Hollister, Cal by Dudley Marvin Canright

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 5, 1875

Hollister, Cal.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THIS is a village of some 1500 inhabitants, lying fifteen miles south of Gilroy. It is the county seat of San Benito County. It is a pleasant little town in the midst of a rich farming country just now being settled up. Like other new railroad towns, it has the reputation of being a very rough, irreligious place. Two men have been shot since we came here, and a third has committed suicide; still the majority of the people seem to be quiet and orderly. We never had less disturbance and better order anywhere. One thing is remarkable in California—we do not have the disturbance in our meetings that we frequently experienced in the States. Have not had a rope cut or the least disorder in any meeting this summer.

Religion is at a low ebb in Hollister, as in most other places. The attendance at the regular meetings is exceedingly small, but we have found this so in every place we have visited in California.

We have now been here ten days. We were told that it would be so windy and cold that we could not hold meetings in the tent; but it has been sufficiently warm and pleasant so far. We have a high wind for about three hours every afternoon, directly from the ocean, but it is always calm at meeting time. We have had full as good an interest as we expected, having a steady audience of a little above one hundred, and Sunday evenings two or three hundred. Have sold $10 worth of books. People seem friendly, inviting us to their houses, and bringing food for us when not invited out; so our expenses will be light.

One minister of the place is very friendly, attends our meetings, heartily endorses the most we have presented, and is about convinced on the Sabbath. We have spoken three times on the Sabbath, and hope to have several Sabbath-keepers by next Sabbath.

We do not intend to make a very lengthy stay here, as we shall pitch the tent for two or three weeks in a small village near by, before camp-meeting. If necessary, one of us can stay here and continue the meetings after the tent leaves.

To-morrow Bro. Howard has to leave us. We are sorry to part with him, as he has been a good tent-master—much better than we generally find. We hope it may be our privilege to have him with us again after the camp-meeting, or next season. We are all in good health, and my family is now with me.

The evidence of the certainty and overwhelming importance of our message increases every day. That the hand of God is in this work none can doubt who are acquainted with the evidences of our faith. That the end is drawing near we confidently believe. We hope to see a few souls gathered out in Hollister as witnesses for the present truth. To this end we labor and pray. D. M. CANRIGHT. Hollister, Cal., Aug. 1, 1875.