REPORT FROM BRO. BOURDEAU.
By D. T. BOURDEAU
My stay at home is nearly brought to a close. I shall give my farewell discourse next Sabbath, and intend to leave the next day for the General Conference, in company with Mrs. Bourdeau and my brother, to labor where Providence shall direct. I have remained in Vermont about six months. Although the extremely cold winter that we have had, and the burdens connected with selling, and helping to prepare a home for my parents, together with other important matters which I have had to attend to, have prevented me from improving healthwise as rapidly as I had intended, yet I have had the privilege of hardening my muscles, and inuring myself to hardships by physical exercise. I have held meetings in Enosburgh, Berkshire, Sutton, C. E., East Richford, Johnson, and Stowe; and have given in all, besides laboring in social meetings and visiting, about fifty discourses. But especially have my labors been connected with the Enosburgh church, to whom I have given a course of lectures, besides quite a number of practical discourses. I feel especially endeared to this church by my past experience with them, and by their appreciation of the plain testimony. They also have cheerfully borne burdens in responding to calls for help from the different branches of the cause according to their ability. May they not be weary in well-doing, but abound more and more in every good work, knowing that they shall reap a rich reward if they faint not. I have joined with my brother in keeping up the interest among the young, and we have seen further fruits in the conversion of more of the youth to the truth, among whom are my wife's two youngest brothers, who with five others have decided to be baptized next Sabbath. I had felt a deep interest for these dear souls and for others, and thought that I could not leave without seeing them decide on the Lord's side. And now that I have seen the desire of my heart, I can leave with more satisfaction, praying that these youth may, with all this dear people, persevere until the coming of Christ, and be saved in his everlasting kingdom. It is no small sacrifice for me to leave my beloved parents, not knowing as I shall meet them both again in this life, as my mother's health is very feeble. But I have the consolation that by their past willingness to sacrifice for us and the cause, not seeking their own interest and ease, but denying themselves to give us an education, at a time when they needed our help, and then standing by us and still helping us when the cause was feeble in this section, and when preachers had no other help than that coming from their own hard earnings and resources, they have obtained a hope that sustains them, and takes hold of the riches and glories of the world to come. I commit my honored parents to the Lord and to the church to which they belong. Though they are provided with a sustenance, yet there are times when, as they remain by the stuff while my brother and I are out in the field, they shall need to be eased. Then whatever is done in bearing physical burdens to relieve them, is done to us and the Lord. Doubtless we shall not all meet again in this life. But, thank God! we hope to meet at the close of the war, when all our burdens are borne, our wanderings shall cease, victory is gained, and an endless state of felicity shall open before the favored church of God. West Enosburgh, Vt., April 20, 1868.