Illinois and France by D. T. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 2, 1875

Illinois and France.

By D. T. Bourdeau

I HAVE been spending the last two weeks in Illinois. I felt it duty to come to this State to render the French brethren further assistance before leaving for Europe, and to prepare the way for, and give influence to, our labors in France, by obtaining letters of commendation and much-needed information concerning France as a field of labor, and by getting pledges from our France-French brethren in Illinois to aid in carrying the message to France. In this I have been quite successful. The following are the subscriptions and pledges for France, or to be applied on the European Fund as the General Conference Committee shall decide:—

SUBSCRIPTION FOR FRANCE.

A few months since, France was in mourning in consequence of the suffering caused by a terrible inundation; and her children scattered in foreign lands showed her their sympathy by lending a helping hand to the unfortunate sufferers. This was truly patriotic and magnanimous. But France is in as much greater need of sympathy on account of her spiritual condition as heavenly things are of greater importance than the fleeting things of this short life; and feeling the miseries of our brethren in France and their need of present truth, we, the undersigned, promise to pay the sums affixed to our names, to aid in carrying the last message of mercy to France, whereby we may escape the calamities of the great day of God which hasteth greatly:—


Gustavus Bernard,	$200.00
Eugenie Hobbs,	100.00
D. T. Bourdeau,	100.00
Victor Fermond,	100.00
Alphonse Scheppler,	25.00
Louis Bloom,	25.00
Louis Scheppler,	25.00
Martin Devévres,	25.00
Total,	$600.00

These brethren felt it a privilege to raise this sum, although paying their Systematic Benevolence, etc. Others came forward, feeling that they too must do something for their country, but, owing to their financial condition, we refused to receive pledges from them, referring them to the wants of the cause in their own State.

We found the cause among the French in Illinois in quite a prosperous condition. The brethren and sisters generally are of good courage, and are trying to do what they can in the missionary work, in their State and in other fields, by personal effort, by correspondence, and by the distribution of tracts. They are anxious to take the French paper from Switzerland as soon as it is published, and will act their part in obtaining subscribers for it. Thus far, we have appointed four brethren and two sisters to write for this paper, and represent the cause among the French West.

Since we came to this State last June, twenty-three French converts have been baptized, two churches of the French brethren have been organized, and a few have commenced to keep the Sabbath in four different townships.

At our good, closing meeting in St. Anne yesterday (Sabbath), we insisted that it was necessary for the French brethren to prepare one or two of their own number for the missionary work. Here, as well as in Wisconsin, we could appreciate the remarks of Bro. White on the importance of raising a fund to aid in giving an education to worthy and tried young men and women who wish to devote their lives to the work of the ministry. There was a good deacon in our meeting who has an intelligent son seventeen years of age, and a noble daughter aged nineteen. As I talked on this subject, the tears fell freely from this good man's eyes. He said he had designed sending these children to our college, but as he had nearly lost two crops, one by the drouth, and the other by the excessive rains of the season, he could not carry out his plans unless he sold a part of his common-sized farm, which he was inclined to do. I here felt as though I must leave $100 of hard earnings to be applied to this precious fund. I shall say more on this point shortly.

We now purpose starting for Switzerland as soon as we hear from Eld. J. N. Andrews. Our P. O. address is Burke, Caledonia Co., Vermont.

D. T. BOURDEAU.

Kankakee, Ill., Nov. 21, 1875.