| 299 If the miracles were so fully evident in our Savior's day, why did not all the people believe in him? The Freewill Baptist's had no more confidence in him in that day, than they have in this, notwithstanding his many miracles.-They said he 'had a devil; that he cast out devils through Belzebub [Beelzebub], the prince of devils;' and if they witnessed anything that was incontestibly [incontestably] proven, they cried out 'give God the glory, for we know this man is a sinner.' No evidence was sufficient, no argument would convince, no testimony would satisfy; and our friend, Elias Hutchins, tells us that a miracle was said to be performed by the Roman Catholics, and attested by more than eighty thousand ocular witnesses; and yet it is false, although the testimony of any two of those witnesses would be sufficient to hang a man, if guilty of murder. Here we are called. upon the mere say-so of somebody, to believe all the 'facts' spoken of by our Baptist friend: but coming from any body else, if there are eighty thousand eye witnesses they must not be credited.-We suppose if twice that number were to testify to a Mormon healing the sick by laying on of hands, he would not credit it; but we, of course, must believe him upon bearing evidence, merely because he is a Freewill Baptist. So much for his facts and rule of evidence.
Our Baptist friends, however, may rest assured that they will have ample evidence of the kind they are looking for before long; for Paul says, 2d Thessalonians, ii: 7-12; "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming as after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceiveablness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie; That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
When these lying wonders shall be revealed, and the beast spoken of by John, shall perform his miracles-when fire shall descend from heaven, and great things be done by this power, there will be plenty of evidence to satisfy the most sceptical [skeptical]. The "world will then wonder after the beast;" the order of the Freewill Baptists will flourish, from lands to land, and from sea to sea. The "Morning Star'" under the direction of the Trustees of the "Freewill Baptists Connection," will then be extensively read circulated, and admired--the incontestible [incontestable] evidence of the miracles will be chronicled in its pages, and our friend, Elias Hutchins, may then be rewarded for his zeal and labor, and obtain a seat among the honorable of the earth.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.
To the Editor of the Times and Seasons.
BRITON, Livingston county, }
July. 30, 1834. }
DEAR SIR:-We take this opportunity of sending you the minutes of a conference, held in the town of Briton, Livingston county, Michigan, convened on the 29th and 30th of July.
Conference met according to appointment on the 28th of July, at 6 o'clock, P. M. There were several elders and other officers present on the occasion.
The conference was opened with prayer by the president; who proceeded to make some appropriate remarks on the object of the meeting, After some general instructions the different branches were represented, and were as follows:
B. Searls, teacher, represented the Pleasant Valley branch, Livingston county; one teacher and twenty members.
Priest Loree represented the Cedar branch, Livingston county; one priest, one teacher, and eighteen members.
A. Hovey, teacher, represented the Rose branch, Oakland county; one teacher, nine members.
Elder M. Serrine represented the Franklin branch, Oakland county; one elder, one priest, one teacher, and sixteen members, also the Royal Oak branch; thirteen members.
N. Goodell represented the Lapeer branch Lapeer county; two elders, two priests, and twenty-three members.
Priest Bunnel represented the Brownstown branch, Wayne county; one elder, one teacher, and twenty-three members.
Elder O. Jefferds represented the Van Buren branch, Wayne county; one elder, one teacher, and seven members.
Elder C. Dunn represented the Livonia branch, Wayne county; one elder. one priest one teacher, one deacon, and twenty-three members; he also represented the Halimazo branch, twenty-three members, all in good standing, and fifty scattered members not represented.
Many of the brethren and sisters bear strong testimony to the truth of the work, and some that were not members of the church declared before the congregation that they had been healed by the prayer of faith and the laying on of hands by the elders of his church.
Motioned and carried that this conference be
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