LETTERS by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 22, 1861

LETTERS.

By R. F. Cottrell

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

From Bro. Cottrell.

DEAR BRO. WHITE: I have just returned from a visit to Eld. A. Harmon of Mumford, Monroe Co. Held two meetings in the place, but under very unfavorable circumstances, it being rainy and muddy, besides the prejudice that everywhere exists against Bible truth. Under these circumstances I thought it not best for Bro. Harmon to be at the expense of hiring the hall to continue the meetings at present. A few came out, however, and were sufficiently interested to furnish themselves with some of our books which may do some good.

Bro. Harmon has taken a stand alone to keep the commandments, and needs the prayers of the church. He is not preaching at present, and is not able on account of throat disease. But he is reading, and seems anxious to learn what is the truth, and the time may come when the Lord will use him to preach the message. He desires to become fully identified with us.

On my way out I stopped awhile with Bro. Amidon at North Pembroke, where I held three meetings. Some are interested in the truth in that place, and I hope the time is not far distant when Bro. and sister Amidon will not be alone in the truth. The minister of the place was present at my last meeting, and after hearing the claims of the first day examined from all that is said of it in the New Testament, he rose and said it would be useless for him to enter into a discussion with me on the subject, as we viewed it from altogether different stand-points, and could not probably agree upon any principles or basis upon which to conduct the discussion. He very charitably thought that the brother did not intend to be dogmatical though he might appear so; and went on in a smooth, sly, insinuating and sneering speech, in which he tried, by ridiculing Adventism, to prejudice the minds of the people against the truth which they could not but see, and to which he could answer nothing from the Bible.

I briefly replied that we could agree on a basis for the discussion of the subject, if he would take the word of God as a basis, otherwise it would be useless to undertake it.

To what a strange and anti-scriptural position have Christian ministers and people been driven! that people that started out on the Bible as their only creed and discipline. Has it come to this, that they cannot agree to discuss a subject by the plain testimony of the Bible? How far are they from the great city of confusion that they so recently attempted to flee from? Alas for poor humanity. R. F. COTTRELL.