Letter from Thetford, Mich.
By M. C. Butler
DEAR BRETHREN: I take this opportunity to inform you of our present circumstances. We have meetings three times a week; Sabbath evening, Sabbath, and on Tuesday evening; and we endeavor with the help of the Lord to lay Bible subjects before the people just as they are taught in the word of God; and, thanks be to his holy name, some of the people are searching the Scriptures to see whether these things are so. My prayer is, that God will guide them by his Spirit into all truth. We have great opposition, yet, thanks to his holy name! the sword of the Spirit will cut its way through. Some use the word of God deceitfully, and teach for doctrines the commandments of men; and some follow their pernicious ways; and some will scoff and say, Where is the promise of his coming? Others will say, Lo, here! lo, there! he comes to every one when they die, &c., but when you point them to the scriptures which say that in like manner as he was seen to go into heaven, he shall also be seen to come again, and he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation to them that look for him, they will say, It is spiritual, and does not mean what it says. Some give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. If we tell them that the soul that sinneth it shall die, they will roar and foam, and brand us with the worst form of infidelity, and say, The soul cannot die: it will last as long as God lasts, and roll in a lake of fire and brimstone forever and ever. In conclusion I will say that the plan of laying by in store on the first day of the week is what we ought to do; but we need to have things set in order in this place. There are some sixteen here who profess to keep the commandments, but only five who believe in the speedy coming of Christ. We are poor, but want to be saved with an everlasting salvation in that glorious and coming kingdom with all the redeemed of the Lord. Pray for us, brethren, that we may overcome. East Thetford, Genesee Co., Mich.