p. 23 | MISSOURI by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 11, 1878

MISSOURI

By George I. Butler

Sedalia, July 3.

Our meetings are still largely attended, our audiences usually ranging from three hundred to eight hundred interested hearers. Books have been taken quite freely. Some over twenty dollars' worth have been sold in a little over a week. We are now nearly through the life and death question. We were really crowded into speaking on this subject. So many came to ask us about it that we saw no other way but to take it up publicly, and so far we see no abatement of the interest. Shall probably take up the Sabbath question by next Sunday. Quite a number have requested us “not to leave till we speak upon it,” which of course pleases us. We stated in our bills on the start that we were “Seventh-day Adventists,” and every report in the paper is headed, “The Seventh-day Adventists.” So the people know of us. And we like this rather better than to have our name not known. That name is getting to be pretty well known to the world, and the impression it makes is not a bad one. Why should it not stand out everywhere?

The papers are doing well for us. We have had a daily report three-fourths of a column long in the largest city daily, so far. The other daily, which is smaller and stopped publishing after a few days, came around at the close of the week, and wanted us to furnish something for the Sunday issue. The people are friendly, and several have asked if we are not going to form a church. We know not what will be the issue, but greatly hope for good results. I have never seen a more encouraging interest than this has been so far. We had a large temperance meeting in the tent Sunday afternoon, presided over by the two Methodist ministers of the place, and another is appointed for next Sunday afternoon. We talked a short time by the invitation of those conducting it. Pray for us. GEO. I. BUTLER.