p. 55 | MINNESOTA

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 14, 1878

MINNESOTA

Paynesville, Jan. 31.

We began meetings at Paynesville, Jan. 29. About fifty were out the first evening; the next about ninety, and to-night the hall is already well filled, and services have not yet begun. As we look over the large audience, we pray that God will lead the honest into the truth.

W. B. HILL. H. W. BABCOCK.

Pleasant Grove.

Bro. Dimmick commenced a course of lectures here Jan. 11, engaging the Disciple church for the course. Congregations and interest were good from the beginning. Bro. Grant, finding so great an interest and Bro. D. alone, came for help to Hayward, where Bro. Ellis, my son, and I were engaged, with a good interest. I came with him on the 25th.

The Disciples became alarmed, and brought in their champion, Mr. Burns, from Ohio, to break up the interest. He presented Bro. D. seven propositions to discuss, but Bro. D. did not want a discussion, and refused to accept his challenge. That evening I gave a discourse on the Sabbath, and he announced a review the next day (Sunday). His style was such that we concluded it would be better to confine him to the rules of debate than to let him run loose; so we concluded to discuss five of his propositions, after changing the form of some of them; viz., the Sabbath, the kingdom, spiritual gifts, immortality, and the destruction of the wicked, holding one session in the day and one in the evening. Commenced Monday evening, on the Sabbath question, Bro. D. affirming. At the end of the eighth session, during which time the truth did not suffer in the hands of its defender, the discussion of this question closed, and the people rose up and demanded that the discussion stop, on account of the ungentlemanly and unchristian manner in which Mr. Burns treated both the subject and Bro. Dimmick.

On such a demand we were willing to close, feeling satisfied that we had the judgment and sympathy of the candid with us. That evening Mr. B. gave notice that he would preach on Sunday, on “the Lord’s Day” and in the evening on “the Gifts.”

We held meeting on the Sabbath, with a good congregation, some brethren coming twenty and thirty miles to attend; and the Lord gave us a season of refreshing. Thirty-five testimonies were given, several by those who were keeping their first Sabbath, and some their second. We do not know how many are keeping it, but think there are some ten or twelve new ones.

Last night they refused us the church to continue our meetings in, and the Methodists also refused theirs; but, believing that the Lord would open a place somewhere, I announced a review of Mr. B.’s Lord’s-day sermon, on Tuesday evening, the Lord willing. A large hall has been engaged, and we expect to continue the work as long as the Lord is pleased to help us to do good. We have felt that it was a blessed privilege to draw near to him, and feel our dependence upon him.

D. P. CURTIS.

Oak Grove, Anoka Co., Feb. 3.

We commenced labors at this place, Jan. 13. Twelve have covenanted to keep the commandments, and sustain Sabbath meetings. They are free from tobacco and are taking hold of the health reform in earnest. Twenty or more are keeping the Lord’s Sabbath. We now go to Corinna, Wright Co.

JOHN W. MOORE. WARREN WALKER.

Greenwood.

Met with the brethren at Greenwood in their last quarterly meeting. Considering the weather, there was a good attendance. There has been a steady growth in this church. The president of this Conference tells me there are now forty-two churches in this State. The cause is moving.

R. HOAG.