p. 71 | TEXAS | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 21, 1879

TEXAS

Turner's Point.—The arbor meeting held at this place July 30 to Aug. 5, commenced favorably, and closed with good results. The Spirit of the Lord seemed to rest upon us with great power. Sinners were converted, the lukewarm aroused, and the honest-hearted enlightened. The man who tendered us the ground would not consent to let us have it unless we would agree to pull up stakes and leave whenever he could endure us no longer. But before the meeting closed, he and his wife and daughter, with five or six others, were found keeping the Sabbath with the rest of us.

At the close of the meeting the interest was so great that it was thought best to have some one remain and follow it up. This I did as best I could until Aug. 12, when I had to leave for another appointment. During this time, I sold $33.45 worth of books, and found sixteen families anxious to pay for and take the REVIEW. At the close of the meeting twenty more persons, making in all twenty-eight adults, had decided to keep the Sabbath, obey the other truths to which they had listened, and open their hearts to receive more. This includes several children and youth. We find the people here, as elsewhere, kind, hospitable, and conscientious. The result of this meeting is good. To the Lord be all the praise, without whom nothing could have been accomplished. J. S. KILGORE.

Denison, Turner's Point, and Peoria.—From Savoy I went to Denison. Spoke once to the friends who had assembled for prayer-meeting. Here I met Bro. Johnson from Cook Co., who was formerly a Baptist minister, but now is fully with us, rejoicing in the truth. The little company here is growing in the truth, standing firm in the faith, and now waiting baptism and organization.

Although the meeting at Turner's Point was but an experiment, it was a success. This opened to us a new avenue whereby to meet the wants of the churches in different localities. It is impossible for us to accomplish much in new fields with the tent, and bestow as much labor with the churches as they should have, where we have to go from church to church and remain long enough to do any permanent good. But by this method of having arbor or grove meetings in the different districts, where adjoining churches can assemble together to seek God and learn the way of life more perfectly, and at the same time call out the crowd in these localities, there is much to be gained every way. All who attended this meeting from a distance, went home rejoicing in the love of God. From the commencement the power of the Spirit of God was manifested. All the children of our brethren, and sisters who were present sought and found the Lord. Thirty in all went forward for prayers, five of whom were strangers to our views previous to the meeting. There were others also who were deeply convicted, and who will doubtless obey the truth. One case deserves mention: the daughter of Father Huguley, a mute from birth, who cannot read, and could not hear a word I said while preaching; yet as she sat before me, looking me in the face with the most intense interest, tears streamed from her eyes, and evident signs of deep conviction were manifest. On returning to her tent she immediately began to carry out the subject, “Self-denial,” in a practical manner, by laying aside her jewelry, and participating in the exercises of the meeting so far as she was able. Will those who deny the abstract operation of the Spirit explain this?

Friday, Aug. 8, I arrived at my home in Peoria, after an absence of nearly six months. On the Sabbath I found the church assembled in a rented dwelling. About one hundred were packed in a room 16x24. Notwithstanding the loss of their nice meeting-house, and the inconvenience of the present place of meeting, I can see a great advance in the Sabbath-school interest, and good Sabbath meetings are also reported. Several new ones have united with them in the work in my absence. On Sunday I spoke again, and a business meeting respecting the new meeting-house was held. A strong volunteer force are now at work making the brick. Although the crops are almost a failure, and money is very scarce, yet the brethren and sisters “have a mind to work.” While the brethren are making the brick, the sisters are cooking for and feeding them. Their motto is found in Neh. 2:17-20. May God prosper the work.

I meet with the church at Cleburne next Sabbath. The brethren in this district anxiously await the arbor meeting, which commences the 27th inst., nine miles south of Cleburne; and those throughout the State are looking forward to the camp-meeting in November, near Dallas. R. M. KILGORE.