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Meetings in Mich

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 4, 1857

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 10, No. 5.

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Meetings in Mich.

By Joseph Bates

BRO SMITH:—We held meetings in Locke, Ingham Co., from the 7th to the 11th inst. Much interest was manifested to learn our position. The church manifested a deep anxiety to receive the counsel of the "faithful and true Witness," and go forward in the message. At the close of our public meetings the church came together to observe the ordinances of the Lord's house. The searching Spirit of the Lord was manifest to help the infirmities of the people. One who had backslidden showed a willingness to return with weeping and godly sorrow for the past. The next morning four were baptized, to follow their Lord in newness of life.
On our way from thence to Jackson we stopped a few moments to converse with a stranger who was plowing his field. We learned that he had once been interested to hear the doctrine of the Second Advent. As we proceeded to show him the cause of our disappointment, and then our present position, he manifested much anxiety to hear and know more about this way. We supplied him with books, and gave him directions where he could obtain the weekly Review. Said he, I shall examine the subject.
May 16th and 17th in Parma. At the close of our morning meeting on the Sabbath, a professed teacher arose, and after commending some things and objecting to others which had been said, pointed to the ten commandments, which were hanging before him, and said they were imperfect. Said he, If the great commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c., was added, and the second one altered, they would be right. No one replied to him. After meeting he came to me to examine the point with him. I replied that I had no time to argue with such as pretended to know more than God did about his commandments.
On first-day evening, after the funeral of Sr. Gifford, we enjoyed a solemn and interesting season in celebrating the Lord's supper. The day following we preached in Jackson, and baptized three who were added to the church in Parma.
May 21st commenced and gave nine lectures in Sharon, Whashtenaw Co. Sr. Eaton, who had lately become deeply interested in our position, was very desirous that some one would present the subject in her neighborhood. We found the way open, and many of the people ready to hear, the greater portion of them for the first time. Some admitted we had the truth, while others said they would examine it further. One man said, I am not in the habit of going to meeting, but I have heard things strange and new, and things I never expected to hear. Said he, You quote history to show the fulfillment of prophecy, which makes the subject very clear. One woman expressed a strong desire to have religion, and said she was now going to study her Bible. A few weeks hence another meeting in this place would be of special benefit, and bring out Sabbath-keepers.
JOSEPH BATES.
Battle Creek, May 28th, 1857.