M. E. CORNELL by Merritt E. Cornell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 15, 1873

M. E. CORNELL

By Merritt E. Cornell

California.

We have now been in Napa over four weeks, and the interest is still rising. The clergy of the place are directly against us, without exception, but the investigation goes bravely on, and every day we hear of some deciding to obey the truth. They have taken, in collections for our expenses, fifty-eight dollars, and fifty-five dollars’ worth of books have been sold. We have started a Bible-class, and inquiry and conference meeting, and all are well attended.

Our last Sabbath meeting was one of special interest. Several spoke, for the first time in their lives. One of them was an intelligent man, who had been twelve years a confirmed spiritualist, and highly mediumistic, and who had been cured of a cancer by direct spirit agency, after it had baffled the skill of the physicians for two years, and there was a prospect that it would eat away his life. But this, he said, he now concluded, must all be the work of evil spirits. He now believes the Bible, and has commenced to observe the Sabbath. He seemed to rejoice greatly in the light he had received, and his testimony was as cheering to us as it was unexpected and astonishing to his fellow-citizens. Satan had made a strong net around him, but the power of divine truth, it seems, has broken the snare, and the prisoner is free. Who now can doubt the power of the present truth?

Another man gave a feeling testimony, and seemed greatly rejoiced in the truth. He had lately arrived from England with his family, had met with coldness and repulses in his efforts to get work, had lost a child, and they felt keenly the need of comfort and sympathy in their trials in a strange land. Passing near the tent, and hearing the voice of singing, his attention was arrested. He came, and heard, and recognized the spirit of Christ and his truth, and he was happy to hear the truth. He wanted to hear more about the Sabbath.

Last evening, not less than two hundred voted for what they had heard on the truth, and fifty, at least, manifested a determination to keep the Sabbath. But of all the hundreds present, not a hand was raised for Sunday!

Already, liberal offers are made toward a meeting-house, and preparations for camp-meeting this fall. But the end is not yet. The good Lord does graciously help us, and to him be all the glory.

M. E. CORNELL

Napa City, Cal., June 30.