Meetings in Michigan by A. S. Hutchins

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 14, 1873

Meetings in Michigan.

By A. S. Hutchins

As our meetings in Springport, August 23 and 24, have been reported by Bro. Sawyer, I will only say, There were quite encouraging features in the meetings to me. We were happy to meet so many who love the present work of the remnant church, some of whom embraced the third angel’s message when it first began to be preached in the East, and others who but recently heard it, rejoicing together in keeping the commandments of God, and in hope of the immediate coming of the Saviour. Among such, we noticed with pleasure the cheering testimonies of five brethren, from seventy-five to eighty years of age.

In Burlington, the following Sabbath and first-day, I helped the church what I could, considering limited time and the condition of affairs among the brethren, which I think the church have power to greatly improve, and which they may, if they will act up to the convictions of the majority.

The camp meeting for this State was, I trust, a profitable season for me; and I can see it proved beneficial to others. I firmly believe it will prove thus to all who there heard the solemn and most important truths proclaimed, if they carefully reduce them to practice. It is quite too late in our history, and the magnitude and importance of our work are too great, for us to be forgetful hearers of the word. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

Sabbath and first-day, September 20 and 21, I was at Potterville. On Sabbath, brethren and sisters were present from Charlotte and Oneida. These listened with good attention to practical truths presented. At the close of the remarks in the afternoon, there were fifty-seven testimonies given in about that number of minutes. Some spoke, in tears, who had never borne testimony before. As the meeting closed, several of the young arose for prayers. This was regarded as a good day for the churches in this section.

On first-day evening, I spoke to the friends again, and also attended their fourth-day evening meeting. Circumstances forbade my visiting as many families in this section as I desired.

On the 27th and 28th, I spoke in Orleans. Brethren and sisters were with us from Greenville, Bushnell, Vergennes, and Orange. In a social meeting, Sabbath afternoon, there were sixty-eight testimonies borne in fifty-nine minutes.

Last Sabbath, there was quite a good turnout of brethren again, who seemed encouraged by the word spoken. Yesterday, we held a business meeting, adjourned from last Wednesday. Aided by several of the most experienced and judicious brethren from Greenville, we carefully labored to restore erring brethren to the confidence of the church. Patient investigation and efforts, in this direction, resulted in the withdrawal of the hand of fellowship from one, and an earnest confession of another (connected with the same trial), which gave evidence of a good start in the right direction toward favor with God and the confidence of his people.

Here we mark the dangerous position of those who rest satisfied with a theoretical conversion to the truth, while the heart is but slightly changed, if at all, by its refining, elevating power. Such often easily become offended, and turn away from God, and his truth, and his people, and all the precious promises of his holy word. Oh! that all might love the law of God as they should. “Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.”

And again we notice the fatal mistake of watching the course of our brethren, and severely censuring them for their real or supposed wrongs, while the garden of our own heart is neglected, and we so much blinded as to be hardly able to discriminate between right and wrong.

Says Jesus, “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? First cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.” Matt. 7: 3-5.

We hope to see the church as a body arise here, and that brighter and happier days may dawn upon all her members.

A. S. HUTCHINS.

Orleans, Ionia Co., Mich., Oct. 6, 1873.