DANVERS, MASS by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 28, 1878

DANVERS, MASS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

To-day (Feb. 19) I leave Danvers for the West. Bro. Stone goes with Bro. Haines to give a course of lectures near Newburyport. Of N. a brother just writes: “We spent the Sabbath with the church at Newburyport. The Lord is truly with that people. Four have been added to their numbers since the quarterly meeting at Danvers, and there is a deep interest there now. About forty were present at our afternoon meeting.”

Thank God for this good report. The prospect now is that we shall have a good, large church in Newburyport, where at first the work went so hard. Almost every week new ones are embracing the Sabbath, and that without preaching.

At Haverhill there is a wonderful interest. They have had no preaching, yet quite a number have come into the Sabbath, and many more are anxious to hear. We hardly know what all of this means, unless the Lord’s time has come to bless New England.

At Danvers the work goes on well. Scarcely a Sabbath passes but that some one takes hold with us. Last week we had a very interesting debate on the Sabbath question with Eld. C. E. Barnes, first-day Adventist. We hired Gothic Hall, and held it three evenings, the attendance ranging from seven hundred to nine hundred. Bro. Stone will report the debate for the paper. I have seldom seen greater interest in a debate than was shown here. It is still the general topic.

The next evening after the debate closed, we had a full attendance at our prayer and social meeting. We have not had a better meeting in our house. Every moment was occupied, the brethren rising in quick succession, sometimes two or three at a time. All expressed themselves as stronger in the truth than ever, and thankful for the light they had received. At this meeting another good soul took her stand with us on the Sabbath, which rejoiced us greatly.

Sabbath day nearly all were present. The attendance at Sabbath-school was larger than ever before, one hundred and eighteen being present. Nearly as many came in the afternoon, and again all thanked God for the light on the Sabbath, and this blessed truth. We feel that the strength which our brethren have received from the debate pays for all the trouble. Sunday morning most of our people were present, and we had a very pleasant and profitable business meeting. Our Sabbath-school is thoroughly organized, and well provided for, $71 having been contributed for the latter purpose. We have a regular fund of about $1.50 coming in by penny contributions every week.

Our business society for holding the meeting house is organized, and the business all done in good shape. Nearly every one belongs to this society. We have also organized a church, and got it well started. There are many more, who, as soon as the weather becomes warmer, will be baptized, and unite with the church. We have also organized a tract and missionary society, and the members have commenced this work. Nearly every family among our people, and a great many outside, take our periodicals, and are well supplied with our books and pamphlets.

There are now one hundred adult Sabbath-keepers here, besides children, not one of whom observed the Sabbath when our tent was pitched here last August. About one-half of them had never been Christians. Now nearly every one is a praying person. The filthy habit of tobacco-using has almost entirely disappeared from among them.

Sunday afternoon and evening our house was crowded full, as usual. Though we have had preaching here almost constantly for six months, yet our regular attendance Sunday is about three hundred. A large share of these believe the present truth just as firmly as those who are keeping the Sabbath; and, indeed, many of them seem to love it just as well, and are as zealous in advocating it. They are just as warm friends to us and the cause as our own brethren are. They give of their means and their influence to support the cause. When I told them Sunday that we could not have Sunday meetings any longer, they came to us expressing great regret, as they have no place they care to go to meeting on Sunday now.

There is work enough for us to stay, and labor constantly; but probably it is not best. Thus ends my labor in Danvers for the present. I hope to return once more for a couple of weeks before the tent season. Several brethren and sisters from other places have written me about coming here, hoping to obtain a good situation, work, &c.; but I do not think it would be advisable for them to come, as the church is so large they would rather be in the way instead of being a help. And probably in every case they would be greatly missed in some little church where they now belong. For this reason, if for no other, we could not advise any to come here.

Bro. C. W. Stone has been with us constantly since we came to New England. He has been an invaluable aid to me in many ways. He is a fine singer and musician; and this has done much to attract the people to our meetings. He also preaches well, writes for the secular papers, and reports for me in short hand. Our acquaintance has been very pleasant. I hope to have his help in the future.

My address will be Danvers, Mass., as before. I am glad to say that Mrs. Canright, through the blessing of God, is recovering very rapidly. The prospect now is that she will soon be entirely well. For all these mercies we feel thankful to God.

D. M. CANRIGHT.