TENT MEETING IN MINN by Jno. Bostwick

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 9, 1860

TENT MEETING IN MINN.

By Jno. Bostwick

Our tent-meeting at this place [Deerfield] closed for the season on the 10th of September. When we commenced lectures here there was much prejudice existing in the minds of the people. Our congregations were not generally large. The first first-day of our meeting there were three different communions in the place.

Notwithstanding the infancy of the State, pride and popularity are as rampant here almost as in some of the older States. The people are held in an iron grasp, as it were, by the influence of preachers and creeds. Only a few have any relish for the plain truths of God's word. The people here confess, with few exceptions, that we have the truth on the subject of the Sabbath. And a few have made up their minds to obey God rather than men by keeping his commandments. May the Lord help them so to do.

On last first-day Eld. Hinks, of the Baptist denomination, spoke against us in the place, giving two discourses on the subject of the soul's immortality. We reviewed him in the tent. People acknowledged that he made a failure in his attempt to prove man's natural immortality.

On the day Bro. Ingraham left to attend the Battle Creek Conference Eld. Thomas, of the Congregationalist society, made an attempt to prove by philosophy and the Bible the deathlessness and consciousness of the soul distinct from the body. Being present I took notes and reviewed his discourse in the evening before a large congregation. At the close he asked for an explanation of Matt. xvii, 1-9. I accordingly gave him the best light I had.

Thus ends our meetings in this place for the present. I believe the way is now open for something to be done here in the future, perhaps next season, when the political excitement will have subsided. Our book sales here did not amount to a great deal, as money is very scarce. Many books and tracts we gave away, hoping they may be as bread cast upon the waters. The church in this place has been much strengthened as the result of this meeting. Some trials and difficulties which impeded the prosperity of the church have been amicably adjusted; and brot 'y love and consecration is beginning to be the res...

Owing to the state of affairs which has existed for the last two or three years in this State, and the lack of laborers in this part of the vineyard, the churches here are not in as consecrated a state as we should be glad to see. Though we trust our labors in connection with the tent the past season will be the means of advancing the interests of the cause, by establishing a unity of feeling among the brethren, and of bringing every lover of this sanctifying truth into a closer walk with God, and thus they be enabled to do something for the salvation of souls by pushing forward the message with their prayers and exhortations as well as good works.

Brethren and sisters in Minnesota, let not the current year close without something being done which will tell in behalf of your rise with the message, which may God ant, is the prayer of an unworthy laborer in this blessed cause. JNO. BOSTWICK. Deerfield, Steele Co., Minn.