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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Dec 12, 1878

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 4, No. 47.

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Santa Rosa, Cal.

By W. M. HEALEY; J. D. RICE

The discussion held in this place, November 19-30, between Elder C. Kendricks of the Christian denomination and ourselves, closed with a complete victory for the truth; as is always the case when truth is forced to contend with error.
Before the discussion our opponent and his friends were loud in their boasting of what they were going to do, and how they would overthrow the work established here. But it is well they did their boasting before the debate, for they do not seem to be the least inclined that way now! They are not at all pleased with the results of the debate, but think their man has not been able to properly defend their position although before the discussion they acknowledged him to be their best man in the State. He worked hard to uphold his theory and defended it as well as any of them could, but the difficulty is, he was on the wrong side of the question, the truth is against him, and of course he could not stand. Truly, they “can do nothing against the truth but for the truth.”
The discussion has strengthened our new converts to the faith. It has also opened the eyes of some of their own members which see that they have been standing upon a sandy foundation, some of whom are now talking of building upon the rock foundation of God’s eternal truth, “The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
The community at large are, as far as we can learn, satisfied that we have the truth; however, many of them will follow out their convictions and obey the truth is yet to be determined. We are confident however, that some of these will also walk the narrow way. We will continue meetings in our church through this week to follow up the interest.
Yesterday (Sunday) seven souls, having determined to die to sin and the vanities of the world, followed their Saviour “down into the water” and were “planted together with him in the likeness of his death” beneath the yielding wave, and arose to “walk in newness of life.” May God’s grace assist them to ever walk the straight and narrow way and thereby have right to the tree of life and enter in through the gates into the city. W. M. HEALEY. Santa Rosa, Dec. 2. J. D. RICE.