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Among the Churches

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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 22, 1883

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 9, No. 8.

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Among the Churches.

By M. C. Israel

In company with Elder Ballou, I visited the church at Fresno, Dec. 6. Held meetings with them two weeks, and was then called home on account of sickness in my family. January 19 I returned to Fresno, and spent the Sabbath with the church there; on the 21st I joined Bro. Ballou at Lemoore, where he had been laboring for some time. Here is one of the largest churches in the State. The Lord blessed in the labors. The preaching was of a practical nature, calculated to cause a searching of heart and life, and was well responded to in the social meetings. The brethren and sisters are of good courage in the Lord, and show a willingness to help move the car of truth. The T. & M. Society adopted the plan of using small packages of tracts for circulating in the neighborhood of each member; also of making a thorough canvass of one of the coast counties with the Signs of the Times. A club of 127 is taken for this purpose. The brethren pledged and partly paid $83.50 to help defray the expenses of the Special Edition of the Signs.

Los Angeles.

I came to this place January 31. I was here nearly two years ago and assisted Elder Healey in starting a tent-meeting; the result of which is a company of thirty-two (several having moved away) mostly sisters, who are trying to walk in the light of present truth. At the close of the tent-meetings a nice church was built. This was a good move at the right time. There has been but little preaching since, but they have not forsaken the assembling of themselves together, and have made some progress.
Our meetings have been well attended and a good degree of the Spirit of the Lord has been manifested, and all are determined to try to be faithful. The interest in the missionary work has been revived and instructions given how to work, and keep the accounts. The club of Signs has been increased, and a supply of tracts ordered, to make up into packages for circulation in the city and vicinity. We feel encouraged for the work here. The population of Los Angeles is rapidly increasing, with a good class of people. It is said that 1,500 houses were built during the past year, and the work is still going on. I see no reason why we may not have another tent-meeting here soon, and a larger church be raised up. I expect to go to San Diego and San Pasqual next week. M. C. Israel.
Los Angeles, February 16, 1883.