p. 69 | Tent Meeting in Washington, Iowa

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Jul 29, 1862

Tent Meeting in Washington, Iowa.

By B. F. Snook; J. H. Waggoner

The tent was pitched, and meetings begun June 24. The interest increased as the meetings progressed. The people generally turned out well, so that our congregations were large as we could wish. The preachers of the various churches, however, kept themselves away from us, and frequented places of public resort, and served the enemy by circulating such false reports as they could hear and make.

We urged the people to have them come out and defend their doctrines that we called in question. This failing to bring them out, we published in the papers a challenge to the ministers of the Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian churches, to meet us in a fair discussion of the differences between us and them. This created heart failings and distress of nations among them. The sea and the waves roared; but alas! poor orthodoxy must suffer and bleed. The sheep must be scattered and torn to pieces, for their shepherds have proved themselves hirelings; every one looking to his quarter for his gain. They complained that if Mr. Pressley was only at home these invaders might be repulsed; but as he was absent, we must be let alone. But soon Mr. P. arrived. We addressed him a note, and extended a special challenge to him to meet us. Imagine our disappointment when this lion of the tribe of Calvin replied that he would love to debate with us, but he could not, because he had just returned from a long tour, and had but a short time to remain. Notwithstanding this, he published appointments to preach against us which would make it necessary for him to remain nearly two weeks—much longer than we would ask him to debate. The facts show that he, too, was fearful, and would rather debate with us at a distance than face to face.

However, notwithstanding the fear to meet us manifested on the part of the clergy of the town, there was an Elder of the United Brethren church who did make an effort against us in their synagogue. He attacked our position on the mortality of man. His main evidence against us was the case of the thief on the cross. He alleged on this that Christ and the thief went to heaven that day. His next resort was to the spirits in prison. He concluded from this that Christ was in hell preaching to the wicked while his body was in the grave. Here are two positions contradicting each other, and hence of necessity one, if not both, must be false. We called on him to say which position he would endorse, but he would not say. Thus he made a net and got into it of his own accord. We showed that according to Isa. liii, Ps. xvi, Christ died and was buried, soul and body.

He took two positions on the institution of the first day of the week as a Sabbath. 1. That it was instituted at the death of Christ. 2. That it was instituted during the lifetime of Christ. This was founded on Luke vi, 1. "It came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first." The first Sabbath, he said, was the seventh day; the second, the first-day. He then quoted Peter to prove that the Sabbath was done away. "The end of all things is at hand." We showed that according to his own application of this it only proved that the end of the things spoken of was at hand, not come yet; hence if the Sabbath was one of the things, it had not ended in Peter's time. A greater perversion of Scripture never was known. But a bad case cannot be made out in any other way.

Our meeting closed up well, though we labored under many discouragements. We had much rain and considerable wind. But God's power kept us up. Through his special aid we struggled through. We brought out a good little company numbering fifteen or twenty. They have embraced the whole faith, and rejoice in the truth. Fourteen were baptized. They are all right on the tea, coffee, tobacco, hoop, and jewelry questions. They are firm in the truth, believing in the gifts with the church. We do hope that God will lead them by his good Spirit, and help them to stand. We did not labor to bring in a promiscuous multitude, right or wrong; but we labored to present the whole truth, and have all who embrace it come in right. In so doing we hope to save the cause from being cursed by the influence of those whose hearts are not in the work.

B. F. SNOOK. J. H. WAGGONER.

P. S. The meeting closed in Washington, Sunday P. M., July 20. We think good might have resulted from its continuance a week longer, but as we had promised to hold a meeting with the church at Dayton, and needed some rest and preparation for our meeting at Lisbon, we were obliged to close at that time. Under ordinary circumstances it would have grieved us much to close up as we did, with the interest what it was. But under the burdens which were thrown upon us, it was a great relief.

B. F. S. J. H. W.