OBSERVATIONS UPON THE CAUSE IN IOWA by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 9, 1878

OBSERVATIONS UPON THE CAUSE IN IOWA.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Nine years ago this spring I went to Iowa, and began labor with Bro. Butler, at Sigourney. I labored in this field largely for four years, and became quite well acquainted throughout the State. After an absence of five years, I have again had the privilege of being there, and seeing most of the brethren whom I formerly knew. Some facts have been forcibly pressed upon my mind, to which I wish to call attention.

1. When I first went to Iowa, the friends had just passed through the rebellion of Snook and Brinkerhoff. That move took all our ministers then in the State, divided our churches, and brought general discouragement on the cause there. It left us, I think, less than three hundred Sabbath-keepers in the Conference, and everything in a demoralized condition; but from that very point God has seemed to have a special favor for Iowa, and the cause has come up rapidly, and now there are in this Conference about thirty-five preachers, seventy-five churches, and two thousand Sabbath-keepers. What has become of the rebels? You need a spy glass to find the little remnant there is left of them. Adversity and confusion have followed them, and the scattering hand of God has been against them. One Eld. Goodenough, of that party, about seven years ago made a raid against our church in Richland. Eight or ten Sabbath-keepers were deceived, and went with him. What has become of them? Every one of them has given up the Sabbath. This is the fruit of their labors everywhere they go.

One thing I have noticed in every Conference where these murmuring opposers have risen up to divide our people, and establish a work of their own, is, right there the Lord seems to bless the cause more than anywhere else. Many years ago Michigan was their head-quarters for a short season, until their light went out. Directly following them, God began to bless Michigan; and his blessing has followed the State ever since. Then they moved to Iowa, and planted their batteries there; and see what God has done for that State. Two years ago they made a rush for California. About that time many things were very discouraging there; but no sooner did they enter the field than the Lord began to revive his work in California. Now see how he has raised up ministers and churches in that Conference within the last two years. Missouri has been their last place of attack,

and we confidently expect to see the blessing of the Lord poured out on that State. Let our brethren mark these facts, and let it establish their faith in this work, and in the providence of our God.

2. I was particularly impressed as I noticed the large number of young people in the truth in Iowa. I don't know as I have ever seen so large a proportion of young men and women in any of our churches as here. I should judge that at least one-third of our membership are under twenty-five years of age, and many of these are from fifteen to eighteen years of age. The small children are quite largely in the truth. This is very encouraging indeed. Bro. Farnsworth thinks it is because Iowa has taken special pains in the Sabbath-school cause. Every church, so far as I learned, has a Sabbath-school, and considerable effort has been made to make these schools interesting.

Let our other Conferences note this fact, and wake up to the importance of saving their children. Of course there are children among these Sabbath-keepers who are not converted to God; but their number is not nearly as large as in some other Conferences where I have been.

With the exception of two or three, the thirty-five preachers in Iowa are all young men. The president of their Conference, Eld. E. W. Farnsworth, is not thirty years of age, and he has only been preaching three years. These things look very favorable for the cause in that State. Other States might just as well have two preachers where they have one, if proper efforts were made to encourage young men to preach.

3. I believe that one reason why God is raising up these ministers, and so blessing Iowa, is because that Conference has been liberal in sending out its best ministers to other Conferences. From Iowa, Eld. Butler has gone to Missouri, Eld. Kilgore to Texas, and Eld. Osborn to Kentucky. When these men left, it looked like taking all the strength from the Conference; but, now see how God has blessed them. Michigan has done the same, and see what new ministers have come up. The Lord means to teach us by this not to be selfish, not to settle down in a small sphere, but to move out, and risk something in this cause. If other strong Conferences would follow suit, no doubt God would bless them.

4. Another thing I observed here, as I have every-where else,—it is not the ministers of the greatest natural talent and most liberal attainments who have the most success in the work; but it is those who work with God in the message, and give the greatest energy to it. Iowa furnishes a good proof of this.

There are several men here of much more than ordinary ability, from whom we would naturally expect great things; but they have accomplished comparatively little. Younger men, and men of far less ability and experience in the work, have gone all around them in their labor, accomplishing several times as much as they have done. Let these brethren see if this is not so, and see why it is so. Brethren, how much more time shall we lose in this way? Is it not time to wake up, and go to work? More anon. D. M. Canright.