Mendocino Co., and Healdsburg by John Norton Loughborough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 31, 1877

Mendocino Co., and Healdsburg.

By John Norton Loughborough

TAKING the steamer Monterey in San Francisco, Monday, May 14, at 4 P. M., I sailed up the coast to Little River, Mendocino Co., where I arrived the following day at 5 P. M. Bro. Stickney was at the boat landing to take me to his home. I spent two days very pleasantly at Little River, speaking each evening to large audiences in the hall, and in the day time visiting, in company with Bro. Stickney's people, their numerous relatives.

Friday, May 18, accompanied by Bro. Stickney and family, we went in their carriage thirty miles to Christine. Our route was through large redwood timber. We saw many trees 14 feet in diameter and over 200 feet in height. Bro. Stickney said that by comparing trees of this size with others whose grains he had counted, they must be over 2000 years old. It was quite impressive to me to look upon these majestic trees and think that at the time our Saviour walked the earth these trees were little twigs bending the way they now incline.

At Christine I spoke seven times, beside which we held a meeting on Sabbath for social worship, and to celebrate the ordinances for the first time among our people there. Twenty-six names are now on the covenant to keep the Sabbath, and most of these are firm in the truth and of good courage in the work. On Sunday a business meeting was held in which a branch of T. and M. Society, district No. 1, was organized with a membership of fifteen.

May 23d, after forty miles staging to Cloverdale, I took cars to Healdsburg where I spent five days visiting our people, holding meetings, and laboring for the good of the church. We had a meeting in which the list of members was read over and an effort made to ascertain the standing of each. Every one present bore testimony, and by correspondence this will be followed up until the list is clear. This investigation ferreted out some matters of trial which were adjusted. Our people seem to favor this plan of having an overhauling of the list of members, once a quarter at least, to see that all are moving in harmony.

Sunday at 3 P. M., I spoke to a good audience at Healdsburg, on the Signs of the Times. Marked attention was given throughout. A deep impression was made by Bro. Smith's discourse the week before on the Eastern Question. We were glad to learn that others in Healdsburg are deciding to obey the truth. So may the work ever advance.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.