TENT MEETING IN ILLINOIS.
By James White
ACCORDING to appointment, this meeting was held June 11-13, in a pleasant and central place for the church in the vicinity of Round Grove. The weather was fine. Owing to the heavy rains, few came in from a distance. All much regretted the absence of Brn. Andrews and Hull from Iowa, and Brn. Steward and Phelps from Wisconsin. But we had an excellent meeting. Brn. Waggoner and Sperry, and Bro. and Sr. White spoke with considerable freedom, in a pointed manner, relative to present truth and present duty. Congregations were large and attentive; yet the looks and manners of some gave evidence that their ears were closed, and that they had ceased to feel the force of divine truth. Second-day morning the brethren assembled in the tent at 8 A. M., to enjoy a social meeting, and to attend to the ordinance of baptism at the close. This was indeed a social meeting, in which most of the brethren and sisters took a part. Six were planted in the likeness of Christ's death by baptism, among them our beloved Bro. and Sr. Sperry. The subject of the relation which baptism sustains to the law of God, in Rom. vi. and vii., is moving our brethren, who have been slain by the law, and have the evidence that they are really dead, to be buried. And God blesses them in this act of obedience. In the afternoon of Second-day we met with the church at Bro. J. Hart's, where, among other things, some statements in the article headed, The Brotherhood, in REVIEW, Vol. xi, No. 22, were examined in the spirit of candor and christian forbearance. And while we saw no disposition on the part of those who had erred to justify their course, we did see that some of our unqualified remarks in that article threw a burden on Bro. Hart which he should not bear. On Third-day we had a powerful season of prayer for Bro. Hart. He had suffered much the previous night with severe illness, and was just able to ride to Bro. Stone's where the Lord met him and all present in a powerful manner. We wept and praised the Lord together, and then went in company with Brn. Waggoner, Sperry and Lockwood to the house of Bro. and Sr. Hall, where we spent the night. The bereavements of Sr. Hall, and the reproofs which they have both felt, appear to be greatly sanctified to their good. We parted with these dear friends at the Unionville Depot, at 9 o'clock, Fourth-day, and reached Battle Creek at midnight. We look back upon this short visit with pleasure. And it is due our brethren in Illinois to say that we think they are now ready to sacrifice for the cause of God; but they are in very trying circumstances, in consequence of wrong moves in the past. Some had been purchasing lands beyond their means, and in these times they can neither raise money to spare off from their lands, nor sell their lands for ready cash, without the greatest sacrifice. We have no disposition to cover up the wrongs of Round Grove church; but, brethren, think ye that these are sinners above all others? Except we as a people repent of our love of this world, and covetousness, we shall likewise call down upon us the rebuke and frown of the Lord.