Communication from Bro. Cornell.
By M. E. Cornell
Meetings in Trowbridge, Waverly, &c.
BRO. SMITH:—Since my return from Newark, I have held meetings in several places. Sabbath and First-day, March 15th and 16th, at Monterey, gave four lectures. The interest in the truth here is still increasing. Several more have decided to keep the Sabbath. After the lecture on First-day, Bro. Pierce conveyed us to Allegan, six miles, where a friend was in waiting, and he took us on to our appointment in Trowbridge, seven miles south of Allegan. Here we gave three very lengthy discourses, covering a considerable portion of the ground of Present Truth, with good result. Nine subscribed for the Review, and four for the Youth's Instructor. While going to meeting one evening, a man between thirty and forty years of age, said he had now decided to bow the knee in prayer, for the first time in his life. All seemed anxious to hear more. Two families here are keeping the Sabbath, and several others are investigating. On Fourth-day, March 19th, Brn. Thayer and Brown of Waverly came up with a team, and carried us down to their place, where we spoke in the evening according to previous appointment. We had five meetings here, and the brethren and sisters seemed to be much strengthened. They have not had preaching here for about twelve months, yet there are about twenty-two holding on to the Sabbath. Three subscribed for the Review. About Waverly there are several openings for lectures, and a great anxiety to hear. On First-day we returned again to Monterey, partly because we wished to supply the church with a quantity of our disciplines, (Bibles,) and partly because of the earnest request of the church that there should be a reply to Eld. Osborn's effort to prove Sunday the seventh day. The witness from Illinois was not called to the stand, but on the contrary, he4admitted that Saturday was the seventh day. We copy from notes of the discourse the following: speaking of those who had left his church, he said, "We are glad of it; such folks are of no consequence to us; and if we have any more members so foolish and weak-minded as to listen to such contemptible nonsense, let them go!" "No particular portion of time is binding on men." "I never knew a denomination that went about finding fault with others that knew any thing about experimental religion." "The Lord did not say the evening and the morning were the seventh day; because he saw that the keeping of definite time would be impracticable." "God has not threatened men with damnation that do not keep a definite day; and the man that teaches it know better." Quotes Eusebius and Moshiem, and remarks, "It is supposable that this refers to the first day." Quotes, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge," and applies it to those who had left the Methodist church in Monterey, and gave as a reason that of the twenty-one different Methodist periodicals not one had been taken there during the past year. (This was proved false, as two copies of a Methodist paper had been taken there.) "These Seventh-day folks deny the fall of man, the atonement, and experimental religion." "This Seventh-day question is only hitched on for the purpose of dividing churches; and they that preach it know better." The above arguments we reviewed in a discourse of nearly three hours, showing by the Methodist discipline, and other Methodist books, that Eld. O. was not a Methodist; that in denying the truth, he had denied his own discipline. Thanks be to God for this mighty truth; its power is increasing every day. The message seems to be rising faster than ever before. There are calls here in every direction. O that there might be a united, earnest prayer of faith for more laborers. Our next course will probably be in the village of Kalamazoo. Brethren, pray for us. As ever in faith and hope. Monterey, Mich., March 24th, 1856.