INTERESTING FROM WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
Bro. J. F. Wood, of Washington Territory, heard Bro. Loughborough and Bourdeau in California, received the present truth, returned home and went to work. He writes, Sept. 25, 1869: “I wish for a small stock of books, to either sell or give away, as occasion may offer, and I send you $7.00 as a book fund on my own account. I find that I am very weak here as yet; can do but little, partly because I am poor in this world's goods, and more because there is more prejudice here than in any place I have seen. I lived here nine years previous to moving to California, and it was known that I had become an Adventist before I returned. Hence old friends seem to be afraid of me, and though I have said but little, I have been fired at from the pulpit several times. I give them something to study, whenever I get an opportunity. There are seven of us, all told, who are keeping the Sabbath and trying to get ready for the coming of the Lord. “We hope and pray that the little leaven here will leaven the whole lump. Two of our company, Stephen Maxson and wife, my wife's father and mother, were raised Seventh-day Baptists, and always kept that faith, but now see all the truths of the Bible as taught by Seventh-day Adventists. The rest of us all belong to the family, except Sr. Morehouse. We are determined to prove faithful. We desire to live humbly, in the fear of God. I did expect to try and get Bro. Loughborough up here this winter, but the way is not yet open. I cannot as yet obtain a suitable place to hold meetings. May the Lord open the way, if there are any here who would receive the truth. Again Bro. Wood writes, Oct. 19: “Since my return to this place I have been a sort of mark for everybody to shoot at. Opposition and false statements were carried so high that I concluded to go to work and defend present truth to the best of my ability. Bishop Weaver, of the United Brethren church, stated here that he knew many Adventists in Michigan, and that they denied the divinity of Christ, and the resurrection. He stated that their doctrines were very obnoxious, and advised people to keep away from them. “I am teaching school in the settlement in which I have resided for years, hence am acquainted with many of the people. I announced that I would lecture on Spiritualism, as that and the immortality question were being discussed quite extensively. The people turned out en masse. They seemed to be interested. I have since lectured on immortality and future punishment. The interest is increasing. A Methodist Elder was sent to upset me, but he only confirmed the truth in the minds of many. The Lord has helped me, and I intend to lecture each Sunday evening as long as I can do any good. Some of the preachers are squirming; but the people seem to think they do not amount to much. There is an increasing demand for books. But few know anything about our publications, excepting what I have told them. I have had none yet to spare. I sent you $7.00 which I hope to hear from soon, probably before you receive this. “My father-in-law, Stephen Maxson, has given me the enclosed $20.00 for books, in addition to what I have already sent. We will give them away, if we158cannot sell them. Enclosed is a list of what I think will be most in demand here at present. I do not know anything about wholesale prices, so I will leave it with you to send what you can for the money. In response to the last order, we have sent $25.00 worth of books, adding only postage to wholesale prices. We have given $5.00 from the book fund, to enable these distant friends of the cause to give publications where they cannot sell them. We shall cheerfully give more for the same purpose when needed. The people must have our publications. These friends are acting a noble part. God will bless their efforts. Let other scattered friends also do what they can in this work, and it will be the delight of the old friends of the cause to help them in the circulation of our publications.