Meetings in Nile, N. Y.
By E. Lanphear
The Seventh-day Adventists held a conference at this place, commencing sixth-day evening, with a sermon from Eld. Fuller, of Ulysses, Pa. He did the preaching through the sitting of the conference, with the exception of one discourse. He seems to have a zeal and determination to preach the truth, whether the people will hear or forbear. His subjects of discourse were arranged for the occasion. He first used the words of God calling after Adam, Where art thou? for his foundation; and no one could say but that he was searched out, whether backslider, saint, or sinner. Next he used the text, Pay thy vows. This was treated first in its application to business transactions, in matters of this world, and lastly, in reference to our vows to God, &c. We were reminded of our religions, and our thousand other vows and promises which we have made to him, to seek religion, &c., and to labor for his cause if he would spare our lives through this sickness, trial, trouble, or whatever the case might have been. He handled the subject in such a way as to leave no one out without being noticed. While he was going through I observed many a tear trickling down the cheeks of his hearers, and while I glanced my eyes around I discovered a man who had never professed religion, and the tears were rolling down his cheeks also. After the exercise closed, this man, whom I believe more honest at heart than thousands of professors, said to me, "Such preaching as that is worth hearing; it hits a fellow and does him some good. I like to hear a man who will preach the truth, let it hit whom it will: such men ought to be supported in their labors, and I have vowed in my mind to give him one dollar, and if you will lend me the dollar until I see you again, I will pay that vow without delay, if you will give me an introduction to him." I complied with his request, and he handed over the money, feeling (I believe) that he had paid one dollar at least to the support of gospel truth. On the evening after the Sabbath a prayer and conference meeting was held, the whole evening being occupied without a sermon. There was a good degree of promptness among the members, and no time seemed to run to waste, and sometimes two or three would rise upon their feet at a time. The true spirit of religion seemed to prevail, and while it manifested itself among our people, it seemed to get hold of members of other churches, and really for a time all seemed to be very much interested. First-day in the forenoon Eld. Fuller preached, and the business of the conference closed, and the brethren mostly left for their homes. Eld. Fuller concluded to remain over night, and accordingly left an appointment for the evening. The conference had passed off so smoothly that the community had become quite interested, and when the evening came the house was well filled, but with a different class altogether: the congregation being made up of Methodists, Presbyterians, First-day Baptists, Free-will Baptists, Seventh-day Baptists, and a few Adventists. On this occasion he used the words in 1 Kings xviii, 21: "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baál, then follow him." While going through with this discourse the scene changed. He had preached smooth things up to this time, that is, good common sense religion that no one could find fault with, and all were ready to acknowledge that the Advent meeting was one of the best of meetings. But what is the matter now? Why, he preached right straight out the ten commandments, that they were God's commands, "written on tables of stone" for all men to observe, the fourth as well as the other nine. He handled the Sabbath question so convincingly, and proved so clearly that the seventh day was the Sabbath, and the only Sabbath sanctified by God, that the Sunday observers thought he preached them all to perdition, and such a squirming, muttering, and drawing down of pharisaic faces as was manifest, is not often observed in a religious meeting. The preaching has an effect upon the community, whether for weal or woe God only knows. Some of the pharisaic faces can be seen around town, complaining about being abused; but the informed keep silent. While one of these complainers was complaining bitterly to one of our merchants the other day, the merchant said to him, "If Fuller has not got the truth of the Bible on his side, why don't you get some man to come and straighten him out? He says he is open to conviction. Can't you find the man?" Said the old man, "He is not worth noticing; if he was, there might be men enough." This will do for an excuse for them; but common sense men know better than to attack him on that subject. May the Lord bless Bro. Fuller in preaching the whole truth. Nile, N. Y., Feb. 20, 1863.