Merritt E. Cornell
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M. E. Cornell was one of our first tent evangelists. He was a young first-day Adventist preacher in Michigan, and was one day driving to a new pastorate. He passed through Jackson, and stopped to see his old friend, Dan R. Palmer. Joseph Bates at that moment was in the midst of a cottage meeting there. J. O. Corliss, who was associated with all these workers, has told us the story of that call:
"Driving up before the gate of the Palmer home, the young man was told that a preacher inside was trying to prove that the seventh day of the week should be observed as the Sabbath. Satisfied that he could quickly show the falsity of such a view, he decided to go in and listen for a few moments, while his wife, who refused to accompany him, remained sitting in the carriage."
But young Cornell remained longer than he had thought he would.
"When he did rejoin his wife, he could not withhold from her his strong conviction of the truth of what he had heard.
"'But, Merritt,' said she, 'what could we do if we were to observe the seventh day? You must know that you would be obliged to resign the pastorate to which you are called.’
"The reply was quick and characteristic: 'Angie, if this is truth, the Lord will open some way for us.'"
They drove on in the buggy to Tyrone, where lived Henry Lyon, the wife's father. Nearing the home, they saw J. P. Kellogg, a neighbor, in the hayfield. Here was Merritt Cornell's first missionary opportunity as a Sabbath advocate. He had been going over in his mind what he had heard at Jackson; the evidence pressed upon him every minute of their journey.
"'Hold the horse, Angie,' said he, 'while I go and give Brother Kellogg the light.' Springing over the fence, he ran to the place where Brother Kellogg was, and exclaimed, 'I have light for you, Brother Kellogg!' Quietly leaning against the top of his rake handle, Brother Kellogg said, 'Well, what is it Merritt?' In a few moments the simple story was rehearsed. Brother Kellogg was convinced, and at once decided to obey.
"Turning as abruptly as he had come, Brother Cornell rejoined his wife, and told her of the victory gained.
"On the way to Brother Lyon's home, another neighbor was met, who also promised to obey the truth. Arriving at the parental residence, nearly the first thing, after the exchange of family greeting, was a repetition of the simple message, with the result that the next Sabbath an interested company met for the worship of God." — The Review and Herald, Oct.11, 1923.
Talk about horse-and-buggy days! That buggy was about as swift and effective in results that day as any automobile on record has ever been. J. P. Kellogg and Henry Lyon were two of the four who supplied much of the means to establish the publishing work in the old Battle Creek headquarters. J. P. Kellogg moved to Battle Creek, and was one of the leaders in seeing our first sanitarium enterprise put through. He had sold his farm in order to help the cause. We younger ones who saw the quiet, plain old gentleman about the old headquarters never knew how much he had done for this cause until we grew up and began to understand things for ourselves.
M. E. Cornell was a driving preacher. At one public meeting there had been a lively debate with an opposing minister. At the close, feeling was intense. J. O. Corliss told of a providential intervention:
"Soon the surging crowd pressed toward Elder Cornell in an attempt to do him injury. Just then a tall, fine-looking man of commanding appearance pushed his way to the stand, and, locking arms with Elder Cornell, started toward the door. The angry crowd gave way before them. Upon reaching the open, the stranger — for such he proved to be -- lifted his charge bodily to the seat of a carriage at hand, and the driver made a quick departure toward a friendly home. The patron stranger, however, vanished in the darkness, never again to be recognized in that vicinity. — Ibid.
Of course, friends believed that the providential visitor was an angel.
One word more about the first tent. We are told by J. O. Corliss that M. E. Cornell was at Jackson, Michigan, talking with James White about the need of a tent. He had heard of a tent that the first-day Adventists had stored in Rochester, New York. He believed that it could be secured.
"How much will it cost?" asked Dan R. Palmer, the blacksmith.
"About $150, I suppose."
James White said, "That figure is beyond our reach."
"I will supply it," said Brother Palmer.
It was about time for the eastbound train to pass that station.
"Here, give me the money, quick!" cried Cornell, "and I will go and get it." In a few minutes he was on the train, and in a few days he was back again with the first tent purchased.
The tent was set up in Battle Creek. In this tent J. N. Loughborough, a young preacher, opened our first tent meeting, they tell us, with a sermon on the second chapter of Daniel, a subject that is every bit as interesting and appealing and important now as when it was presented in that first tent meeting.