MINNESOTA by John Olive

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, February 12, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 7

MINNESOTA

By John Olive

Dist. No. 5.—Jan. 15, I held a meeting with a few of the brethren at Warren Town, where Bro. and Sr. Johnson and Sr. A. M. Fulton met me. The 16th we all went to Lake City, where we met Brn. Norton and Babcock, for whose needed and efficient help in the Lake City meetings all felt grateful. Two sessions of the T. and M. society were held on first-day. The Secretary’s report for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 1879, was read, also a compared report of the work done by each church this quarter and the previous one, showing a great increase on the whole. There has been serious trouble among the brethren here, and the work was painful and severe; but we tried to trust in the Lord, and lean not to our own understanding; and after long and patient effort the tide turned. Offenses were confessed with humility and tears; and all seemed as glad to forgive as they were to be forgiven. Great relief was felt, and praise to God, gratitude, and joy followed. So great had been my love and interest here, that no relief from personal trouble could have given me more joy. “Praise ye the Lord, all ye his people.” May the Lord bless them out of Zion, and give them peace henceforth. The preaching during the whole meeting was solemn, searching, and impressive, and much of it practical. The T. and M. work, the reading of the Testimonies, and the gifts in the church, as well as the necessity of being informed concerning our faith and of leading holy lives, were forcibly dwelt upon in the social meetings as well as in the sermons.

Monday and Monday night were spent at Lake City; and Tuesday evening we met a house full at Bro. Turner’s, where we had an interesting meeting. This is about twenty-five miles from Lake City. Wednesday evening a good congregation at a school-house near Bro. Judd’s, listened attentively to an impressive sermon from Sr. Johnson. Owing to a disappointment in expected help, most of the preaching devolved on Sr. J., who preached eleven successive evenings, and twice on both the Sabbaths and Sundays. Thursday night a good congregation at Bro. Utter’s listened to the word with attention. Friday evening we commenced meetings at Lucas, and continued them over Sabbath and Sunday. All the brethren who live here, and some others, were present, all animated and interested. Three sermons, a social meeting, and a Sabbath-school occupied the Sabbath. Their Sabbath-school numbers sixty-two members. Sunday we had two sermons, and two sessions of the T. and M. society were held, and last of all a meeting of the V. M. society, which is trying to get into working order. At the T. and M. meeting the compared reports were again read, the general work was discussed, and recommendations and explanations were made. The

nearness of the end, the necessity of preparation, and the importance of sharing the work if we hope to share the reward, were dwelt upon here, and great interest was manifested. We all finished our work in these meetings with grateful hearts, feeling that the Lord had been with us. More interest in the work was shown than ever before; and the attendance of those not of our faith was greater than we have ever before seen in this district. Some disorders were corrected. The fields are white for harvest in this district, but the laborers are few. Six or seven openings for labor were found during this visit in this district. Pray the Lord of the harvest that he may send forth laborers into his harvest.

JOHN OLIVE.

Prescott, Wis., Jan. 30.