California by J. F. BALLENGER; S. T. HARE

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jan 19, 1905

California

By J. F. BALLENGER; S. T. HARE

LONG BEACH.— After quite a lengthy series of tent-meetings in this place, we organized a church of thirty members. These were mostly composed of those who have moved here from different places; some had been so long severed from their church relations that they had almost lost their identity as members of the body, and some were in a backslidden state.

The Christian denomination kindly granted us the use of their baptistery, and where we buried three willing souls with their Lord in baptism.

While we have seen but little results in the way of new converts, yet we have seen backsliders reclaimed, wanderers brought back to their Father's house, and all rejoicing that they have a home where they can meet with God's people on the Sabbath day.

We held our week-of-prayer services in the tent, with good results. The attendance was good, and the readings were much appreciated by all.

Since the organization, which took place November 27, the little company here, who are all in limited circumstances, have pledged and paid in for different branches of the work as follows: First and second tithe, $162.98; Christmas offering, $56.42; for southern field, $21.16; and for church supplies, $10.05, making a total, in a little over one month, of $249.61. This does not include a pledge of the Sabbath-school of forty dollars for the purpose of furnishing a room in the Glendale Sanitarium; neither does it include a sister's gift of a house and lot, worth about five hundred dollars, for the purpose of building a house of worship, nor that of another sister, who has donated a lot on which to erect the building.

So we hope at no distant day to have a place of our own where we can invite the citizens of Long Beach and the ever-increasing tourists to hear the last warning message to the world.

We now hold our Sabbath meetings in the Long Beach Business College building, corner First and American Avenue.

J. F. BALLENGER, S. T. HARE,