Meetings in Michigan by Joseph Bates

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Aug 29, 1865

Meetings in Michigan.

By Joseph Bates

BRO. WHITE: Our last report of meetings was from Monterey, July 28. Sabbath, July 29, held two profitable meetings with the church and people in Allegan.

Sabbath, Aug. 5th, Quarterly, and also Monthly Meetings for Allegan Co., were at the district school-house in Pine Creek. The house, with few exceptions, was well filled with Sabbath-keepers, whose testimonies were deeply interesting, evincing a strong desire to press onward in the third angel's message. Our meetings on first-day, were at the usual place of worship in Otsego, and closed with the celebration of the ordinances. Sister R. Leighton of Otsego, who, within a few weeks has been so unexpectedly restored from distressing pain and agonies of death, in answer to prayer, also attended all the meetings, giving her cheering testimony and praising the Lord for what he had done.

Bro. Kenfield took me from Kalamazoo to Brady, Aug. 8. Here we held one evening meeting with a small company.

August 9 and 10, visited the members of the church in Parkville, St. Jo. Co., and held two evening meetings with them. The last one by far the most interesting. The church is laboring under discouragements, because of some of their prominent members changing their locations. Seldom a male member with them in their evening prayer meetings. We hope that some good brother, well engaged in the cause, will be induced to locate in the village and help them.

August 11-13, held four meetings with the church in Colon. Brethren and sisters from Burlington, Burr Oak and Parkville came, and with them Bro. J. H. Waggoner, who took part with us in the meetings, also sister Byington from Union City. Our meetings on the Sabbath were interesting and free, with some confessions, and closed with the ordinances of the Lord's house. The day was regarded as a day of fasting and prayer by a good portion of the brethren present.

For Sunday morning, the appointment was, first, for prayer and conference, second, preaching at the usual hour. The first meeting commenced at half past nine, and continued to rise in interest accompanied with the good Spirit of the Lord, and continued over four hours. It was truly a refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Praise his holy name.

Near the close of the meeting, sister D., who lived thirteen miles away from the meeting, where there were no Sabbath-keepers arose and confessed that she came to this meeting feeling that it was no use to try to serve the Lord any longer, (see Mal. iii, 13-15), and finally decided to ask her dismissal from the church. But now how changed her feelings, as she felt and witnessed the Spirit of the Lord operating in the meeting. Oh she would not leave this people now for any consideration whatever.

In the evening we held a meeting in Bro. Langdon's neighborhood in Mendon, twelve miles from Colon. Bro. Waggoner accompanied me, and we presented to a listening and interesting congregation, the perpetuity of God's holy law.

Monday evening, Aug. 14, held another meeting with the scattered few in Brady. Am now going to spend the Sabbath with the church in Watson, Allegan Co., which closes our last appointment in the western district. JOSEPH BATES. Monterey, Aug. 18th, 1865.