This town had ever been abandoned to the mercies of Catholics, Old Lutherans, and saloons, all of which were equally destructive of all moral good. No protracted effort had ever been made in the place. No conversions had ever been heard of. In the fall of 1870 I was put upon the Seneca circuit, of which New Washington was nearly in the center, and knowing the debauchery and ignorance of the people in general, I determined to lift up the standard of King Immanuel in that place. Accordingly I settled in the place and rented a vacant building that used to contain a drug store and saloon. The owner had speculative motives, having asked quite a dear rent for the room. But during the winter I and companion made special prayer to God for his conversion.
The meeting was begun on the 17th of February, 1871. The night before the owner slept not for deep conviction. As soon as I arose in the morning he came to me in tears and confessed his sins and asked my prayers. I directed him to look to Christ for immediate pardon and deliverance. I gave him some of the great promises of Christ. And there, standing in his own stable, he looked to Christ and experienced a full pardon of all his sins. This settled the rent for the house. The third night six came to the altar. The meeting was attended with great power and produced a great stir among the people, many of whom had never seen the like. Fifty-six were converted, forty-six baptized, and forty-six fellowshiped into the organization.
Among these converts were a number of his school-mates, old acquaintances, and neighbors. George Pratt, of Nappanee, Ind., an old schoolmate and a former resident of New Washington, makes this statement concerning this meeting: "The meeting was held in my father's drug-store building. Brother Warner held the meeting unaided. He stood there alone and preached while others threatened. There were bad elements that rose in opposition, the Lutheran being the worst and the Catholic next. My father protected him. It was a wonderful meeting and many were saved."
The earliest of his diary records so far available begin in November, 1872, as follows, when he was on the Seneca circuit and had his home with a Brother Wright, in Crawford County, Ohio:
8. Brother P. Wright brought me to Bucyrus. Staid all night with Bro. J. G. Wirt. The Methodists had a festival. I and a few members of the same church (who repudiated these follies and inconsistencies) met for prayer and the Lord was with us. These brethren were much dissatisfied with their church relation.
9. Left Bucyrus at 7 A. M. Reached Lima at nine. Stopped at the Burnet House till 1:20 P. M. Wrote a letter to my brother and one to brother-in-law, L. W. Guiss.
10. Sabbath. A. M., prayer-meeting at Brother Dague's, P. M., heard a Lutheran minister in Milton. Evening, preached from Isa. 28:16,17. I occupied the Presbyterian house. I preached here some in the schoolhouse in 1868, the first year I traveled.
11. Took the train at 7:30 A. M. for Tontogany, with the design of finding where God wishes me to labor as a missionary. 0 Lord, guide thy servant to the place thou canst best use him! Walked from Tontogany to Brother Hardee's. Evening, went to Evangelical meeting. Brother W—— preached. Heard a great noise, but to the congregation it appeared as a tinkling cymbal and sounding brass, evidently having no effect. Nearly all blew loudly the horn of sanctification but manifested little of its fruits, such as travail of soul for the sinner and sympathy for the one soul at the altar, to whom none gave a word of encouragement, but each in turn arose and boasted of his holiness. Oh the delusions of Satan! How manifold they are!