Note from the Iowa Tent.
By George I. Butler
Our meetings in Sigourney still continue. Since the last report we have had a few days of fair weather, just enough to get the roads passable, and then another heavy rain, that raised the streams higher than ever. This is a very dark time for farmers and all classes. The wheat harvest has commenced, but reapers can hardly run on account of the soft ground. Most of the grass is still standing, because there is not enough sunshine to make it safe to cut, and it seems now, that half a crop of grain will not be raised of any kind. On the account of high water, the mills cannot run, and flour can hardly be bought. Altogether, things look dismal. But there is a bountiful crop of fruit this year. Under these circumstances, it can be readily seen that tent-meetings are not delightful. But we have kept at work as well as we could under the circumstances, holding meetings in the court-house when we could not use the tent; and we trust our labor here is not all thrown away. Last Sabbath we had a Bible Class and Sabbath School, for the first time. There must have been nearly a hundred persons, old and young, present, who seemed to be interested. In the afternoon we had a social meeting; some sixteen testimonies were given by those who had never spoken before in our meetings. Altogether, we trust from fifteen to twenty Sabbath-keepers will be brought into the truth here, as the result of our efforts. Had the weather been favorable, we think a much greater number might have been reached. We do not expect to remain here much longer, that is, if the roads ever get dry enough so that we can get away. Sigourney, Iowa, July 27, 1869.