet, and thus get through sooner. Of course I accepted this, and the first evening took about three quarters of an hour to reply to his lecture of about an hour and a quarter. Then another minister got up and took nearly as long time as I had; and then a second one was called on, and then a third man spoke. Of course, I had no time or privilege to review them.

Next evening, at the close of the lecture, it was demanded that I should confine my remarks to about thirty-five minutes. This was not in accordance with the arrangement we had first made. It simply showed a disposition to crowd me down. I spoke nearly an hour; then three others followed, reviewing me. Each one took nearly or quite as much time as myself. The third evening, I resolved to take as much time as I chose; and so spoke an hour and a half. The others followed again, and so kept us there till nearly eleven o’clock. I felt first rate over it, and think I had reason to. The next Sabbath, several came out decided on the Sabbath, who before had been doubting; and some who had not been keeping the Sabbath, took their stand with us for the first time.

The following Sunday evening, the Methodist minister gave another discourse on the Sabbath. Before meeting, I went to him quietly and requested the privilege of giving out an appointment. He said, emphatically, “No, sir; you can’t give out any appointment.” I suggested that I did not wish to appoint to review him; but simply a series of meetings that we proposed having. Again, he said, “No, sir; you can give out no appointment here.” At the close of the meeting, by the kindness of one of the leading members, I had the attention of the audience long enough to announce a meeting for the next Sunday, to be held in the church if we could have it. This quickly brought the minister to his feet, with the very emphatic statement that the church could not be had.

This church had been built with a special provision, both in the subscription paper and in the deed, that it should be open for all other Christians, when not occupied by the Methodists. It was in one sense a Union house. All the citizens supposed that it would have to be open to everybody, for even the spiritualists have had it. Political meetings have been held in it, and it has never been shut against anything before. In taking this action, the minister and church immediately brought upon them the indignation of the whole community, who are not bigoted church-members.

Honorable mention should be made of one prominent member in particular, who strongly opposed this action, but was overruled. Hence great excitement prevailed in the village the next few days after this decision—the preacher, in particular, being denounced in the strongest terms.

As for us, we care but little about it, for there is a good, large school-house here that we can have at any time, and is really a more comfortable place for meetings than the church. The following article from the county paper gives a good idea of how outsiders regard the matter:—

HUTCHINSON CORRESPONDENCE.

“EDITOR GLENCOE Register: The most excitement we have ever had here, not excepting the Good Templar fracas, the Donnelly sensation, the Indian disturbance, and the small-pox scare, has been stirred up within a few months over the Sabbath question.”

“Since Eld. Canright came here in August, this matter has been pretty well ventilated. The ministers at first adopted a policy of masterly inactivity, and determined to give the elder or apostle a severe letting alone. But in the short space of three months, they found that he had built up a larger church than all other denominations combined during the past fifteen years. Evidently the time had come for something to be done; but who should take the field against this modern Luther? Subscription papers were circulated to raise money enough to induce Miles Grant, or some other great light from the East, to come and set things right again. This scheme failing, and no one here feeling quite equal to the emergency, Father Sweet, of Glencoe, was finally persuaded to present the claims of the first-day Christians. This he did in four lectures, commencing last Monday evening.”

“In the first lecture, he laid out his ground systematically, with square and compass; gave a general idea of what he had to do, and how he intended to do it; laid the foundation for his argument in a thorough and workman-like manner, and so candidly and fairly withal, that even Adventists could take no exception to anything that had been said. The next night, Eld. Canright came, and asking for the use of the house for a course of lectures on the same subject, the next week, he was told that the controversy must be finished up, that week; but in order to give him a fair chance he should speak after Mr. Sweet closed. So when Mr. Sweet got through, he left them to fight it out among themselves, Canright on the Sabbatarian side against Mr. Butler (Congregationalist), Mr. Griffith (Age-to-come—no day), and Mr. Windsor (Methodist). Canright spoke first, and the others followed; and for two hours it was give and take, and he who struck the hardest was the best fellow, while outsiders enjoyed the sport. It must be confessed, however, that some of the speakers were perfectly calm and gentlemanly throughout.”

“The next night, it was the same, only more so, and the last night (Thursday), eleven o’clock sounded before meeting closed. Since then, people have been looking around among the rubbish and debris of the battle to find the Sabbath, and lo! it is not to be found. Still the fight, transferred from church to P. O., store, and bar-rooms, goes bravely on. We have here a notable example of the church militant, but it is doubtful whether we shall ever see the church ‘triumphant.’”

“The Methodists have decided that Bro. Canright is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and have closed their doors against him in future, which grieves father Putnam’s pious soul exceedingly, and brother Asa, feeling that ‘free speech’ has received a stunning blow in the house of his, and its pretended friends, is far from happy.”

“Thus the fight goes on, and the ‘end is not yet.’” “SPECTATOR.”

“Hutchinson, Dec. 16, 1872.”

P. S. By mistake, the above was not sent for several weeks after being written out. D. M. CANRIGHT.