Basket Meeting at Orleans.
By Wm. C. Gage
FRIDAY, July 1, I started from Battle Creek, via Peninsular Railway, to attend the monthly meeting at Orleans on the Sabbath, and the basket meeting the Monday following, July 4. At Lansing, the trains of the Peninsular Road make close connection with those of the Ionia and Lansing Railroad, a new and pleasant route, now open as far north as Ionia, and being rapidly extended to Greenville. In connection with the Peninsular, this route very materially shortens the time and reduces the expense between Battle Creek and the northern part of the State. Instead of a tedious journey by way of Jackson and Owosso, as formerly, we now reach Ionia in a few hours, through as pleasant a section of country as any in Michigan. I spoke twice on the Sabbath at Orleans, the afternoon being mainly occupied with the subject of Sabbath Schools. First-day afternoon addressed the Greenville church on the same subject, and assisted in the organization of their school. While here I highly enjoyed a visit at the hospitable home of Bro. White, which has sheltered so many wayworn pilgrims, Bro. Sawyer at present officiating as “mine host.” The meeting on the fourth was well attended, and a quiet, orderly, and very pleasant occasion was enjoyed by all. As Bro. Bell was expected to be present, the brethren had made up their minds to hear on the subject of Sabbath Schools. Accordingly, the afternoon was devoted to this subject, and the requisites, the labors, and the necessary cost, of a successful school, were quite fully canvassed. Considerable interest was awakened, and the meeting voted to hold a Sabbath-School Convention, as soon as the circumstances will permit, and cordially invited Bro. Bell to attend. A request was also made that all the churches and scattered brethren within twenty or thirty miles of Orleans, take part in the Convention. We hope a successful and enthusiastic meeting may be the result.