New Places Opening for the Last Message
By Joseph Bates
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Since my last from Fremont, the 5th inst. new places have been opening for the last message of mercy. The morrow after the Sabbath meeting with our Brn. in Ballsville and Green Springs. Bro. Hawkins and self were passing on towards Fremont, and met two men in a wagon who had rode about eight miles that morning to attend a second advent meeting. We informed them that our meeting had closed there. One of them said, we had heard something of your meetings and wished to hear for ourselves, and if it is truth, would like to have you give a course of lectures at the Cooksville schoolhouse. We arrived with them in time for the afternoon meeting, and continued lecturing five following evenings. Some mocked and scoffed, but a number admitted the truth and were exceedingly tried with their neighbors who endeavored at the close of our work to disturb the meetings. We disposed of quite a number of tracts. Bro. Dorcas, one of the men who invited us to this place, embraced the whole truth, and opened his home for the first Sabbath meeting. Himself with all his family and three others began to keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and one Sister, that could not attend kept the Sabbath with her family at home. The next day (15th inst.) I rode with Bro. Dorcas some eighteen miles to visit the peninsula, the northeastern extremity of the state of Ohio. We arrived in season for an evening meeting in Port Clinton, Ottawa Co. During the week we lectured in three different districts and visited many families and distributed tracts among them. The people on this arm of the sea have heard but little respecting the second advent of our Lord, or the Sabbath question. They listened attentively to the word. Many received the Sabbath tracts and said they would examine this subject. In a place called Danbury, on the Lake shore, a Methodist Bro. who procured the meeting-house for us, was returning home from the evening meeting in company with others when one of his acquaintance accosted him thus: "What do you think of this doctrine?" At first he seemed rather unwilling to speak, but soon replied, "I think the man is half right." "So do I," said he. Said another who had providentially attended the meeting, being a stranger from a distance, "I have thought considerable about this, and I never could see how the first day of the week was the Sabbath." He appeared anxious to hear more and examine the books which he had just received. Another professor spoke afterwards and said he could not see why the Seventh day was not right, &c. From thence I passed to Oxford via Sandusky, and kept the Sabbath with the brethren who meet at Bro. Sweet's and Tillison's. In the evening preached in the school-house in Perkins, and arranged to preach in the same house three times the next day, it being the first day. Although it rained all day, and but a few came in the morning, yet, it was manifest by the increasing numbers in the afternoon and evening meetings, that the people were anxious to hear. We were told several times if the weather had been favorable the house would not have held the hearers. Several furnished themselves with books, and seemed anxious to examine the subject still further. One said he believed the seventh day was the Sabbath. One old sea captain a fellow prisoner with me in Dartmoore, Eng. in 1814 though not there acquainted, seemed quite anxious. When he was leaving the house at noon I said, Captain, will you have some of the books? No, said he, I don't want any books, but I can't do it to hear you through. [I learned that he believed in universalism.] After the meeting was dismissed in the evening he came crowding in with others, and said, "Let me have some of your books." Bro. Loughborough held a few meetings in this place last Spring. 24th, came to Clarksfield Hollow. Here Bro. Case procured the Baptist meeting-house for three evenings. Those who came to hear listened attentively, but the meetings were thin owing to the prejudice against the doctrine of the Advent. They had the first angel's message here in 1844, since then they have lost sight of the work of God; and like thousands of others have supposed that the doctrine of the second advent ended then. One man among others stated to Bro. Case, that he did not want but about two minutes to overthrow the whole doctrine. At the close of the last meeting this gentleman who had been a silent listener for two evenings instead of any objection, came with others to purchase the books, and seemed very anxious to have the whole set. Considerable interest was manifest at our conference in North Milan, near Bro. Tillison's, the 27-29th inst. Some that had listened to the message before, acknowledged that they were convinced. I trust they will also do. During the meeting, the Brn. present resolved forth-with to raise one hundred dollars to be kept for a standing fund for the purpose of purchasing such publications as you are issuing from the office of the Review. That there may be no delay in furnishing books to all their brethren and friends who wish to read, in the state of Ohio. They hope to be provided with a tent also in the Spring, and if "the Lord will," spread the last message of mercy far and near through the state. May the Lord quicken and inspire his law-loving, law-keeping children with more than mortal energy, that they may arouse as one man and put forth all their energies to spread the mighty cry of the third angel's message "before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." JOSEPH BATES.
Fremont, Ohio, Oct., 30th, 1854.