Meetings in Northern Indiana.
By Joseph Bates
BRO. SMITH: Since the 10th inst. I have been in La Porte and North Liberty. In the latter place I spent a few days. Since Brn. Loughborough and Cornell were there last Spring, and some families embraced the present truth under their labors, the ministers have labored hard to overthrow and destroy all the good effect their labors had produced. The Methodists have the ascendancy. They took immediate measures to save their meeting-house from any further desecration by such teaching as Christ's soon second coming, the unconscious state of the dead, the requirements of God's law, and keeping the Sabbath of the Lord our God. They believe in common with other churches that Christ will come some time or another, but no one knows when; and that the dead know more than the living; that the law of God is holy, and binding on man, provided the fourth commandment is not enforced; that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is right, if men remember to keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh. The few that had confessed the truth were much discouraged by reason of the opposition, and had not met together to claim the promises of God as was their duty and privilege. We held a few meetings in the village school-house. A few became interested, especially so when we came to the water-side, and Bro. Harvey was baptized. His aged father came several miles to see and hear. He became much interested, and declared that he should keep the Sabbath from thence forward; as also said his companion. The Lord help them so to do. The church at La Porte have been passing through some trials by reason of some lawless and disorderly members desiring to walk in paths of their own choosing. Satan has tried various ways to distract and discourage the church from walking in the right way, but we trust they are now free to move onward in gospel order. One of the enemy's devices was with a worthy sister recently from Germany, unable as yet to speak English. She was so beset with fear that God had cast her off, that she was tempted to take her own life because there was no hope for her. In this way she was deprived of sleep for five days and nights, in which time she was partially relieved two or three times in answer to prayer; but the fifth day of her trial the Lord in answer to prayer again freed her from the power of the enemy, and she became peaceful and much refreshed with quiet sleep. Praise the Lord for his great mercy and kindness to his believing children. I arrived here evening before last, and found three had recently commenced to keep the Sabbath, who wish to hear more about this way. We commence meetings this evening in a hall now fitting up. Last evening a professed Magician was entertaining the people in their only public place for worship. Malta Station, De Kalb Co., Ills.