Meetings at Battle Creek, Mich by Dudley Marvin Canright

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 2, 1878

Meetings at Battle Creek, Mich.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

We began meetings here Sabbath, April 13, for the benefit of the backslidden and unconverted. Brother Haskell was with us till Wednesday, and rendered good aid. Brother Hollenbeck, our blind brother from Iowa, was with us all through, and rendered valuable aid. From the first, the Lord seemed to bless our meetings. All meetings in the place were suspended, at the College, at the Offices, at the church, and at the Sanitarium, and the brethren generally attended the meetings, so that our house was crowded at every meeting. At the first invitation, probably about fifty came forward to seek the Lord. Nearly all these were persons who had never made any start in the service of God. During our entire meetings, we made no call for those who were simply on the background and needed reviving. We recommended them to seek God at home, and get a preparation to help us in the work. It was simply those who had never been converted, or who were wholly backslidden, that we labored for. There was much more feeling than we expected to find, and more needed to do than we had anticipated.

On Sunday, April 14, we baptized ten. By Wednesday, twenty-two more were ready, and we baptized them. Every evening from ten to fifteen new ones made a start. We have held our meetings just one week. The last opportunity we gave was on Friday evening, April 19. It was by far the most solemn meeting we have had. The whole audience was deeply moved. Several times nearly all were in tears. When, for the last time we gave an invitation to those who wanted to avail themselves of this opportunity, a good many felt that it was their last chance; and brethren and sisters who had friends here felt very deeply for them, and went to them all over the house, to talk with them. One after another came forward, weeping and broken down. We spent about an hour in this manner. When we got through, about one-hundred and twenty-five were forward for prayers. This number did not include those already baptized. We then gave opportunity for them to speak. This was one of the most precious meetings I have ever enjoyed. It did our souls good to see strong men and women, and little children, rise up in rapid succession, expressing their desire to be Christians without reserve. Largely, they were persons who had never spoken a word in meeting before. We all felt to thank God and take courage. Sabbath afternoon we went to the banks of the Kalamazoo, where so many scores have been baptized before. Both banks of the river were lined with hundreds of spectators, while Brother Jones and myself had the pleasure of baptizing fifty dear souls into Christ. Many here said it was the most beautiful baptism they had ever witnessed. All went off most pleasantly. Everybody was quiet and solemn, and the Spirit of God seemed to be present. Thus eighty-two souls have been baptized within the past week. This is the largest number ever baptized here at any one time. Several more, who were not quite ready yesterday, will be baptized in a few days.

April 20, 1878. D. M. CANRIGHT.