OHIO

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 31, 1879

Appleton, July 20.—We are in the midst of the Sabbath question, with an average congregation of two hundred. Last evening about six hundred were in attendance. This is where the field has been burned over, and nearly all said, “It is of no use to try here;” but a change is taking place. Bro. N. J. Bowers, who embraced the truth at Bellville last winter, is with me, and is rendering good service. A. O. BURRILL.

Van Wert and Round Head.—Met with the brethren at their district quarterly meeting in Van Wert, July 12, 13. Quite a number from the church at Mendon and Paulding were

present. The Van Wert church quarterly meeting was held at this time. One member was disfellowshipped. The rest all seem to be strong in the truth. Ten copies of the Youth’s Instructor were taken. Bro. Wm. F. Crouse will preach to the Van Wert church once in four weeks. The total increase of Sabbath-keepers in this district since last camp-meeting is between fifty and sixty.

We have a beautiful location here for the tent. Commenced meetings July 19, at the beginning of the Sabbath. Have held six meetings. The interest thus far is all we could expect. I feel encouraged in the work of giving the warning message. G. G. RUPERT.

New Antioch.—Though the brethren were very busy threshing, most of them attended our meetings every evening. All came on the Sabbath, and we had a good school.

Bro. Gates resuscitated and re-organized this school three weeks ago. Before his visit the interest in the school was gone. Many of the promising youth had left, and were attending the Sunday schools instead. They were getting ready to give up the Sabbath. To-day these young people, with their fathers, mothers, and the little ones, are wide awake in the Sabbath-school work.

We found the youth and children using the Instructor. The Bible-classes were reciting in the old-fashioned way,—reading and asking questions upon certain chapters. They will use the Supplement hereafter. The little ones will recite their lesson in story form. The children, the youth, and the Bible-classes will recite by synopsis. They voted to take twelve copies of the Song Anchor. The superintendent is loaded up with Sabbath-school interest, and the secretary, in her report for this week, says, “From this date our motto shall be, Good, better, best.” D. W. REAVIS.

Bowling Green.—I spent Sabbath and Sunday, July 19 and 20, with the church at Bowling Green. It was our State quarterly meeting. Being right in the midst of harvest and very near our camp-meeting, we did not invite any of the brethren from abroad to attend the meetings, but we had full reports from the field except two or three churches who failed to receive blanks. The T. and M. society did not do quite as much work this quarter as last, yet about as much as we expected considering the time of year. Our brethren are doing nobly on the tithing system. Both Sabbath and Sunday our meeting-house was filled with Sabbath-keepers. Their Sabbath-school is now in a splendid condition. Indeed, it is about the best conducted of any I have seen in the State, and is by far the largest. The church have paid up their tithes, with a few exceptions, promptly and honestly. From the word of God we preached to them that the Lord would bless them in temporal things if they would bring in their tithes. Malachi 3:8-11. It is worthy of remark that they have scarcely ever had such bountiful crops as they have this year. The fields literally groan under their burden. We are glad that the Lord is blessing them.

But we are sorry that there are still a few cases of old chronic difficulties here in this church, which enjoys the unenviable position of being the only one in the State which is now in any degree of trial. The Lord gave us freedom in preaching plainly to them on this subject. Hearty responses were made and good positions were taken, and I believe that we shall soon see these things rooted out. There are a few miserable complainers in the church, who are always in trouble and always will be. The peace of the society will probably demand their expulsion very soon from the church, unless there is a radical change. But there are many noble souls here who are working faithfully. I spent most of my time with Bro. Gregory, the State secretary and treasurer, in arranging and preparing our business pertaining to the work in Ohio. D. M. CANRIGHT.