MINNESOTA

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 15, 1878

Sauk Center, Aug. 6.

Eight have signed the covenant, and we believe that several more are keeping the Sabbath, and will come out after a time. Last Sunday and evening, the Methodist minister gave two discourses upon the Sabbath, taking the ordinary course, yet finally telling his audience that Christ “never gave a command for keeping any Sabbath;” that there is not in the New Testament “a thus saith the Lord for a seventh-day Sabbath, nor a first-day Sabbath, nor any other Sabbath.” He then proceeded to establish a first-day Sabbath on the authority of Christ, the apostles, and the early fathers. Last evening we reviewed him at the tent, before about a hundred quiet and attentive listeners. His effort has helped us greatly.

Sunday afternoon, a gentleman from Chicago, apparently very intelligent and candid, came to our tent and said that he had met one of our brethren a few days before, and incidentally learned a little concerning us, and wishing to learn more, he came to us, as the representatives of our faith, to make inquiries for information. We spent an hour very pleasantly in giving him an outline of our position and the extent of our work, and gave him some reading matter. He appeared pleased with the interview, and seemed to be desirous to learn the truth in regard to our views, and what we are doing.

We shall remain here a few days, until the hurry of harvest is over, before we enter a new locality. D. P. Curtis. N. Battin.

Wasioja, Dodge Co., Aug. 5.

I have been laboring here and at Dodge Center for the last four weeks, visiting through the week and holding meetings on the Sabbath. I find quite a number of families that are deeply interested. The church has been strengthened, and others have accepted the faith. The church at Dodge Center now numbers forty members, who are earnest workers in the cause of God. A little more than one year ago the Concord church was re-organized at Dodge Center with seventeen members, who went

to work in earnest for the Master. They now see their numbers more than doubled, and the blessing of God rests upon them in an especial manner.

This church has adopted the “tithing system.” At the last quarterly meeting, their S. B. was all paid up and many of them had paid one or two quarters in advance. They have in their T. and M. department a good assortment of our publications, and are $25 or $30 ahead, and are entering into the V. M. work with a zeal that is truly commendable.

Of late their hearts have been made to rejoice by the manifestation in their midst of the healing power of God. The health of one of our sisters had been failing for some time, notwithstanding the treatment she received from the best physicians in the country; and it was apparent to all who knew her that unless the Lord should help she must soon go into the grave. At the close of the services, Sabbath afternoon, July 13, she called for the elders of the church and several of the brethren, and sisters, and friends, when prayer was offered in harmony with James 5:14, 15. The power of God came into our midst, the disease was rebuked, and the sister arose and praised God. The Lord blessed the elder of the church wonderfully, and we all felt that it was good to be there. A sister present who had been very feeble in health for a long time, but who entertained skeptical views in regard to the manifestation of the Spirit in these days, when she saw this manifestation of the power of God in our midst, threw away her skepticism, and immediately the blessing of the Lord rested upon her, and she was nearly overcome. The work of healing commenced with her also, and she was led to praise God for his goodness. Nor did the work stop here; a feeble brother received his share of the blessing, and of the healing power of God. I present this that others may take courage. The doers of the word, and not the hearers only, shall be blessed.

My heart is cheered, and I never felt more like consecrating myself to the work of the Lord than at the present time. I want to see God’s people come near to him by prompt obedience, that they may receive the blessing. Pray for us. L. H. Ellis.

Monticello and Sauk Rapids.

Sabbath and first-day, July 6 and 7, I spent with the church at Monticello. Seven were added to the church, and all pledged on S. B. The Lord was with us.

Aug. 3, I was with the church at Sauk Rapids. The brethren present took new courage, and intend to do more for the cause in the future.

Since camp-meeting, labor has been performed and meetings held, with fair interest, in the vicinity of Monticello, and at Brockway. Subscriptions have been obtained for two copies of the Signs. H. W. Babcock.