Closing Report of Tent Labors in Michigan by I. D. Van Horn; D. M. Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 31, 1865

Closing Report of Tent Labors in Michigan.

By I. D. Van Horn; D. M. Canright

Our meetings in Centerville, Tuscola Co., closed Oct. 22, with a good result. Mr. Sherman, a Universalist, and a leading man of the place, very kindly opened his meeting-house for our lectures. We had a very good attendance for so small a place, although many of the professors of religion were very bitter against the truth. They have always been the ones who have opposed the most. We continued our meetings about six weeks, giving fifty-two discourses. About thirty have been soundly converted to the truth, nearly all of which are starting to serve God for the first time. They have established prayer-meetings, a Bible-class and Sabbath-School, in which all take an active part and a lively interest. This is a good work with which we are well satisfied, as we expected to accomplish but little in this place.

We sold about $50,00 worth of books, and obtained ten subscribers for the Review, and seven for the Instructor. Our friends still have the use of the meeting-house for their meetings.

The result of our summer's work has been as follows: We have been gone from home five months; have held three courses of lectures; gave two hundred and seven discourses; sold of Office publications, $225,40, of Charts, $25,00, and of Bibles, $100,00. Total, $350,40. We obtained fifty-three subscribers for the Review one year, and thirty-nine for the Instructor.

Our expenses were $203,00. Upward of one hundred and thirty have embraced the truth, and are now keeping the Sabbath. Sixty of the above number have followed their Lord in baptism. We leave three churches in Tuscola Co., each having an organized Bible-class and Sabbath-School, and holding regular meetings.

Our association together in our labors with the Michigan Tent this season, has been of the most happy character. Perfect harmony of feeling has existed between us, and we have had manifest signs that God has approved of our labors. While Bro. Strong was with us, we were much pleased with his conduct, and was glad to see him manifest a zeal and energy for the advancement of the truth, which, if persisted in, will make him an efficient laborer in the cause of present truth.

We look over the labors of the past season with a good degree of satisfaction. A good work has been accomplished. The Lord has given us the aid of his Holy Spirit, by which we have been enabled to present the truth in its clearness, strength, and beauty.

We are now at home, and after enjoying a few weeks rest, we design to return again to this field of labor, to complete the work already commenced, and also to labor as the way may open during the winter.

I. D. VAN HORN.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Battle Creek, Oct. 29, 1865.