CONFERENCE AT AVON, WIS by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 11, 1861

CONFERENCE AT AVON, WIS.

By John Norton Loughborough

This conference was held according to appointment, May 24-26, in the new place of worship at Avon, which the brethren by diligent efforts had succeeded in erecting and enclosing in time for the conference. This house is about twenty-eight by fifty, and although some of the inhabitants of the place said the Adventists were building a house to cover half Avon, we found it was none too large for general conferences in Southern Wisconsin; and the inhabitants found the house nearly full of brethren and sisters on the Sabbath, and well filled with attentive hearers on first day. This meeting was a refreshing season for the people of God who were there assembled. Our meetings were spirited, especially the social meetings. Brn. Ingraham and Sanborn were present at this meeting and took part in preaching the word. Bro. Goodenough was also present who has been laboring in Wisconsin the past winter with some success. The burden of the testimony to the church was the importance of being awake at this time and having all our energies thrown into this cause, especially as it is manifest that the four angels are holding the four winds that the servants of God may be sealed. The stirring testimonies which were given on this subject met with a hearty response from our brethren and sisters.

Some attention was given during this conference to the subject of more strict order in the church, especially order of that character that will protect the church from being imposed upon by false teachers and false brethren. Many expressed themselves on the sad state of things which has existed in Wisconsin because of divisions made by those who professed to teach the third angel's message, but were not in union with the body, and thought a more strict system of order in regard to the ministry, that the church might know who were in union with the body, would be the dawning of brighter days for Wisconsin.

On first day two discourses were given on the Sabbath question to attentive congregations, and after the second discourse we went to the water-side where ten were baptized by Bro. Sanborn. In the evening we had an excellent social meeting in which all seemed anxious to take a part, and which continued till near eleven o'clock at night.

Our business meeting was characterized by a promptness and willingness on the part of all to act in sustaining the cause. As it was considered that the church in Avon would have all they could do to raise means to finish their place of worship, it was unanimously voted by the conference to exempt them from contributing to the tent fund this season, and to let those who are not thus taxed with building sustain the tent. It was thought about $350 would be requisite to sustain the tent and those who labor with it the coming tent season. About $300 have already been pledged, and others doubtless will be willing to pledge who have not yet had an opportunity.

Somebody (a bigoted sectarian I suppose) after hearing Bro. Ingraham exhort the brethren to activity from the fact that Satan is mustering his forces (referring to Spiritualism, &c.) went off to a military company in the town, who were on drill, and reported us as secessionists, and said we had stated that the Devil was raising armies to go South. The company were so enraged that they were on the point of coming to the meeting-house to take the man who said it and

hang him on the nearest tree. All the hindering cause seemed to be, their informant could not tell them which man said it. He could not tell whether it was the "Michigan man" (myself) or one of the others. But I think they found out before we got through the conference that we intended to be loyal subjects, and obey all laws that do not conflict with the law of heaven.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Crane's Grove, Ills., May 29, 1861.