Tent Meeting at Hadley, Mich.
By M. E. Cornell
THIS meeting was held under many discouragements. The first ten days a musical convention and concerts prevented us from raising a general interest. After this, cold storms and frosty nights were against us and contrary to us. The attendance ranged from about one hundred to four hundred, and the interest remained good till the close. The number of new volunteers to keep the Sabbath was about thirty. Twenty-six arose by actual count, and some six or eight others were known to have decided. Twelve subscribed for the Review, and one for the Instructor. We sold $25 worth of our books, and $5 worth of Bibles. The brethren and sisters in the vicinity are greatly cheered with the result. A week's discussion with a man that was acknowledged to be one of the best debaters in that country, added to the interest and proved to the people that learned men can do nothing against the truth. Bro. Lawrence remains to hold a few more meetings, while I am here in Memphis to confirm the believers, and defend the truth against the attacks of a Baptist minister from Canada. He was sent for, to put down the Sabbath. He gave a long discourse in the Methodist church, and we replied the next evening. When I arose to announce my appointment, after the congregation was dismissed, the elder objected, said I had no right there, and kept on talking so as to drown my voice. I then appealed to the trustees and the audience to know whether I could give out an appointment, when some cried, No! and others, Yes! for some time, until there was a perfect uproar among the people. Some accused me of disturbing the peace, but the more candid could see that the attempt to establish the gag rule caused the excitement. When we gave notice that the tent would be pitched, several threatened to tear it down. This aroused the157friends of free speech, and one man gave out that if they attempted to establish mob law in Memphis, he had a thousand dollars to spend in bringing every man to justice. Some of the outsiders gave out that if the tent was torn down every meeting-house in the place would be razed to the foundation. In our reply we exhorted the people to do no violence, whatever might take place. The Baptists closed their house against us, or attempted to do it, though we had the consent of the majority of the trustees to occupy it. We thought best to quietly withdraw and not contest the right to occupy the house. The whole affair has greatly strengthened the friends of truth, and waked up a new interest in many minds. We have a meeting to-day to pass resolutions to build a meeting-house, and commence the work immediately. I will here mention a somewhat singular circumstance, though I suppose there may be some natural cause for it. When I went into the Methodist church to hear the Baptist man from Canada, there were many lights burning. About the time he began to say the Sabbath was abolished, and the first day substituted in its place, the lights began to burn dim, and go out one after another, until there was but one that belonged to the house that gave much light, and that one was near where I sat taking notes. The sexton said he had trimmed them well and put in fresh oil. Many were astonished at the time, and it is still a subject of remark with many people. Whatever may have been the cause, it was a fit illustration of the moral darkness which must follow the preaching of the abolition of the moral law of God. Many years ago an Antinomian minister in England was preaching against the law, with two candles on the stand before him, and no other lights in the house. He held up his handkerchief, and dropping it remarked that "the law had gone down before the gospel just like that;" but the handkerchief spread out and dropped upon both the candles and put them out, leaving his people in total darkness: a fit emblem of his dark position. Bro. Bates has been here holding some meetings with this people, visiting and praying with them to good acceptance. He came at the right time, and his labors are blessed. He left here yesterday for his home. Since writing the above we have had a meeting, and about one thousand dollars are pledged toward a meeting-house, and no special effort has yet been made. About one thousand more is confidently expected, and it was voted to build a house immediately, 36 x 55. The determination is to finish it in two months, if possible. Bro. and sister White are invited to dedicate the house on their way home, provided it is completed by that time. Memphis, Mich., Oct. 1, 1863.