TACOMA, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
By H. W. Reed
THIS is a city of some ten thousand inhabitants. It is situated on Puget Sound, one hundred and forty-five miles from Portland. It is the terminus of the Pacific and Cascade divisions of the Northern Pacific Railway. On account of the quite extensive shipping to foreign ports, and the local travel by water and rail, this place affords some excellent opportunities for the distribution of reading matter. We pitched our tent here and began meetings June 4. For a short time the weather was unfavorable; but since then it has been excellent. The interest to hear, from first to last, has been small; nevertheless the Lord has given us some fruit of our labor. After we had been here but a few weeks Brother J. A. Burden's health failed, so that afterwards all the speaking fell upon me. God gave liberty in presenting the truth. Since coming here I have preached one hundred and two sermons, and my health and strength are about as good as when I commenced. Twenty-two have signed the covenant. One of these was a man from Omaha, Nebraska, who came out here to visit relatives. He attended the meetings for about six weeks and became a Sabbath-keeper, and thus carries the truth home to his family. Two others have gone to other places, carrying with them the truth that is to lighten the whole earth. Brother J. Fulton was with us a short time ago and organized a tract and missionary society of sixteen members; since then two more have been added. Brother Fulton also organized a church of thirteen members; others will join after a while. We have a weekly prayer-meeting and teachers' meeting established. A club of ten SIGNS has been ordered, also a good supply of tracts, and some books and pamphlets. The society seems very anxious to carry on the good work already begun. Brother and Sister Baxter, who have been with us all summer, will stay at Tacoma this winter, which will be a means of great help to the cause here. Two lots have been secured for church purposes. We expect to commence building the church early in the spring. We have a very interesting Sabbath-school, which takes a club of fifteen Instructors. The Sabbath-school donations have amounted to $11.02. The tent donations amount to $61.95; book sales, $21.40; tract sales, $7.36.