Tennessee by J. S. Washburn

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 18, 1912

Tennessee

By J. S. Washburn

MEMPHIS.— After it was decided that we should remain in Memphis this season, we at once began to search for a place for our tent-meetings. During previous tent seasons we had pitched in the suburbs, but we now decided to secure a central location where we could reach the entire city. We found this a difficult matter, and for weeks we were unsuccessful, but at last secured the most central and in some respects the most suitable of any tent ground I have ever had in all my experience.

It is on the very best car line in Memphis, and at the junction with a cross-town car line that connects with the other principal lines of the city. It is on one of the finest streets of the city, and we have shade, grass, and shrubbery.

The first day of the meetings it rained all day, but we had as good congregations as we could expect under the conditions, and yesterday (Sunday) the church made a special rally, going from house to house and personally inviting the people to attend the meetings. In consequence, last night we had a most encouraging meeting.

While I was waiting for a car at a transfer point in the heart of the city on my return from the meeting, some invitations were handed out, when a man stepped up and inquired if this was the same tent that was at a certain place in Memphis last year. A member of my family answered in the affirmative. He said he attended two of those meetings the year before, and was deeply interested, and was anxious to attend again this season. When I introduced myself as the man who was holding the meetings, he greeted me most cordially, and said, "I am a Roman Catholic, and you cut me on several points when I attended your meetings; but I was greatly impressed with the truths spoken, and am anxious to attend the meetings further."

This encouraged me much, and reminded me of an experience in Washington when, after speaking at the tent on the seven seals of Revelation and describing the awful persecutions by Romanism during the dark ages, a woman who seemed most friendly requested the privilege of seeing my Protestant Bible, stating that she was a Catholic Sunday-school teacher, had been educated in a convent, and had never seen a Protestant

Bible. I asked her if she was not offended at what had been said about the Catholic persecutions. She said, "No," and seemed greatly interested in the prophecy. She continued coming to our meetings, stopped going to confession, and when I left Washington, was in reality entirely out of the Catholic Church.

The thought has come to me recently with great force that the direct preaching of the prophecies carries with it a power that lays hold upon the hearts of sincere Catholics and turns them from the darkness of Romanism to the blessed light of the Word of God. The Scripture itself convinces. If with love and tact, yet with all the force of the Scripture, we present the Bible description of the true character of Romanism, it will surprise us in its power to win, convince, and convert. What a weapon is the sacred prophetic Word! As David said of Goliath's sword, so may we say of the Word of God, "There is none like that; give it me."

We have recently had three baptisms. Last Sabbath seven were baptized, among them an intelligent woman and her two sons, who we trust will make workers, also a woman who recently accepted the truth against terrible opposition from her husband and relatives. We are thankful to see people here continually coming into the truth, people who will be able to lead others into the light of life. Pray that this season may be a harvest-time in Memphis. Surely the truth is onward in all the South.

J. S. WASHBURN.