IOWA

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 3, 1877

Marshalltown, Nevada, and Washington.

After the quarterly meeting at Sigourney, I had appointments in Crawford Co., which I withdrew on receiving the final counsel of the General Conference Committee concerning the mission in Texas, and immediately began to prepare for our departure. In the meantime I held meetings with the churches at Marshalltown and Nevada.

On account of a severe wind storm on Sunday, April 1, the meeting at M. proved to be a failure. Our object was at this meeting to reorganize s. B., celebrate the ordinances of the Lord’s house, and ordain an elder. In this we were disappointed; the brethren could not all get together. The meeting on the Sabbath was indeed a pleasant and profitable season.

From April 4 to 10 I was with the church at Nevada, holding meetings at night and packing our goods for our journey during the day. Sabbath and Sunday were days of refreshing to us all. Nine willing souls were baptized, and ten added to the church. We were greatly blessed while celebrating the ordinances. We rearranged s. B., and by a vote of the church a sum equal to one-third of the s. B. was added for T. and M. purposes. Though the brethren and sisters, in these two companies are young in the truth and poor in this world’s goods, they readily take hold of these measures, and are scattering the seeds of truth wherever they can find soil to nourish it. While we had to regret to say “good bye” to these dear children, we rejoiced to know that love and harmony existed among them. I hope and pray that this union and brotherly kindness may abound more and more as they grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Let brotherly love continue.

Apr. 14 and 15 I was with the Washington church. Systematic benevolence was reorganized, and the one-third added. This has been my home for more than thirty years. Here I have associations which are dear to me. After the war, I here learned to love and obey God. Though I was brought to the light of the truth at Mt. Pleasant, here I gained my religious experience. Feelings of sadness come over us as we bid adieu to the church here now so scattered by removals and the cruel hand of death. And while we go South again to fight in battle, with weapons that are not carnal, we are comforted to know that the prayers of these brethren with hundreds of others follow us.

Our address, for the present, will be Dallas, Texas. R. M. KILGORE.

Dickinson Co.

The blessing of God is with his truth here. Though it is in the busy time of spring’s work, the attendance increases all the time. Last evening some twelve or sixteen adults voted to keep all the commandments. We shall have our first Sabbath meeting next Sabbath. The people here are mostly from York State. Opposition discourses are advertised. I ask your prayers, dear brethren. F. W. MORSE.