THE CAUSE IN KNOXVILLE.
By M. Hull
WHILE the brethren in other places are meeting with trials of every description, we are not without ours. The dragon is determined to make every effort to cheat us out of the city. The warfare between the commandment keepers, and the opposing party, has commenced in good earnest in this place. Every effort that can be invented to tear the truth down, is being brought to bear against us. Every false story that can be raised is circulated freely. The cry of "Mormon" salutes our ears, at every corner of the street; but in all this, we realize the truthfulness of our Saviour's words, "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you FALSELY for my sake. Matt. v, 11. Satan must have tools with which to work, and he would as willingly accept of ministers, when he can get them as any one else. He has secured the most of the ministers of this place, and put them to the low drudgery of circulating false reports, crying "Mormons" &c. But these reports are not doing much damage; for while all parties are united in "pulling down," some by one means, and some by another, the Lord's cause is being built up, and we are realizing the truthfulness of that saying Greater is he that is for us, than all they that are against us. Since the commencement of the meetings in Knoxville, over sixty have turned from doing "their pleasure on God's holy day" and are earnestly trying to overcome. Thirty have been baptized, and others are awaiting an opportunity. Noted Disciple ministers have done their best to prove that, (some how or other, they don't know just how,) God's law (the ten commandments,) happened to receive a fatal blow, somewhere about the time the Saviour made his first advent into our world. They do not wish us to understand them to believe that we are entirely without moral principles; for at a period somewhat later, (they don't know just when,) nine of the commandments had a resurrection, and by some mysterious move formed themselves into a new constitution. The Lord gave me freedom in reviewing their discourses, which confirmed the commandment-keepers and gave us an addition in members. Praise the Lord! I am now giving a course of lectures in Red Rock. The truth is gaining ground there. May the Lord speed the message onward is my earnest prayer. Knoxville, Iowa, Oct. 27th, 1859