Litchfield, Minnesota by Charles Lee

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 7, 1873

Litchfield, Minnesota.

By Charles Lee

The cause of God is progressing in this place. Both friend and fiend have aroused from their slumber. The priest that I referred to in my last report was finally brought to our meetings by the authority of his own church members. And he—for safety’s sake—had with him two gentlemen (or one, for the other was not very gentle) of the clergy. Our meeting, the first evening he was with us, we held in a farmer’s large frame-house, the farmer being the next neighbor of the priest. Quite a large number of people congregated that evening, and while I was speaking, they gave good attention. The priest, however, did not make his appearance in the room where the people were assembled, but allowed himself to be placed in a corner of the kitchen. When I got through speaking, and gave the congregation to understand that if any one had anything to say, their time had come, the priest entered the room, and in a stuttering voice, said: “I am the priest of this congregation, and I would like to know what authority you have to crowd yourself among us without my consent.”

The answer to his question had already been given that evening, as I read at the opening of our meeting the 10th chapter of Matthew, which relates to us how Christ sent his disciples unto the world to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and we had now only to refer to it. A discussion was called for by the people, and this was continued until after one o’clock at night. After a few days, I met with the priest at his meeting (for he began to hold meetings so as to hinder the people from going to our meetings), and then we had another discussion. The results of these discussions have been good for the cause of God. Our congregation has continued to increase since, and several have become convinced of the truth.

With the assurance from the priest that he would never debate with us again, we continued as heretofore, thinking that no one would disturb us any more. But hardly a week had passed when one morning, as we were to meet with our friends, the first one that met with us at the place of our gathering was the priest of this place, and he joyfully declared that he had found another priest that wanted to have a debate with me that evening. I told him they were entirely welcome. At the hour for our meeting to begin, the meeting-house was crowded with people, and with them, the priest spoken of. I spoke to the congregation when our discussion opened. A great many of the people who rejoiced in thinking they had found a learned and smart man, who would be able to settle all uneasiness caused by “Adventism” in this place, expressed the groundlessness of their expectations. Others spoke out their astonishment over the friendship (similar to that of Herod and Pilate) that now existed between the two priests and some of the people. The priests did not belong to the same synod, and had, previously, worked hard against each other. Said one man: “I am astonished to find these two priests so intimate friends just now, as they have heretofore done all in their power to crowd each other out.” Others said that the truth was plain on our side. The priest of this place finally said: “If we even should send for the most learned professor of Norway, he would not be able to change their minds.” I told him that the pope of Rome himself would not be able to affect us in the least with a wrong theory, so long as we chose the word of God for our guide. They all left us very quietly, which is something uncommon for the majority of that class of people. These two years that I have been out proclaiming the “present truth,” I have been called upon to debate with Baptist, Methodist, and Lutheran, preachers, and I can say, to the credit of the Lutherans, that I have found their preachers, in general, more civil and better educated than the former.

We have now organized a church of twenty members, known as the church of Litchfield, Minn. There are still three of our friends who could not meet with us at the time we organized the church. And there are several that are convinced of the truth, but have not made a decision yet. May God strengthen the friends to walk out in the truth of God! The church has pledged $61 to the Minnesota Conference for this year, and desire to be taken under the watchcare of the Conference. The friends here are a people that have a good name and influence among their neighbors; and if our enemies did say, the last time I labored in Meeker Co., that the outcasts of the community came out on our side, they will have to admit, this time, that the poorest ones are left, and the best ones came out on the side of the truth. May God help our friends to be strong and faithful! Nearly all the members of this church can understand the English language; and we hope that our American brethren will visit them if convenient.

CHARLES LEE.

Litchfield, Meeker Co., Minn.