Orleans County, Vermont.
By D. T. Bourdeau
HAVING enjoyed a good meeting with my brother and the friends at East Charleston, Sabbath, March 1, the next day I moved my family and baggage to Barton Landing. The next day we went to Bro. Litchfield's, in the town of Westmore. Toward the last of the journey, we got lost in a heavy snow storm, and Mrs. B. partly froze four of her fingers in driving while I was keeping the sleigh balanced in passing through deep snow. The next day was town-meeting day, and we left appointments for lectures in a school-house at the outlet of Willoughby Lake, half a mile from Bro. Litchfield's, and with great difficulty we reached the hospitable home of Bro. Parkers, at Brownington village. We spent the rest of the week in making profitable visits in the Colby neighborhood, in West Charleston. This was our first opportunity of visiting the brethren and sisters in this section. We had a very pleasant interview with the family of Bro. Palmer who embraced the Sabbath last summer, and who received further instructions on our views with joy and eagerness. Sabbath, the 8th inst., I spoke twice at Bro. Jesse Barrows, in the village of Irasburgh. Several of the neighbors were in. In the forenoon, the pastors of the Methodist and Congregationalist churches were among our attentive listeners. But we were disappointed in not seeing our brethren from West Charleston, and other neighboring towns, as it was a quarterly meeting occasion. Did sickness, or our light thaw, hinder? The next morning, I came to this place with Mrs. B., our child, and light baggage, and spoke three times. Notwithstanding very unfavorable weather and bad roads, we have held nine meetings here. Some are interested. We hope that the weather will permit us to remain over next Sabbath and Sunday. It is so late in the season that it would be unsafe to remain longer. Our stay with Bro. Litchfield's family has been pleasant. His daughter-in-law and her two oldest children have recently embraced the truth. His son is very near to us. May he soon decide to walk in the narrow way with his wife and children. Last Friday, to save a long journey and see some that I might otherwise fail to see, I crossed the mountain between here and East Charleston on foot in following a foot path which was badly filled in with snow. This was rather a wearing trip; but we had a good meeting at East Charleston the next day, and were encouraged to learn they had had an excellent meeting the Sabbath before. It is good for young believers to learn to do without a preacher. While on this trip, and reflecting on the wants of the cause in this section, the following plan struck my mind with force: To have three monthly meetings in this county; one at Irasburgh, another in Charleston, and another at Westmore, and to have one of these meetings happen in connection with the quarterly meeting for this district. It seems to me that this arrangement, for the present, will have an encouraging influence on all, tell more on outsiders than merely to have a handful meet together, and will bring useful gifts into service which would otherwise rust in staying in their own locality, where there may be nothing special for them to do unless it is to bury their talents in the earth. At such meetings, the wants of the cause could be inquired into, systematic labor could be organized, and, if necessary, arrangements could be made for help to be sent to different points between the monthly meetings, and more monthly meetings could be held where there is the greatest interest, passing by points where no special help is needed. But planning and talking will amount to nothing without making an effort to attend these meetings. Carrying out such a plan has been the secret of success in many places. I solemnly believe that more good could be accomplished by this systematic labor without a preacher, than with the most eloquent preacher without a missionary spirit and systematic labor on the part of the church. Westmore, Vt., March 18, 1873.