Report of Meetings

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 10, 1863

Report of Meetings.

Sabbath, Jan. 24th, we met with the church at Burlington, spoke twice, and baptized seven, among them Bro. J. H. Waggoner's two oldest children. Brethren came in from other places, and nearly filled the Methodist house. They need a place of worship, but are not able to build one large enough to hold the people on such occasions. We cannot advise our churches to build until they are able to build houses of sufficient size to hold the people on quarterly-meeting occasions.

Sabbath and first-day, Jan. 31st and Feb. 1st, we were with the church at Hillsdale. We spoke four times with some freedom. Several not in the Sabbath heard with deep interest. The brethren enjoyed a good communion season on the Sabbath. This church, as well as the church at Burlington, has suffered under influences which they are now rising above. They are weak for want of an experience in the things of God for themselves. There has been too much lording it over God's heritage, which has not been favorable to the healthy growth of that degree of independent faith necessary to the formation of true Christian character. Christians should not be self-willed bigots, nor trembling slaves; but God's humble, teachable free-men.

Let ministers and people reason together. Let the minister gently lead the flock, and the flock follow, so far as he follows Christ, the minister having due respect for the judgment of the flock, and they honoring the position in which Christ has placed him, for Christ's sake.

In the evening of the 3d, we met with a few of the torn flock at Marshall, and here we were more disgusted than ever with the course of those who would drive the flock with a whip. How different with the Master. Said he, "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me." Those who in Christ's stead beseech men to be reconciled to God, will do best to lay down the whip, and, imbued with the Spirit of Christ, give the gospel call in melting strains of love and mercy. True, the minister is often under the necessity, as Paul says, to "reprove, rebuke, exhort;" but let him bear in mind that the same apostle in the same verse says, "with all longsuffering and doctrine." 2 Tim. iv, 2.

The appointments at Burlington, Hillsdale, and Marshall were Brn. Loughborough and Byington's. By their kindness they fill ours in Northern Michigan, and give us theirs nearer home.

Sabbath, Feb. 7, we met with the brethren at Convis. The school-house was well filled with attentive hearers. The recent labors of Bro. Frisbie in Convis have awakened a good interest, and several have commenced to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. We spoke twice on the Sabbath, and twice on first-day.

In consequence of sickness in our family we did not leave home till Sabbath morning, and returned after two meetings. We did the same on first-day. We drove our team sixty miles, preached four times, and were up with our sick children a part of both nights, in the period of forty hours, and are this (Monday) morning at our table writing. Better wear than rust.