WESTERN TOUR by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1860

WESTERN TOUR.

By James White

Bro. Smith: After leaving you on the 9th, and the many cares which followed our General Conference, I found rest, and an opportunity of pleasant reflection as I rode upon the train to Chicago. Our conference was one of wearisome labor, yet let God be praised that a good degree of harmony prevailed, and that the dear servants of the Lord parted with increased confidence in, and love for each other. We look back with the greatest pleasure to the doings of our conference. The action upon securing church property legally is all that we have ever suggested, and more than we ever expected would be so unanimously adopted. This takes a great burden from our mind, and inspires courage to labor on in the cause. You, and our good printers, and all connected, will have to do the best you can in the old shell of an Office through another cold winter. Next spring we expect to begin to repair and build in good season, in good earnest, if the friends of the cause get their cash ready in season necessary to accomplish the work.

From Chicago across Illinois to the Mississippi river we slept well, and felt refreshed to take the train at Burlington for Ottumwa, where we met Bro. Hull prepared to take us on to Knoxville. The first night we put up at a log tavern, and lodged in the chamber, in one corner of which was about two hundred bushels of wheat. The landlord in taking care to air his grain had taken off a board from the east end of his house, leaving an opening of about ten square feet. In the morning the chilling east wind was blowing directly upon us, and we were suffering with cold. We took a severe cold, in consequence of which we were almost useless during the conference at Knoxville.

Brn. Hull and Snook were present to preach the word. The weather being pleasant, meetings were held in the tent. We tried to speak twice. The attendance from abroad was small, it being a season when farmers have much to do. The social meetings were deeply interesting. We were disappointed to find in this land of Campbellism so many to join in the spiritual worship of God, and with feeling hearts and streaming eyes speak of the love of Christ which they felt.

We were very much disappointed to find the brethren so poorly prepared to meet the debts and wants of the cause in southern Iowa. The Knoxville church are building a place of worship, which is something of a tax on them, and many of those who should help the cause were not present. We fail to get the $50.00 due us on the tent, and received only one dollar on traveling expenses, which amount to $16.00, at this point.

We feel to make due allowance for the difficulties in this country of raising cash; but times are growing better, and unless the friends of the cause in southern Iowa sustain the cause in their midst, their preachers will be obliged to answer calls in other States where they will be sustained. We wait till New Years for what is due on the tent, and advance about $150.00 from missionary funds for the benefit of three preachers in their midst, and leave it to the liberality of the brethren in southern Iowa to replace it in the treasury when they turn this year's bountiful harvest. We speak from experience in other fields of labor when we say that unless there is vigorous action on the part of the brethren (some of them wealthy) to sustain the cause, it will come to a stand still in southern Iowa. May God help the brethren in southern Iowa to feel the responsibility that rests on them now.

Bro. Hull has gone to Missouri with Bro. Boltin who came more than one hundred miles for him. Bro. Snook goes with us to Richmond and Marion. The weather is fine, the roads good, and we have recovered from the cold, so we anticipate a pleasant journey and a good time. Notwithstanding the discouragements we have met, we have felt free in spirit, and sometimes triumphant in the Lord.

Here is a wide market for our publications. Hymn Books and Spiritual Gifts are called for more than we can supply. The steam press must keep moving.

May God help our people to have just views of the vastness of this work, and the importance of working with their might in view of the shortness of time. Those who keep their surplus property till they can turn it to better advantage, may keep it till it is not wanted. J. W.