WOULDN'T BE DISBANDED

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 9, 1879

WOULDN'T BE DISBANDED.

A Michigan correspondent of the Presbyterian tells this good story of a spirited Christian woman, whose indomitable faith saved the church at Quincy, Illinois, in the Presbytery of Monroe. Some years ago—not very many—this church had so run down that it was considered dead, and Presbytery sent a committee to disband it. The committee arrived at Quincy, and inquired for the church—there was none; for the elders—there were none; for the deacons—there were none; for the male members—there were none; for the female members—there was but one. They searched her out, and told her their business. She fired up, positively refused to be disbanded, and gave them a piece of her mind, somewhat as follows: “This is a pretty piece of business for Presbytery. I am ashamed of it. You go back and tell Presbytery I will not be disbanded, and that what it should do is to send a man here to preach, and build up the church.” They reasoned and expostulated with her, but she was firm, and returned but one answer,—“I will not be disbanded.”

They returned to Presbytery and reported, and Presbytery had the wisdom to see the hand of the Lord in it, and sent a man to preach. The results were a blessed revival of religion and the reorganization of the church. It is now a self-supporting church, with a settled pastor, and reports one hundred and thirty-three members. Louis XIV., the Grand Monarque of France, used to say, “I am the State.” This heroic woman could have said more truly, “I am the church.” Many a church that has been disbanded might have been saved by one such brave soul, trusting in Christ and seizing providential opportunities.—Selected.