IOWA by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 10, 1877

IOWA

By George I. Butler

At the close of the Sigourney meeting, I spent nearly a week with the church at Pilot Grove. Our meetings were excellent, though the attendance was small. Our Sabbath meeting will ever be remembered as a green spot in our experience, because of God’s blessing. Brn. Hollenbeck and Starr were with me, and added much to the interest. The former preached twice.

While at home at Mt. Pleasant, where I remained several weeks, we had an excellent communion season, re-organized s. s., and voted the one-third. The church have a club of twenty-five SIGNS, and are beginning to get awake in the good work of circulating them. It is a very gratifying feature that as soon as they begin to look around for avenues in which to work, they find openings increase, and that they can circulate a larger number of the SIGNS. But they wish to work into this understandingly, and do their work well. The church has increased from about twenty, when organized a few years ago, to upwards of fifty now. We have no church trials in our midst. We have a good Sabbath-school, good meetings, and a growing interest to work for the Lord. There never were as favorable openings to work in this city as now. There has been a very hard influence to contend with in this proud city, where popular churches have so great a sway. But the seeds of truth sown in the tent-meeting last summer are growing.

Last Sabbath and Sunday, I filled my appointment at Knoxville. Commenced with the evening of the Sabbath, and preached seven times, closing Sunday night. Held two social meetings, re-organized s. s., which will probably be about $800 dollars when all are in—over twice as much as last year. The one-third additional for the T. and M. work was voted, and a club of twenty-three SIGNS taken for distribution. Two were taken into the church, one of these subject to baptism. If the members of this church will only take hold of the work in Knoxville in good earnest, we firmly believe there will be large additions to their membership. Many are looking on partially interested. Many young people constantly attend meetings. They have now a pleasant house of worship, and everything is favorable for a general advance. May the Lord hasten it.

The Tuesday following, I met with the church at Sandyville. Some should have been there who were not. God gave me good freedom in speaking. We re-organized s. s., the one-third was cheerfully voted, a club of twenty-five SIGNS for use in missionary work was taken, and a more animated spirit of labor seemed to be infused. One person was taken into the church. Altogether, the meeting was a very pleasant and encouraging one to me, and a profitable one for the church members who were present.

GEO. I. BUTLER.