p. 158 | OHIO by H. A. St. John

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 16, 1878

OHIO

By H. A. St. John

Van Wert, May 8.

THE brethren here have fitted up a storeroom for a meeting-house, which makes a tolerably comfortable place for the purpose. I began meetings on Friday evening, May 3, and continued until the following Tuesday evening. In consequence of rainy weather and extremely bad roads, the believers from the country around could not all attend. But our meetings, we think, were profitable to the church. We were sorry, however, to be obliged, for the harmony and prosperity of the church, to dismiss four persons from church fellowship. One was admitted by letter. Bro. A. A. Bigelow was chosen elder, and Bro. J. Garrison, deacon. These officers were duly set apart, and thus the organization of the church was completed.

For three successive years there has been a partial, and, in many instances, a total failure of crops in this section of the State. This has produced hard times such as our people in the central and eastern parts of the State have not felt. Debts for food and raiment are fast eating up the property of many. The frequent heavy rains up to the present writing render the outlook for this season rather gloomy. For these reasons, the contributions to the Lord’s treasury from this section are exceedingly small. But a few here continue to contribute quite liberally to the Lord’s work, although at a greater sacrifice than ever before. Such persons, I have observed, are equally as well, if not better, cared for by the hand of Providence, than those whose contributions have entirely ceased. The Lord loveth a cheerful giver, and the poor widow that sacrificed all her living, was highly commended by the world’s greatest missionary, the Lord Jesus Christ. H. A. St. John.