Vermont and Canada East.
By A. C. BOURDEAU
Owing to existing circumstances in my affairs at home, the Quarterly Meeting for the church at Enosburgh, Vt., was held Jan. 26 and 27, one week later than I appointed in the Review. Elder A. Stone was present and gave two discourses. The church appreciated the word spoken by God's servants; and the prayer and social meetings were made interesting to the aged, middle-aged, youth and children, who all felt to rejoice for the good work that had been wrought in them, and freely expressed their determination to follow on with the remnant in the Christian race, till they obtained the prize. We were especially blest evening after the Sabbath in attending to the ordinances of the Lord's house, and felt to appreciate the following words of the Saviour: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John xiii, 17. Arrangements were made for Bro. Stone to meet with the brethren and sisters in North Sutton, C. E., Jan. 31, and Feb. 1, 2, and 3. Myself and wife traveled eighty miles with our own private team, and on Sabbath and first-day, Feb. 2 and 3, met with the few who assembled at the house of Bro. Hool's, in Compton, C. E. The Sabbath-keepers in this section are in a scattered condition and do not often meet together; yet their hearts are in the good work, and they have an increasing interest in the progress of truth. During the meetings in this place I gave four discourses, organized Systematic Benevolence for three families, amounting to about $68.00, mostly in Canada currency, took in one share for the Health Institute, $4.60 for the Publishing Association, and got one subscriber for the Health Reformer, and one for the Review. On our way to our next meeting, Feb. 6th, we visited at Bro. Steele's, in Derby, Vt. We were happy to find this aged brother and his companion considerably advanced in the Health Reform, and having an increasing confidence in the present truth. May God bless them, and enable them to so advance in the good way that they may soon identify themselves fully with the people of God. Feb. 8 and 9, we held six meetings with the church at Irasburgh; and although it rained and the roads were bad, yet a goodly number attended. On the Sabbath we enjoyed usual freedom in dwelling upon our present position, and the counsel to the Laodiceans. Then the brethren and sisters followed with cheering testimonies, and earnestly expressed their determinations to practice the truth on all points, that they might have a gathering influence, by their lives as well as by their words. In the evening we dwelt nearly one hour upon the proper manner of celebrating the ordinances of the Lord's house, after which the church enjoyed a profitable season in attending to the ordinances, which they had not had the privilege of doing for one year. The day following, at 10 A. M., I made miscellaneous remarks, nearly two hours, relative to the Western Health Reform Institute, the S. D. A. P. Association, Systematic Benevolence, and church order; which resulted in having two shares taken in the Institute, and $12.50 donated to the Association. Then we examined the standing of the church, appointed a church clerk, invited the brethren and sisters to raise their figures on s. b., and at half past 2 o'clock, P. M., I gave a closing discourse from the words, “To him that overcometh,” etc. Rev. iii, 21. The church at Irasburgh number about thirty members, and their figures on s. b. amount to nearly $200. per year; yet they are in rather a scattered condition. Families live far from each other, and they are deprived of many privileges which they might enjoy if they were differently located. Something has been said, with reason and propriety, against having leaders, or prominent members of a church, move away, thus leaving them perhaps in a distracted condition. But I see no harm in having the members of quite a large church situate themselves so as to have more than seven or eight of them meet together for worship from Sabbath to Sabbath. If the brethren here pursued the course that the brethren in Enosburgh and vicinity did three years ago, it would not be long before they would have a house of worship, which would be not only for their convenience, but also for the convenience of churches and scattered brethren around them. Then they could hold weekly prayer meetings, besides those on the Sabbath, have an interesting Bible Class and Sabbath School; and this would help to keep their children from being drawn away into the world, and have the tendency to win them to Christ and to the love of the truth. Under the good influence that they might shed in this way, others would be induced to examine the truth, and we have reason to believe that there would soon be an ingathering of souls in Irasburgh, of such as should be saved. Barton, Vt., Feb. 18, 1867.