MEETINGS AT THREE RIVERS, MICH.
By Merritt E. Cornell
BRO. SMITH:—Since the conference at Monterey, I have been to the village of Three Rivers, having been invited by the trustees of the Methodist Church to give a course of lectures in their house. I had given only two discourses when the pastor of the church gave notice that I could have the house no longer, and did not give the public any reason, but he privately told me he had learned that I had been up in Allegan and Hillsdale counties dividing churches, &c. The notice was given on the occasion of a sermon by the presiding elder. The sermon was a "cry of peace and safety." He said "twenty-five years ago almost every sect in the land was at war with each other, but now all is union. Religion has done a great work for this nation. Once the land was filled with war and bloodshed, but now the nations have learned to settle up their difficulties without war; and the time is drawing near when the swords shall be beat into ploughshares, and the nations learn war no more." The sermon was emphatically a "prophecy of smooth things." After leaving the meeting-house I gave two discourses in a school-room; but the teacher objected to a series of meetings there, and as a last resort I accepted of a Spiritualist hall. The hall was owned by a speaking medium, but he promised that I should speak out my views without interruption. He was a very mild, kind hearted man, but when I applied the scriptures in regard to Spiritualism in the last days, he was influenced and assumed the appearance of a mad man, and spoke with tongues and interpreted for about half an hour. And I must say I have never taken such a scourging before, neither do I believe it is in the power of man without foreign aid to use such language. He spoke three or four different languages. The first interpretation, as nearly as I can recollect, was as follows: "I perceive that thou art a deceiver. Art thou a believer and sayst I have a devil? then cast him out; for these signs shall follow them that believe." I immediately took up my appointment for the next evening, concluding that it was presumption to go into a room dedicated to Satan and owned by a medium, to give lectures on the Third Angel’s Message. I heard them relate some wonderful cures that had been performed by spirits there. One was that of a young man that had been deaf from infancy was cured. What I saw there confirmed me in the belief that "Babylon is fallen," and Satan is at work with power and wonders, and caused me to feel the need of the "whole armor" to enable me to stand against the powers of darkness. On my return from Three Rivers I spent the Sabbath at Otsego. Two families of Sabbath-keepers have lately moved there. Bro. Shepard from N. Y., and Bro. Perkins from Macomb Co., Mich. Bro. P. had never heard but one discourse on the present truth. Bro. Waggoner visited them last Spring. They seemed much encouraged and strengthened by the word spoken. The churches in this part seem to be determined to throw off stupidity and rise with the message. P. S. Will Bro. Waggoner give his P. O. address.