MEETINGS IN OTSEGO, MONTEREY AND WRIGHT, MICH by John Norton Loughborough

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 3, 1859

MEETINGS IN OTSEGO, MONTEREY AND WRIGHT, MICH.

By John Norton Loughborough

SISTER White, my companion and myself left Battle Creek, Jan. 7th, to hold the meetings appointed in the above named places.

In Otsego we met on the Sabbath with a few in the Baptist meeting-house, and expected to occupy it for all our meetings; but on First-day morning we found the house nailed up so that we could not enter. We held two meetings on First-day, however, in a private house. But few strangers came in to hear. We had good liberty in talking to our brethren and sisters on the present truth. It was just one year since we met with these brethren, and we are happy to say this church has made progress, not so much in numbers as in other respects. They have been relieved from some who were but dead weights, who served to bind their spirits, persons who professed to be in sympathy with the Third Angel's Message, and yet had rebellion in their hearts. They have gone out from us because they were not of us, and those who are determined to rise can now breathe forth their sentiments with more freedom.

Eld. Cranmer, who had been preaching what he calls the Third Angel's Message in Otsego and vicinity, has picked up those that wished to rebel against the body. Some of his company attended our meetings, and gave in their testimony. They said we preached just as Eld. Cranmer did, and they could not see why there should be a division. After being asked why the division, we endeavored to set forth the reasons as well as we understood them, why Eld. C. was laboring on his own responsibility. The simple facts are, that when he was kindly admonished to heed the testimony which had been given on his case, which he acknowledged was from the Lord, he rebelled and went out from us. And so if any one has caused division, he is the man.

Jan. 14th to 16th we met with the church in Monterey. We enjoyed much freedom in speaking to them on the blessed hope and kindred doctrines. Many of our brethren are making zealous efforts to rise, and we think can report progress; but we were sorry to find that some were almost indifferent to the solemn duties of this time. Here we were brought in contact with what we call a God-dishonoring doctrine: unconditional election. One whose heart had been touched with the truth, and whom we supposed was striving to learn the Third Angel's Message, we found on the point of rejecting the whole truth because it did not agree with the doctrine in which he had been traditional from his youth; namely, unconditional election. We do not marvel much that a person cherishing the doctrine of election cannot see light in a message which is clearly and unequivocally a conditional message. But we do greatly marvel that a person can read the word of God in which salvation is in the most pointed manner made conditional, and yet from a few isolated texts claim that salvation is unconditional. We feel that in this late day when such glorious light is beaming from God's word, it is too late to tolerate a doctrine so long since out of date. It is too late to stop to hear the various views with which different ones would remodel the Third Angel's Message.

On First-day the meeting-house was well filled with attentive hearers, and we were glad to learn that there are still ears to hear the truth in Monterey, and we hope the long-suffering of the Lord may yet prove the salvation of some who have not yet yielded to the saving truth of the Third Angel's Message.

Tuesday morning we were furthered on our way by Bro. Geo. Lay who carried part of the load across the swamp towards Grand Rapids, some ten miles, in a sleigh, thus smoothing down somewhat the roughness of the log-ways over which we had to pass.

From the 21st to the 23d, in connection with Bro. Frisbie we held a conference in Wright, Ottawa Co. This conference was held in the new meeting-house which is in process of erection, and which with zealous efforts in keeping up fires was made quite comfortable. About 200 Sabbath-keepers came together to this conference, nearly 100 of whom have embraced the truth within the past year in Wright and vicinity. We had liberty in speaking here, and the word seemed to have access to the hearts of the people. Our brethren seemed to be greatly encouraged and strengthened, and others who had not yet embraced the truth are turning their attention to it and seemed to manifest an anxiety to learn the truth. On First-day the meeting-house was crowded with attentive hearers. We left Bro. Frisbie in this place intending to labor on through the week and over another Sabbath. We trust the labors thus put forth will prove effectual in establishing others in the truth who are almost persuaded to obey God.

On our way home from Wright we tarried the afternoon and evening, Jan. 25th, with the church in Caledonia. The Lord met with us and blessed us in our meeting in this place. In the afternoon while talking of the unity of the church, and the means the Lord has chosen to effect that union; namely, the gifts of the church, we felt much of the spirit of union in our hearts. In the evening we spoke in a crowded school-house on the conditions of the kingdom, or the duties required on our part that we may have an entrance into the kingdom of God. As a matter of course, the perpetuity of the ten commandments occupied a large place in our discourse. We thank the Lord for the good liberty we had here. Efforts had been made in Caledonia by O. R. L. Crozier to turn our brethren away from the Sabbath. His effort has proved but little detriment to the cause. We were informed that only about six had given up the Sabbath, and those who remain are more than ever rooted and grounded in the truth. One of those who recently gave up the Sabbath has since broken other commandments besides the Sabbath; but this we might look for as the result if the ten commandments are abolished. But we should hardly expect one would so soon be ready to curse and swear, after taking the position that the law was abolished, and more especially one who before he embraced the Sabbath professed to be a minister of the gospel of Christ.

We arrived at home in good health the evening of Jan. 26th. Our hearts have been encouraged by this visit among God's people. Still we feel like pressing on in this good and glorious cause.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Battle Creek, Jan. 27th, 1859.