Round Grove, Minn by D. P. Curtis; L. H. Ells

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 11, 1875

Round Grove, Minn.

By D. P. Curtis; L. H. Ells

We came to this place and commenced our labors July 4, immediately after our good camp-meeting. It is on the south side of McLeod Co., and on the border of the district infested by grasshoppers for the last two years, about twelve miles south of Hutchinson. It is an open prairie country and sparsely settled. Our congregations have not been large; perhaps not over eighty at any time. We spent six weeks here, and then were away about five weeks. When we returned, we found that the enemy had been busy in our absence, sowing seeds of prejudice in the community. The company whom we left in the observance of the Sabbath were not affected by the opposition, save in one or two cases; and in these we hope the Lord may yet so overrule that they may not be destroyed. Our prayers, and those of the remainder of the company, have been earnest in their behalf, and we believe the Lord will hear and answer.

The truth has taken hold of the most intelligent and conscientious portion of those who have attended our meetings. Many have been kept away from them on account of baseless rumors that have been put afloat by those from whom better things were to be expected, so that since we came back we have not been able to get the light of truth before so many as we hoped. Those who were interested have been very constant in attendance, and the brethren and sisters have grown strong. We have enjoyed some of the most precious social meetings that we ever attended.

Last Sabbath, Eld. H. W. Babcock, pastor of the S. D. Baptist church of Transit, and a good company of the brethren, cheered us by their presence in our meeting. They appeared to be deeply interested and highly pleased with the meeting and the work which God has wrought here. We trust that they and our brethren here may be mutual helpers in “holding forth the word of life” in this region.

Sabbath afternoon, we baptized twelve willing followers of their Lord. Yesterday, we came together and organized a church of twenty members. All but three are heads of families. In all, twenty-five adults have fully accepted the truths of the Bible, and some others acknowledge the truth of our positions, but have not fully decided to obey their convictions. We believe that the work has been thorough and radical, and that this company will, by the grace of God, stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free. We feel that the Lord has greatly blessed us while laboring with and for them. We have sold seven Bibles, a dozen hymn books, and some fifteen dollars’ worth of other books, besides distributing a goodly number of tracts, and obtaining about a dozen subscribers to our papers. We laid the subject of S. B. before them, and they will cheerfully accept it as soon as they have recovered from the effects of the grasshopper scourge.

We leave this morning for home, intending, if the Lord is willing, to go to a new field about the middle of next month.

D. P. Curtis, L. H. Ells.

Round Grove, Oct. 25, 1875.