p. 382 | Rolla, Missouri by George I. Butler

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 21, 1875

Rolla, Missouri.

By George I. Butler

It may possibly interest some to learn how the cause prospers in this distant quarter of the field. It will be remembered that Bro. Nelson W. Allen and myself came here with the tent in the beginning of the season, and that at the last report some sixteen or eighteen had signified their intention to keep the Sabbath. Since that time, our experience has been peculiar. We have continued here much longer than we intended. But there never has seemed to be a time when we could feel clear to leave, as quite a number seemed almost decided, and there was still a good interest to hear.

From the first, there has been great opposition, and efforts have been made from all quarters to keep the people away from the tent. There have been public efforts against us from the pulpit, and insinuations have been made by ministers of the gospel that it was not a respectable place to go. But the fact was, some of the most respectable people in the place were constant attendants, and not a single disorderly act of any consequence was seen there during the whole season.

After a while, however, the local clergy got tired of attacking us and left us in quiet, as they found to their cost they were hurting themselves more than us. Since that time, several from abroad have come in on purpose to break our influence. One Disciple minister came and preached night after night. The people soon got sick of hearing him, and many of his own church would not attend his meetings. He said he “had been fighting this doctrine for fifteen years, and was going to keep on fighting it, and when he could do so no longer, he would stand off and make mouths at it.” He stated this in the pulpit. Our interest continued good. We knew, however, that the Disciple church were trying to get some one from a distant who they thought would be sufficient for the task of destroying our influence here.

About this time I went to the General Conference, and it was over three weeks before I came back. Bro. Allen continued meetings alone as he had strength during my absence, and kept up the interest very well. When I returned, I found Dr. A. G. Lucas here fighting us with all his might. He had given five or six sermons, and was evidently intending to do his best to hurt us. They had sent some two or three hundred miles for him, and their most prominent member here stated in public before he came that he did not suppose there was a man in the United States better prepared to show up our views than he was. Dr. L. is an old debater, and ten or twelve years ago held three debates with Elds. Cornell and Snook, so he was pretty thoroughly posted. The people greatly desired him to speak one evening and he speak the next; but he would not consent to this, so I commenced reviewing his discourses. Bro. Allen took notes of his sermons at the court-house, and I reviewed at the tent. This did not please him, as I took the larger part of the congregation with me. This continued several days. He found he was gaining nothing in this way, so he put out a hand-bill concerning “S. D. Adventists and Mrs. E. G. White.” In his discourse he made many statements which were untrue, and did his best to bring us into contempt and derision, getting his inspiration, partially at least, from Mr. Carver and Miles Grant. We put out a hand-bill the following day, in which we stated that his discourse would be reviewed and his false statements exposed. His whole effort only hurt himself and his own influence.

At last, seeing he could accomplish nothing this way, he sent me a written challenge for a discussion. I had thought I never would engage in discussions with any one. I have such a distaste for them that I have always been careful not to throw out banters for them. I have held one in my life, while he was old in the business. But circumstances were such that I saw no other way. We had been contending against opposition every step of the way, and now to decline when squarely challenged, I felt would jeopardize the cause in this whole section of country, and our young friends would never hear the last of it. The people voted for the discussion, and I finally consented.

The discussion is just closed, after holding eight continuous night, most of the sessions being two and a half hours in length. The subjects of the Sabbath, the first-day, the state of the dead, the end of the wicked, and spiritual gifts, have been canvassed. We feel that God has given us a glorious victory on every one of these questions. On some of them, I think I never saw a disputant so badly worried. He is a shrewd, keen, wily man, ready to attempt any advantage, whether fair or otherwise. But his dodging and throwing dust did not save him in the eyes of the community. All our friends feel greatly pleased over the result, while we have made many friends from those who were prejudiced against us, and many of his own partizans have admitted his defeat. Some of his members have said that this debate was the worst thing for them they could have had. I think I never felt more free in speaking than in this debate. I know the Lord helped me to show up his sophistries, and make the truth stand out clearly. My great effort was to make the weight of evidence in favor of the truth appear, rather than to follow his dodges and quibbles. The debate has decided several, and the prospect of good from it, I think, is great. We were morally forced into this fight, and now I think they will leave us in peace to close up our work here, and go to other fields. Of all the debates I have ever attended, I think this is the most decisive victory, on the whole, in the eyes of the community. So, as the result of his three weeks' effort against the truth here, after coming two or three hundred miles, and laboring very hard, he leaves our friends double in number, the present truth standing firmer and clearer than ever, and his own adherents discouraged.

The Lord has been greatly blessing us and to him be all the praise. As nearly as I can learn now, there are from twenty-five to thirty keeping the Sabbath here and near here as the result of our efforts in this place this summer. We shall stay here but a short time to close up the work as well as we can, and then I shall return to Iowa to labor. I never felt to more highly appreciate the strength of our positions, and the privilege of laboring in this cause, than now.

Bro. Allen has greatly assisted me in taking notes and in other ways. God is blessing him. His health has been very poor, so that probably he will work with his hands to recover his health. When I first returned he was unfit to labor at all, but we believe God has heard prayer in his behalf, and he has been steadily gaining ever since. My health and courage are good.

Geo. I. Butler.