Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/408

380 Rock Island, Ill., Aug. 29, '44. Dear Br. Hill:

Through the appointment of the Iowa Baptist Convention, at this late date, I proceed to give you a brief outline of the wants of the Baptists in this growing territory. . . . At this time the population of this territory is but a fraction less than 90,000 souls, occupying a region of country about 120 miles from east to west, and from the mouth of the Des Moines to Prairedes Chien [Prairie du Chien], and soon the entire territory from the Mississippi to the Missouri will give place to civilization. Lee County contains 9900 souls, several flourishing villages on the rivers, two churches, and four preachers who work on their farms. Des Moines has 9109 souls. Five or six openings for Baptist preaching. Burlington, with a population of 2000 souls and about 15 Baptist members, is wholly neglected. A Baptist church might here be easily collected. Louisa Co., 3,238 souls, one church and one Baptist minister. Van Buren Co., 9,019; facilities for agriculture and manufactories are very great; at present two Baptist ministers. Keosauqua, an important point, has a church greatly needing a minister, and the ministers in this county have to spend a portion of their time in other counties. Henry County contains 6,017 souls. Elder Burnet has organized a church in the county seat in the midst of about 700 souls, and preaches half of his time with this church. Most of this county is destitute of Baptist preaching. Jefferson County contains 5694 souls almost entirely destitute of Baptist preaching, except occasionally, and that rarely, when a Baptist minister travels that way and preaches a sermon to a few scattered Baptists and others who gladly hear the Word. Two small churches were recently organized in this county, but the county town is entirely neglected by our ministers. Baptists have joined other churches temporarily (a bad business) because they have no Baptist preaching. Washington Co. contains