Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

A. T. Jones to E. G. White, Oct. 8, 1892

Mankato, Minnesota
October 8, 1892
Dear Sister White,

Your kind letter enclosing the word for Brother Smith reached me at this place three days ago. I reply as early as possible so as to get the letter off by returning steamer which I understand sails the 14th. MMM 226.1

I assure you I was only less sorry than you were to see the position that Brother Smith took in the REVIEW. And the more so after he had printed my sermons—to see him openly print the opposite position and thus set the REVIEW even against itself, this makes me very sorry indeed. He had better by far refused to publish the sermons, than to publish them and then oppose them in the very papers that printed them. MMM 226.2

The way it all came about was this: The Supreme Court decision declaring this “A Christian Nation” and sanctioning Sunday laws and the whole circle of church and State evils, had been rendered. I obtained an official copy, and in my work in Kansas City, Denver, and other places, I used it, calling the attention of the public as well as of our brethren, to the dangers that were in it, and how fully it gave to the national Reform party all they had been working for all these years. When I returned to Battle Creek, I was asked to preach on Sabbath, and supposing the church would be interested in this thing I spoke upon it. Unknown to me, two brethren in the audience were taking it down in Shorthand. It aroused the church so much that a number of the brethren went to Brother Colcord and asked if the sermon would be printed as they would like to send it to their friends and missionary correspondents, as well as to read it for themselves. Brother Colcord asked me if I was willing it should be printed. I told him if the brethren wanted it printed to go ahead and have it written out. But before it could be written out the next Sabbath had come, and so many questions had been asked on the subject, I spoke on it again, and this too was taken down. Then Brother Colcord took the first one over to the editorial rooms of the REVIEW and HERALD and asked Brother Smith if he would print it in REVIEW, as many of the brethren had asked for it, and he thought it was matter of interest to all. MMM 226.3

Brother Smith took the manuscript and considered the matter two days, and consulted with the associate editors, and together they agreed to print it and did so. And after all this, I assure you I was greatly surprised to see his editorial not opposing the matter. When he and the editorial staff had considered the question with the manuscript before them for two days and of their own free choice, WITHOUT ONE WORD IN ANY WAY FROM ME, had decided to print it; then after having printed it to come out in the same paper and oppose it; I was more sorry than I can tell you. If he had refused to print it, I should not have said a word, as I had said no word to get him to print it; as I had not expected it to be printed at all when I preached it. But I knew that no Editor can afford to print articles and then oppose them in his own paper, as this is ruinous to the strength and influence of the paper itself. Far better would it have been for REVIEW, not to have printed the matter at all, than to print it then oppose it. MMM 226.4

Many of the brethren all over the country were greatly pained by it. Brother Smith received letters from brethren expressing their sorrow at it. I received some letters expressing sorrow at it. I had decided to go to Brother Smith and have a private talk with him over it; but I was in Brother Eldridge’s room one day and he touched upon it, and we had a good talk about it, and I told him how sorry I was that the thing had been done so, and that if Brother Smith had only taken the time to have spoken a few words with me on the subject he need not have taken the position that he did, as it was entirely a misapprehension of my words as he had printed them himself. By our talk Brother Eldridge saw things in a better light. And when I told him that I had decided to go to Brother Smith and have a talk with him, Brother Eldridge said he would like to have several of the brethren together and all talk it over together and he would ask Brother Olen to call them together so that we could have an understanding of all these things better. MMM 226.5

I told him then that I would wait for this and not go to Brother Smith just then. But for some reason the meeting was not called at once, and I had to leave in a little while for the camp meetings, and have been engaged in meetings ever since, and so have had no chance to speak with Brother Smith. I hoped very much that he would be at the Michigan campmeeting, and that there he would have an opportunity to get better acquainted with the work as it is now moving on, and that there we could have a chance to pray together and talk of these things. But he did not go to the camp meeting at all, and so I had no chance there. And now your letter to me and communication to him has fully opened the way for me to go to him, and I assure you I am glad of it, and shall go to him as soon as I return to Battle Creek. MMM 227.1

I can, I fully believe, honestly assure you that I love Brother Smith. I know that I should rejoice to see him standing in the place to which God has called him, with the power and glory of God resting upon him and he leading the people on to the victories that await there. Oh, I should be glad to see it so. And I shall do everything in my power, and shall seek special wisdom from God that I may be able to help him to see that there is nothing at all of the things that he so much fears, and help him to take his place on the right side of things. MMM 227.2

I am here at Mankato at one of their fall camp meetings in this state. I go from here down to Birmingham, Iowa, to attend one of their fall camp meetings. This will be two meetings in each of these states that I have attended—the State meeting in each state and these local meetings. This meeting at Birmingham will close the camp meeting season this year and will be the twelfth one for me. I have attended the State meetings in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Michigan, with local meetings in Southern Illinois and Iowa and Minnesota. In all the meetings the Lord has bestowed His blessing in great measure, has made the people acquainted with His power and with Himself as the source of power and has given great victories in every meeting. MMM 227.3

The cause of the Lord is rising and advancing wonderfully. The peace and joy of the Lord and His salvation is coming upon His people more and more. The light is shining from His word in clear and glorious rays. MMM 227.4

On the other hand, in the matter of Church and State, striking events are occurring in such rapid succession as to be surprising. In February the Supreme Court declared this to be “a Christian Nation.” The National Reformers, immediately seized upon this and went to Congressional Committees and demanded the closing of the World’s Fair on Sunday as the Christian Sabbath because the Supreme Court had declared this a Christian Nation and such legislation would be right; and the churches sent in their petitions for Sunday legislation with resolutions attached, pledging themselves and one another “never to vote for any man in either the House or Senate for any office or place of trust, who refused to give what they demanded.” And upon this Testimony 32, page 207 was fulfilled, “To secure popularity and patronage, legislators DID yield to the demand for a Sunday law” and it was enacted in three distinct ways in July. Now the Presidential Campaign is on, and the Catholics are throwing their influence and votes for Cleveland, because Harrison’s administration tried to stop the churches from taking the public money. And this the New York Independent says, will certainly throw the Protestants on the side of Harrison, and will array the Democratic and Republican parties against each other on religious and church questions and so bring religious controversies into the whirl of politics. But even if this does come of it, the Catholics will have the advantage whichever side wins, as the chief Campaign managers of both parties are Catholics now. And on the side of the churches they are going rapidly the way of Babylon of Revelation 18:2, having got Congress to agree(?) to their demands for Sunday closing of the Fair, they propose to go forward and demand whatever else they want. In Chicago they have joined and allied themselves with the theatre. And here in mass meeting, passed a resolution to buy nothing from any dealer who refuses to close his store or shop on Sunday. And so all the elements and agencies of Satan are hurrying to their places in the great array against the Cause and people of God. Our brethren are now being put through another course of indignities and provocation in Tennessee. And this time they propose to prosecute the brethren for exhorting their brethren to stand fast in the faith. MMM 227.5

Ah, the forces are gathering fast against the Lord and against His anointed; and we shall soon be in the thick of the fearful contest. And worst of all it is so hard to get God’s people and especially the ministry to realize it and arouse and arise to the call of the Lord for this time. But yet many are awaking, and are turning to the Lord with all the heart. Oh, I pray every day that the Lord will not leave me to myself for a single moment, but to keep me in His own hands and use me in His own way; and keep me awake and ever in His advancing light. MMM 228.1

So many events are open and apparent to the eyes of all people, now that the presentation of the living message stirs the minds of men to their depths and compels them to think seriously of where they are. Oh! that every one of our ministers from one end of the land to the other would rise in the strength and power of God with the fresh, living message that now is for the world—then the Loud Cry would be here indeed. And still the Lord waits to be gracious. Still He is patient and forbearing with us in our slowness and blindness. MMM 228.2

In the meetings which I have not attended this year the brethren have reported the same blessing and power and victories as have been experienced where I have been. The Lord is leading on and is revealing Himself more and more. The Michigan meeting was the greatest we ever saw. So said all the brethren—Brother Olsen, Loughborough and all. The brethren who were in the 1844 movement and were present at Lansing, said that it was equal to 1844 and some thought it even surpassed 1844. Brother Howard Miller turned to the Lord with one of the deepest and most thorough confessions I ever heard, and he received much of the blessing of the Lord. I hope he will continue on more and more others of the ministers made good confessions. MMM 228.3

At the meeting here at Mankato, the most of the ministers of the State are present, and we have made special efforts in their behalf. This has been the greatest task of the meeting. Much progress has been made, but the work is not complete, and we shall carry it further tomorrow. This day has been the Sabbath and it has been a good day in the camp. Brother Grant is free in the Lord, and says he is happier and is enjoying more of the presence and blessing of the Lord than ever in his life before. MMM 229.1

In the Iowa State meeting in June we had a splendid victory. And hope for great advance to be made at Birmingham the coming weeks. I am satisfied that Brother Washburn is looking toward the light and wants to walk in it. I hope he may be enabled to step fully into the light at this meeting. MMM 229.2

The schools have opened well and are progressing nicely. Brother Magan held a Bible class in the Sanitarium for several weeks and much good was done for all. Brother McCoy received some light and help and Dr. Kellogg a good deal. Brother Olsen hopes to find a good worker to carry on the same kind of work further in Sanitarium and REVIEW office. MMM 229.3

Well, I must close. I think I have told you all I know. Hoping this may find you enjoying much of the presence, blessing and strength of the Lord, and assuring you of my prayers and sympathies ever; and hoping for the very best results of my visit to Brother Smith, I remain, MMM 229.4

As ever your brother in Christ. Truly,
(Signed) Alonzo T. Jones
Fannie and the little ones are all real well and are all happy in the Lord.
Typed from handwritten original
December 10, 1973
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