p. 71 | VERMONT | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 22, 1878

VERMONT

Tent No. 2, Marshfield, Aug. 12.

At the time of the last report from this tent, Aug. 1, meetings had just opened here. The tent stands on low ground and but a few feet from the Winooski River, and as it has rained every day up to yesterday, since the tent came here, the attendance has been rather small.

Our object in pitching so near Cabot was to connect the two interests and watch this work till our camp-meeting. The Sabbath after we moved from C. we were to hold meetings in the Adventist meeting-house at Cabot, as we have had the promise of the house; but the doors were closed against us. So the brethren came to the tent, where a precious season was enjoyed by the “river side,” in the worship of God.

At Cabot the ministers are now wide awake, and are coming to the front to defend Sunday. Three sermons were preached against us yesterday. Bro. Owen heard two of them.

We preached three sermons on the Sabbath question in the tent yesterday. Our audience in the evening outnumbered any previous one here. Up to last Sabbath we could count six or more who have decided to keep the Sabbath since the tent came to this place. As the truths sustaining the Sabbath of the Bible were presented yesterday, and solemn appeals were made to the people, the candid attention and tearful eyes clearly revealed the fact that conviction settled into the heart.

Since coming to the tent last week, I have often been reminded of our tent-meetings upon the same ground fifteen years ago this month. Our dear brethren, Eld. D. T. Bourdeau and Harrison Grant, were with us then. Our stay was short, and apparently but little was accomplished; yet I am confident the influence of that effort, with the consistent Christian life and earnest missionary efforts of Sr. Lamberton in this vicinity, who then embraced the Sabbath, have helped us, both in Cabot and here. A. S. Hutchins.

Tent No. 1, West Townshend, Aug. 12.

It has rained nearly every day since our last report, yet the people attend our meetings regularly, some coming an hour early to get in before it rains. The attendance at evening meetings has ranged from thirty to a hundred and fifty.

Last Sabbath, the brethren from Jamaica and Windham met with us. About fifty Sabbath-keepers were present, and an equal number of those not of our faith. We had Sabbath-school and Bible-class, and after the afternoon service a social meeting in which forty-four testimonies were given, several from persons not Sabbath-keepers.

On Sunday, about two hundred and twenty-five were present during the day. At the close of the discourse in the morning on the perpetuity of the Sabbath and law, a lady arose and declared her intention to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment. Many were visibly affected. At the close of the afternoon service about fifty manifested, by rising, their belief that the commandments are binding. Next Sunday the Congregationalist minister is to speak on the “Change of the Sabbath.” This we expect will increase the interest.

The people are very friendly, aid in singing, etc.

We are to have meetings every Sabbath.

I. Sanborn.