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Report of Labor

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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Jun 14, 1883

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 9, No. 23.

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Report of Labor.

By G. D. Ballou

VALLEJO, WOODLAND, LAFAYETTE, AND FERNDALE.—After the general meetings at Oakland and Healdsburg, we visited the friends at Vallejo. Here we found a sister who had recently embraced the truth through reading the SIGNS and other publications sent her by Eastern friends. We organized a Sabbath-school of ten members, with a club of five Instructors. We went from here to Woodland, expecting to accomplish something for the Sabbath-school and H. and T. Society, but heavy rains hindered our meeting and we were able to do but little.
At Lafayette we found a little company for whom the truth has accomplished much. We labored to set forth the necessity of continued growth in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus our Lord. We held twelve meetings in all. We were told that the public interest in our meetings was the best ever known in the place. The privilege of requesting subjects for sermons was used by several who were anxious to hear on special points of faith, and most of the preaching was done on subjects about which inquiry had been made. A husband and wife embraced the truth as far as presented, and several others bought works, and are deeply interested. The missionary work received a new impetus, as also the Sabbath-school work, and nearly all the brethren and sisters promised not to be negligent in assisting to support the ministry. Better days are in store for the work in Lafayette. Continued consecration to the cause of God is the one thing necessary to antidote the spirit of negligence. May God bless and encourage the friends of truth there.
May 23 we took steamer for Humboldt County. The passage was very rough and tedious. We were forty-nine hours on the way, the usual time being twenty-two to twenty-six hours. But we have been brought safely on our mission thus far, and we feel that the prospering hand of the Lord has been with us all the way. Our new 40-foot tent is pitched in the best place in the town of Ferndale, and nicely seated for 250 people. The interest to hear seems to be deepening and spreading among the people. The SIGNS sent to this county have not been sent in vain. An interest has been aroused that could not have been otherwise. And we believe the natural spirit of prejudice against new things has been broken by its influence. Our meetings begin to-night. Brethren and sisters, do not forget to pray for your ministers and for the spread of the work.
Ferndale, Cal., June 6. G. D. BALLOU.