RESPONSE OF THE BATTLE CREEK CHURCH.
At a meeting of the church July 22, 1865, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted in reference to the foregoing communications from Brn. Snook and Brinkerhoff: Whereas, At the late General Conference at Battle Creek, the utmost unanimity of sentiment seemed to prevail, no word being spoken by brethren from Iowa or elsewhere, that there was any cause of disagreement or occasion of trial, therefore Resolved, That at the close of that meeting, as expressed in the report published in Review, we had no suspicion that there existed on the part of any one, the least want of harmony, or that any causes were at work calculated to bring disunion into the body. Resolved, That under this state of things, we received with surprise and grief the news that Elders Snook and Brinkerhoff, immediately on their return to Iowa, set zealously to work spreading abroad false reports about us, of which they said nothing while here—reports calculated not only to prejudice the brethren and sisters against us as a church, but to inflict the infinitely deeper injury upon them of weakening their confidence in the precious cause of present truth. Resolved, That we esteem above all the treasures of earth, the present truth, and that we shall endeavor, in the future as in the past, to live it out, not countenancing in dress or actions what we have any reason to believe is not in harmony with its pure principles, or in accordance with a spirit of true humility. Resolved, That we unanimously invited the Conference to this place, and cheerfully took upon us its cares and labors, for the good of the cause, which such meetings are calculated to promote, and that we shall ever protest against any persons' going forth from our hospitality, rendered heartily and to the best of our ability, and received by them as cordial friends, to traduce and misrepresent us. But Whereas, Brn. Snook and Brinkerhoff have seen the wrong which they have committed, and have sent us their confession, which seems to be ample and sincere, therefore, Resolved, That we receive it as such, and cheerfully extend to them the hand of forgiveness, and when they have shown themselves by their future course, true to the principles of Christianity, we shall be happy to see them again in our midst. Resolved, That we believe the recent visit of Bro. and sister White and Bro. Loughborough to Iowa was especially ordered of the Lord, and that we see in this thing evidence which we cannot doubt, that God's hand is still in the cause of present truth to guide and defend it. E. S. WALKER, Church Clerk.