ILLINOIS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 6, 1879

General Work.—Early this month I held a few meetings at Onarga, and found the church thriving. Lately I have held services at Sadorus. We organized a church of seven members, and afterwards admitted the eighth.

Last Sunday evening I closed a short protracted effort at Lovington. Because of deaths, removals, and unnecessary trials, this company has been made weak. My stay was too short to do what should be done here. There is a large class of young people who should be reached.

I have spoken in Oakland twice. Last night five arose for prayers. This morning one has desired baptism. We are hoping to build a meeting-house. One has promised $300; and another said, “Give me the material, and I will see that the house is built.”

G. W. COLCORD.

Kempton, Ford Co., Feb. 20.—I have labored about a month in Kankakee and Ford counties. I met with our French and American brethren at Kankakee and St. Anne when Elds. Colcord and Bourdeau were there. These meetings were a great encouragement to me. The Lord has blessed me in my labors. I have had some opposition from a Lutheran priest, and also from a Baptist minister from Kankakee, and I am told that another Lutheran priest is coming next Sunday to scare that young seventh-day man away. The word of God has made a great stir here. Eight have promised to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I have obtained eleven subscribers for the Tidende and one for the Signs, and sold books for $4.95.

I work on, trusting in the mighty God of Israel. LEWIS JOHNSON.

Martintown and Pitwood, Feb. 22.—At Martintown I have for the past two weeks spent half of my time for the French, and eleven have heartily embraced the message. Not one of these belonged to a Protestant church. They were either Roman Catholics, or had left that church without joining another, not knowing of a body of Christians that met their idea of what a church should be. The very first Sabbath, eight of them took a firm stand, some with deep feeling expressing gratitude for the truth.

At Pitwood, not far from Martintown, I speak in English to Americans and French; and there is a good interest here, though not so far advanced as that in Martintown. This is not far from Watseka, and offers a fine opportunity for the church in that place to do missionary work.

To-day (Sabbath) we have had at Pitwood a general rally of the brethren from Watseka, Beaver, St. Anne, and Martintown. A good-sized school-house, the only one in the village, was filled to its utmost capacity. At the close of the Sabbath I spoke to the French in Martintown. It has been a good day for both nationalities. Hearts are affected, the family altar is being erected, and we expect a moving forward in the performance of other Christian duties.

D. T. BOURDEAU.