Report from California.
By D. T. Bourdeau
At the date of our last report, written by Bro. Loughborough, we were closing our tent-meetings at Sebastopol. As the result of these meetings, ten were baptized and twelve grown persons embraced the truth, besides quite a number of children and youth. We hope that, with more labor bestowed at Sebastopol and vicinity, a good church will be formed. Sabbath and Sunday, Nov. 20 and 21, we held the opening services in the new meeting-house at Santa Rosa, which, though not plastered, will answer very well for present use. Here we were happy to have Bro. and Sr. Kellogg with us, they having moved to Santa Rosa the same week. There was also a good attendance from Sebastopol, and some from Healdsburg and Petaluma. Four discourses were given with good freedom, and four were baptized. Sabbath, the 27th, Bro. Loughborough held a meeting at Sebastopol; organized a Bible Class and Sabbath School. He spoke twice the next day, while Bro. Kellogg and myself had a good meeting at Santa Rosa, Bro. Kellogg speaking on the object of our existence, and how it can be carried out; thus opening the way for a course of lectures on the health reform. Sabbath, Dec. 4, preached to the friends at Sebastopol. They seemed still to manifest a good interest in the truth and to enjoy the exercises of the Bible Class and Sabbath School. Bro. Loughborough and Kellogg spent this Sabbath and the next day at Healdsburg, holding four meetings, baptizing two, organizing a church of twenty-one members, and having a good closing season in attending to the ordinances. This was the first privilege of the kind enjoyed by Seventh-day Adventists in this State. Others already keeping the Sabbath are expected to unite. Sabbath and Sunday, the 11th and 12th, we labored at Santa Rosa, organizing a church of twenty-nine members. Others will join soon. I also labored with this church last Sabbath, the 18th, dwelling upon our duty to the children and youth, etc. We feel deeply for this church, as much has been sacrificed already in building the meeting-house. This is a central place which adds greatly to the responsibilities, as well as to the privileges, of the church, making it highly important that they be faithful and be examples to other churches in all things, if they would retain their important position as a church in California. Last Sabbath and Sunday, Bro. Loughborough labored at Petaluma, and had a good, free time. He did not organize a church, as several were away, but Systematic Benevolence was re-arranged, the figures being raised materially from what they were last year, making up in part for deficiency elsewhere. Next Sabbath I spend at Healdsburg, Bro. L. at Sebastopol, and Bro. Kellogg here, and after another meeting in this place the week after, we will enter into new fields again. Pray for us. Santa Rosa, Cal., Dec. 23, 1869.