France and Southern Switzerland.
By D. T. Bourdeau
I have been under the necessity of visiting Valence, France, where I found the believers in great need of help. I did my best to supply their wants in visiting from house to house, and enjoyed more than ordinary freedom in giving five discourses, which the Spirit of God set home to the hearts of most of those who were present. I have also spent fully two weeks in laboring earnestly with Bro. Gabert in and about St. Didier, France. There a discussion was urged upon me. God gave a signal victory, my opponent, who was said to be a champion debater, having but little to say in the last session. Instead of occupying thirty minutes (the time allotted to each speech), he did not exceed five or ten minutes, and the discussion occupied but one day instead of lasting about four days, according to written regulations. My opponent made fatal confessions, and was frank enough to admit that he was mistaken on one important point, a thing which, it was said, he had never before been known to do. This discussion was made necessary by the fact that I had been challenged even before leaving Switzerland. I have organized S. B. with the few in Morges to the amount of about 120 francs a year. I shall enter a new field in a neighboring city next week, and I am glad that Eld. Andrews will be with me, at least a part of the time. A preacher in Morges has been advertising us and our work in three papers, with the design of crippling our efforts. We thank him for his services; for, though he has associated us with false ideas, yet he has said some things about us that will arouse the curiosity of many.