Letters by R. J. LAWRENCE

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 18, 1859

Letters.

By R. J. LAWRENCE

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."

From Bro. Lawrence.

BRO. SMITH: I commenced weekly meetings in the town of Washington, three miles south of Romeo, in the fore part of May where I gave seven lectures, the second of which was on the second and seventh of Daniel. After I had closed, a Wesleyan Methodist minister arose and gave notice that he would speak on prophecy there in two weeks. I gave notice that I would be present to hear, for I was seeking after truth, and it did not matter by whom it came, if I could only get it. According to appointment, I heard him read several parts of chapters from Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, from which he attempted to show that the Jews would return and build Jerusalem, and that a man by the name of David was yet to be raised up to sit on the throne of Israel. In short to show how he interpreted prophecy, I will give one or two passages:

Isa. lxi, 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, &c. This he said many suppose was fulfilled in Christ, but it referred to David yet to be raised up to sit on the throne of literal Israel. I replied to this that I preferred Christ's comment to Eld. Tucker's, and quoted Luke iv, 18-21

He also read Ezekiel xxxvii, the vision of dry bones, and said it had no reference to the resurrection, but had reference to the forsaken despondent state of the ten lost tribes, and God's visit to them to bring them back again to their land, and to the king that was yet to be raised up, &c.

To this discourse I replied the next first-day, when I showed from Christ and the apostles that the middle wall of partition was broken down; that there was no difference between Jew and Greek; they are all one in Christ; and if we are Christ's then are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. But in order to the re-establishing of the Jews in their own land in this mortal state, it would be necessary to build up the middle wall of partition again between Jew and Gentile, of which the Bible is silent.

I also showed that the prophecies quoted by him to prove the gathering and return of the Jews will have their fulfillment at the resurrection, and in the new earth. My reply seemed satisfactory to those present.

The result of my lectures in this place is that Bro. Orin Bates and his wife are keeping the Sabbath, and others are investigating. June the 18th I spent with the church in Orion. The Lord was with us by his Spirit, and we had a precious time together. Found Bro. Andrew Potter, a young convert from the paths of sin to the present truth, firm and growing in grace, and the knowledge of the truth. He accompanied me to Lapeer on sixth-day, June the 24th, where we spent the Sabbath and first-day.

I then left for North Branch, about twenty miles north-east of Lapeer, in company with Bro. and Sr. Hemmingway of Orion. We arrived at the place about sundown, second-day the 27th. Having started out third-day morning, to make arrangements for meetings, I met a Baptist minister and inquired of him the best place to hold meetings. He directed me to a schoolhouse about three miles distant, pretty well outside of the bounds of his church. I learned from him that they had appointments for prayer-meetings four evenings in the week, and the Methodists one. I inquired if they would not take up their appointments and give away for me, and come and hear. His reply was that he presumed his members would not leave their own meetings to attend mine. And so I found it. I called upon Bro. Barrett, who heard one discourse last summer at Lapeer, and subscribed for the paper, and found that the reading of that had led him and his companion to obey the truth. Sister Day, a young woman who experienced religion last spring, became convinced that all was not right. She heard that Bro. Cornell was coming to Lapeer last May, and resolved to go and hear. She did so, and went home convinced and is keeping the Sabbath.

I found five here keeping the Sabbath, and holding Sabbath meetings. I gave eight lectures, which appeared greatly to strengthen the Sabbath-keepers, and convinced them that Babylon is fallen. But the report from Lapeer had caused them to fortify strongly against us.

R. J. LAWRENCE.