The Cause in the East

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 7, 1875

The Cause in the East.

From all parts of the eastern field there comes the most encouraging reports of the advance of the truth. Eld. Lane reports considerable interest in New Hampshire. He and his estimable wife have been laboring in Milford, where, in spite of bitter opposition, and the sickness of both Eld. and Mrs. Lane, an interest was secured and a small company converted to the truth.

Bro. Bourdeau is among the Belgian French in Wisconsin. In company with Bro. O. A. Olsen he has pitched a tent in Green Bay, and they are holding meetings in both English and French. Under date of Sept. 12, he says:—

“We came to this place with trembling, knowing it to be a large place, and an important point for the work for different nationalities. We have now spoken five times in English and once in French, and the prospects are that a church will be raised up here that will be composed of French, Americans, and a few Norwegians. God helps in preaching. We were encouraged greatly in speaking to at least one hundred candid French listeners this afternoon, one-half of whom were Roman Catholics. Four different kinds of French tracts were taken quite freely.”

Bro. M. B. Miller reports a good work in Southern Michigan. In Bronson where he spent eight weeks, an interest had been aroused by the distribution of tracts, and a few had commenced to keep the Sabbath, and thus the way was well prepared for a course of lectures. Though almost alone in his labors, there are now twenty-five keeping the commandments in that place. Regular meetings were appointed and a Sabbath-school and Tract Society were organized.

Sister Anna J. Carlstadt has been scattering tracts in Northern Minnesota. Of the interest there she says: “The publications given out in that language [Danish] have been well read; some of them have gone from house to house until they are almost worn out.” “I need some Danish tracts. I need but a few; and these I must have—not so much for the Danish people—but there is another nationality here that I shall try to reach by them—the Icelandic. There are people living not very far from here who are well educated both in the Icelandic and in the Danish. From them I shall try to get directions to the people in Iceland who may read the Danish. I shall then send them some publications, and write them letters, telling why they have been sent.”

Bro. James Ertzenberger, who, since Eld. Andrews returned to Switzerland, has been laboring alone in Germany, speaks of the interest in Solingen as follows: “I can say the good work in Prussia is not stopping, but moving on. The lectures at Solingen are well attended. The hall is literally packed with attentive listeners. Those who attend these lectures either belong to the leading national churches, Lutheran or Evangelical, or to the different denominations of that city, as Baptists, Darbyists, or Independents.”

The interest to hear the truth was still gaining and invitations to visit were coming in

from rich and poor. Of one of his visits to a clergyman of the National Church Bro. E. says: “He wished to know by whom I was sent, why I came to lecture in Solingen, and what we teach in general terms. To these questions I responded. Thus far all was right. But it is most alarming that this pastor could tell me with laughter that St. Paul greatly erred when writing on the second coming of Christ, and that the Bible contains many contradictions. I asked him to show me one but he did not. Then in a Christian manner I admonished him to pray God for light, to become converted to God’s word, warning him of the terrible retribution of the unfaithful shepherds.”