MISSOURI AND IOWA by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 1, 1877

MISSOURI AND IOWA.

By George I. Butler

DENVER, MO.

At the invitation of friends, I recently spent nearly three weeks at Denver, Mo., speaking to those who had become observers of the Lord’s Sabbath under the labors of Eld. A. C. Long. These friends had embraced the Advent doctrine, the truth on the state of the dead, and the Sabbath truth, but had never heard upon the messages, the sanctuary subject, the two-horned beast, and other points, until Bro. Canright’s recent labors there.

I formed a very pleasant acquaintance with these friends, and was treated very kindly by them. I had the pleasure of forming the acquaintance of Elders A. F. Dugger and W. C. Long. Eld. D. was formerly connected with the first day Adventists, and has labored as an evangelist all through the West. He has recently embraced the Sabbath truth, and is laboring hard to give the light to others. It is pleasant to find here and there a minister who is willing to make the sacrifice of separating from old friends and even of severing his religious connection with a cause for which he has labored long, for the purpose of keeping the Lord’s holy Sabbath. Bro. D. has made this sacrifice, and rejoices in this important truth. He had of course heard, in his former church connection and more recently, many unfavorable things of S. D. Adventists, as there are many who seem to find great pleasure in speaking unkindly of us; so it was no small pleasure to me to have the privilege of setting before him and those other friends, at their own invitation, the doctrines of our people. Upon many points he was apparently favorably impressed, and he said these things had been misrepresented to him in the past. I had the privilege of presenting him with some of our books so as to give him the opportunity of a more thorough investigation of our doctrines. Our acquaintance, to me, was a very pleasant one.

I gave in Denver twenty-seven discourses, some of which were upon practical subjects. These were received very kindly by most of those living in Denver, and these doctrines, I trust, made a favorable impression. Bro. Levi Long was with me during these meetings, and our intercourse was very pleasant. Our object in Denver was not to distract or tear down these friends, but to present before their minds points which to us seem of vast importance, and to give them a correct idea of what S. D. Adventists are doing.

It was my constant effort to do nothing while in Denver to widen the breach between these Sabbath-keeping Adventists and our people, but rather to increase a kindly feeling between us. I see no good reason why a feeling of bitterness should exist between these two classes of Sabbath-keepers in the State of Missouri. Somebody will bear a heavy responsibility should he create or increase such a feeling, and thus lead first day people to conclude that Sabbath-keeping Adventists are bent on tearing each other to pieces. If we cannot agree on all points of doctrine, we can act kindly toward each other, and refrain from acts of hostility; and I sincerely hope we can come even nearer together than that. These friends in Missouri are not to be confounded with some in other States, who have gone out from S. D. Adventists with their hearts filled with bitterness, and who never miss an opportunity of saying unkind things of us. They seem to be a candid people. I shall not soon forget the friends in Denver, and I shall hope to be kindly remembered by them. May God guide us through to his blessed kingdom.

MARION, IOWA.

Last Sabbath and Sunday I met with the church in this place. My public appointment sent to REVIEW did not appear, hence the public notice was confined to those who received letters. But friends were there from Anamosa and other places, and our meeting was a profitable one. Trials which had almost threatened the existence of the church were amicably settled. The good spirit of the Lord came in powerfully at the close, and our hearts were all melted down in tenderness, and hearts which had been alienated were once more restored to union. It was a very profitable season. We strongly hope that the church will now prosper, and that God’s blessing will rest upon them all.

I am now holding meetings near Lisbon, in a meeting-house built mostly by non-professors, for all denominations. There has of late been a desire manifested to hear our views. The meeting-house is a comfortable one, and what is a little peculiar about it is that it stands within a few steps of where the first course of lectures ever given by S. D. Adventists in the State of Iowa was delivered by Bro. Sperry and Hart nineteen years ago. That was where our beloved Bro. J. T. Mitchell and others first heard the present truth. Surely there has been some progress made in the State of Iowa since that. May God grant that this spot already hallowed by such sacred memories may become still more sacred by the conversion of many others to the Lord’s sacred truth.

GEO. I. BUTLER.

Lisbon, Iowa, Feb. 22.