A WORD MORE TO OUR FRIENDS IN IOWA AND NEBRASKA.
By GEO. L. BUTLER.
Having received further information concerning the lack of money to pay off the indebtedness of the Conference for last year, and for the running expenses of our tents now in the field, and not knowing the address of all the leaders of our churches in the Conference, I will say a word further to our brethren through the REVIEW. I learn from our former treasurer that there are claims allowed by the Auditing Committee of the last Conference, amounting to about four hundred dollars, still unpaid for lack of funds. And furthermore, there are no funds in the treasury to meet tent expenses this season, and some of our tent laborers are calling for means to enable them to pay expenses. The friends of the cause will see at once, from these plain facts, the necessity of helping us out of this difficulty. They surely will not want to see the cause hindered, and men whose claims have been allowed to be just denied their dues. To meet this difficulty, we urge all those in every church in the Conference, who are behind on their S. B., to pay up. Had all these paid the pledges they voluntarily made, much of this difficulty would have been avoided. Do not, dear friends, embarrass the cause by a neglect to live up to your promises. Make the effort, and pay to your church treasurer your back pledges at once. We also request those of our brethren who can, without distressing themselves by so doing, to pre-pay one or two quarters of their S. B. for the present year to their church treasurers at once, to help their Committee out of their present embarrassment. We request the elders and leaders of our several churches to notice this article, and call the attention of the brethren and sisters to it in the public meetings. And finally we ask the church treasurers in all our churches to forward promptly to the State treasurer, Bro. A. R. Henry, of Indianola, Iowa, such funds as come into their hands, either by money order, draft, or registered letter. There are good omens of success to be seen in this Conference. Our increase last year, of 14 churches, and nearly 1400 members is certainly gratifying. Good openings are all around. Bro. Kilgore and Farnsworth are now setting the new tent in Dakota Ter. Our tents are starting in Nebraska; Bro. Morrison is with me here in Mt. Pleasant. We have just commenced meetings in the big tent 50x70, pitched in the public square, on the green grass under the beautiful trees—a great favor indeed, granted by the city councilmen. We commenced last night with an audience of upwards of two hundred, who gave good attention. There are many intelligent people in this city of 4000 or 5000 inhabitants. It is called the Athens of Iowa because of its educational privileges. We want your prayers; for we feel a great burden for this place, that God will bless our effort. We shall advertise largely, and do all we can. Our strong Conference ought at least by another year to send a new tent, properly manned, to Colorado, to start the work there. Dear friends, we have a great and glorious work committed to our hands, let us cheerfully do our part. I will speak of another point. If our brethren and sisters in our old churches will take hold with us to help where the cause needs help, we will try to afford especial labor from our best gifts, in those churches which seem to need it, after the cool weather comes. We believe labor could be very profitably bestowed in many of our older churches, and that an increase of membership might be expected and the old members much encouraged. We have such a work under contemplation. Let us all arouse, work in the good cause of God, scatter the tracts, and try to think of something else besides this poor world of sorrow and sin. This is the work of God, and the Lord is soon coming. Take hold with us in the work of God, brethren and sisters, and the Lord will help us. I invite those who think there are good openings in any part of our Conference to correspond with me. I also invite our ministers, and licentiates to correspond with me from time to time in reference to their plans, their success and their contemplated fields of labor. The Conference Committee should understand such matters. Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, June 29, 1876.