Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/99

 Iowa Territory, Bloomington [Muscatine], March 15, 1843. Corresponding Secretary of the A. B. H. M. Soc., N. Y.:

Dear Br.: It becomes my duty to make a report of my labours for the third quarter ending this day, the year commencing June 15, 1842. I have devoted all the time to the ministry as far as my health and the extremely severe winter would admit. I have failed entirely of reaching one appointment on the Sabbath by reason of a severe storm, the thermometer ranging about 12 degrees below zero, and the appointment being in an open prairie 12 miles distant. My lungs have been sore most of the time during the last quarter so that I have seldom preached more than once on the Sabbath. I have preached 17 sermons; no addresses; attended 4 covenant meetings; 11 weekly prayer meetings; traveled 246 miles. No hopeful conversions; cause of religion and temperance low in B.; yet our church enjoys a devotional frame of mind. . . . We have received 5 by letter and 2 to be under our watch care. Have made more than 50 pastoral visits. Monthly concert is attended at but one place in B. I have visited and addressed 3 common schools. Obtained but five or six signatures to the temperance pledge. . . . We have one licentiate preacher in our church, a good deacon and a valuable brother. . . . Such is the extremely embarrassing circumstance of our feeble church that as yet we have done nothing for either of the benevolent institutions, although there is a willingness and a promise to soon. No auxiliary society has aided me the past quarter. No Bible class; one S. school of 7 teachers, 4 Baptist, and about 45 scholars, 8 of whom are Baptists. No effort to build a house. I have received about $70 for my support, mostly in produce.

The Church has invited me to continue with them the present calendar year. . . . and made an effort to raise $200 in produce, but will not be able to raise more than about $100, should I stay.