perty, and why should not the servant of Christ be willing to suffer as much to save souls from going down to the pit? From Rev. Wm. Salter, Springfield, (Forks of the Makoqueta,) Jackson Co., Iowa. I arrived at this place Nov. 10th, and entered immediately upon missionary labors in this county. I have found a wide field, and many open doors. God, in his providence, has smiled upon my labors, and his grace has distilled as the dew upon some hearts. I have visited nearly all the settlements in the county, and have preached 46 sermons in sixteen different places. As you may see from the map, this county is eligibly situated. It is nearer to Lake Michigan and the eastern markets than is any other part of the territory. Its vicinity to Galena and Dubuque, and the mining region, will always be advantageous for the sale of its products. It is about as well furnished with timber and water-power as any other county in Iowa. The land, though much broken and uneven for the Prairies, is rich. Some of the best and largest crops of wheat which have been raised in the territory, were harvested the last summer in this county. Along our rivers, fevers and ague are consequent upon exposure; but away from there, on the prairie and ridges, the climate is as salubrious as can be desired. This place is on the south side of the South Fork, a mile from the junction of the two Forks of the Makoqueta. The land is all settled along the South Fork for ten miles west from this place. Your indefatigable missionary, Br. O. Emerson, has preached at distant intervals in this neighborhood ever since he came into the country. Mr. Holmes I was here last summer. These are the only ministers of our communion who have labored in this settlement or county. In December, I organized a church here of seven members. At that time, some ministerial brethren met here to organize an association for the northern part of the territory. They preached for me, and there was much solemnity, and the largest attendance on meeting there had ever before been in this section; and good impressions were made. At the next communion, we hope to receive some on profession, and some on certificate. At Andrew, the county seat, between Farmers' and Brush creeks, is a church of 14 members. They are scattered at great distances from one another. The father of this little Zion lives six miles of his own family. You should know off. The church is mainly composed his name. It is Deacon Cotton, a worwho were once among the lights of the thy descendant of those of that name New-England churches. Regularly with the Sabbath, he harnesses his bleak prairie to meeting. I would team, and drives a wagon-full over the some of the friends of Christ in the East could see the good which this man is accomplishing here, and might be constrained to come hither and help lay the foundations of Zion beyond the Mississippi. The work must be followed up. Clayton county was looking for one of your missionaries last fall. I have heard from them, that Mr. Turner assured them you would send them one; but their hopes have been disappointed. They looked in vain. I trust you will send one thither in the spring. Buchanan county is beginning to settle fast, and if you can send one thither also, the Lord be praised. Your Society must follow up their work. What they have done should be (and we regard it,) but as an earnest of future efforts. Oh! disappoint not the expectations of your missionaries! This whole North West (Northern Illinois, and the two territories,) I regard as the appropriate and legitimate field of your operations. The settlers are mainly people from New-England, Ohio, and New-York. They have the claims of kindred on you. (1 Tim. 5. 8.) In conclusion, I desire to be grateful to your Society, to its friends, and to its Great Friend, that God has put me into this ministry. From Rev. A. B. Robbins, Bloomington, || object to induce the members of my Iowa. Bloomington is on the Mississippi River, 60 miles above Burlington, and 120 below DuBuque. In 1839 it contained only 75 inhabi tants. Catholic foresight. There are more than 700 people in the town, and there is no meeting-house! in the place, except a small Romish Chapel, which is opened only occasion church to feel and live as Bible Christians should. The monthly concert is observed by us. Copies of the Herald are taken. There is a County Bible Society. We have had a meeting since our arrival, and have resolved that every family in town shall be supplied with a Bible, and an agent shall be hired to supply each family in the county. Henry County. ally. It is placed, however, on a lot, From Rev. E. Adams, Mount Pleasant, as good as any in the town. The whole belongs to the Bishop at Dubuque. With characteristic wisdom, the land was long ago purchased, probably, for a sum merely nominal. Several hundred dollars would not now purchase one like it. The county in which I am stationed is in extent 24 miles by 18. Being of a rich soil, well watered and timbered, it offers such inducements to both farmer and mechanic, that it is already well settled for a new country, and is becoming more so every season. In this county there has been for nearly two years past, no permanently settled minister, either of the Congregational or the Presbyterian order. I am in the county seat, an incorporated town of some 500 inhabitants, 26 miles from Burlington. I wish if possible to gather a church, and make this a centre of influence for the surrounding county. On the whole, the prospect is better than was anticipated. There are those here who want a minister, who have been praying for, and are ready to receive one. Certain others, who are not pious, are interested in my remaining, and will aid in supporting a man with whom they can sympathize. For several Sabbaths after my arrival, I preached, according to a notice given in the village paper, at the court house. A Congregational church has been formed, with sound articles of faith, a covenant, and by-laws. There are connected with the church 24 members and 11 males. We are all poor, but are hoping and working. They have hired a small room which will hold nearly 100. This is generally well filled on the Sabbath, though the weather, thus far, has been unfavorable. For this they are obliged to pay at the rate of $50 per year, and also furnish benches, &c. It is the only one we could obtain, and it is too small. It is very essential that we should immediately erect a house. We are now commencing an effort to do so in the spring intending to build such as we The greatest obstacles are such as can, without sending to the East- every where meet the Gospel minister though, in a few years, with the bles--the influence of sin in his own heart, sing of God, we hope to be obliged to build larger. The people here are well supplied with pork and wheat, and have little else. It will be only by self-denying efforts, and actual personal labor, that they will succeed in getting a small building. Most of the people here have no church-going habits. Hence, I preach regularly twice on the Sabbath, and hold a meeting in the evening. The audience is attentive and intelligent-a number of educated men among us. I have made it a great and the hearts of his people. I intend soon to form a Sabbath school, a Bible class, and some other associations for the purpose of benefitting the people. Much of my work, thus far, has been that of preparation, outliving certain prejudices that exist in some minds, and gaining the confidence of the people. The work which I have undertaken, under the patronage of your Society, is by no means a small one. It is one which has its peculiar trials, and yet I can truly say it has, too, its pecu liar joys-joys which none but be who is here can know. There are times, it is true, when the Western missionary, as he thinks of his native land far away, is almost ready to ask, "could not I have been as useful nearer home?" But when he looks about upon a rising settlement, ready to hear the Gospel preached, needing, and in a measure anxious, for the establishment of schools, the promotion of temperance, and the influence of all good institutions, civil and religious, his soul kindles at the view, and he rejoices to be in such a field, where he can enter in and labor. The work sometimes seems too great for him to undertake, singlehanded; and, perhaps, he at times feels weak and lonely. But then, again, he remembers that through Christ strengthening him, he can do all things. And he can never feel lonely or sad when he thinks of the sympathy and prayers of Christian friends, though left behind and far away. The Methodists are most numerous in this town. They have just completed a house of worship. The Campbellites are also building a church. They number 200, but their members are gathered in from a distance of 12 miles around. There is a society also of Cumberland Presbyterians. The people in this vicinity are improving their schools, growing more temperate and industrious. This is owing partly to reformation of individuals, partly to change of inhabitants. In the ordinary course of events, Mount seemed to be a good deal of seriousness in our meetings. The church numbered eighteen members at the time of my coming here. At our first communion season, four joined us-three by letter, one by profession. At the re-organization of the church under its present form, (Congregational,) others came; and at our last communion, six more united, making our present number thirty-two. All of these are from other churches. Eight or ten more, we hope, will join us at our next communion, though prejudices of education may prevent some. Our Sabbath school numbers not far from one hundred scholars. Our Thursday evening prayer-meeting is interesting, and tolerably well attended, considering the circumstances of many of our members. We need a house of worship much. Our congregation would soon more than double, if we had a good place of meeting. I feel sad when I write that we have enjoyed no revival since I came. I think there has been a steady progress; but there are some evils here which a revival alone can remove. These evils are such as arise naturally from the unsettled state of a new community, educated in different sections, and under different influences. Hence there is a want of union among Christians which sadly weakens our power to do good. Pleasant must be a populous town, in From Rev. W. A. Thompson, Troy, Dathe heart of a thickly settled country. There must be here a field of labor. vis Co. Davis is the south-east county on the New Purchase. On the north is Wapello county, on the east Van Buren, on the south side the state of Missouri, on the west From Rev. H. Hutchinson, Burlington. Appenoose county. The N. E. corner I came here to remain about the first of November, though I preached here a few times before. Our congregations have nearly trebled since I came, as they had no regular preaching before. Our room is full in good weather, and more would come if there were room. The audience is uniformly attentive, and often solemn. Men from older churches have remarked that there extends nearly to the river Des Moines. Such is the situation of the county, the fertility of the soil, and the proportion of" timber," that it is likely to become densely populated. Besides the vicinity of the Des Moines, on which there is an abundance of water power, there are four or five creeks which intersect the county, along which are strips of woodland from one to three miles in width, and between the woodlands the prairies are well adapted for cultiva tion; as are also the smaller prairies or "bottom lands" on the creeks. Through the county, from east to west, near the centre, and between two of the creeks, is a beautiful "divide"-an extended upland prairie-from two to three miles in breadth, nearly level, though sometimes undulating. This is already thickly populated for a new country, and here are my principal places for preaching. The settlers are natives of the United States, and principally from the western and southern states. I seldom see a foreigner. The southern part of the territory, extending nine miles from the line of Missouri, has been claimed by that state, and has been settled, to some extent, for a number of years. scarcity of books here. The families, generally, seem almost destitute of books, except the Bible and hymn book, and not all have those. If we have libraries for Sabbath schools, they must be sent to us from the East, as the people are too poor to purchase them. Many of them would be willing, if they were able. If Christians at the East could just come and visit us, and know our circumstances from actual observation, they would cheerfully contribute of their abundance for our relief. Probably not half the people are able to pay for their land, and until they can do this they feel that they must save every cent. Hence many of them have not a pane of glass in their cabins; have neither fire-shovel, tongs, andirons nor crane; have only three or four chairs, and are almost entirely destitute of furniture of any kind. Under these circumstances, I feel that the law of christian benevolence, as well as the best interests of our country demand, not only that Sabbath schools should be established in these destitute places, but that they should be provided with good libraries. When I came to Davis county, there was a Presbyterian church of 33 members, called the "Troy Church," which was organized two years ago by one of your missionaries. Of the Troy church, 15 members have removed farther west, and one has died since I commenced my labors. I organized a second Presbyterian church a few weeks since, near the centre of the county, consisting of 13 members, all from the The monthly concert is observed by Troy church. Two others are expected the Troy church, in connexion with the to join soon. Baptists, as also a union prayer meetThe people generally are very friend-ing weekly. There is also a temperly, and seem desirous to have preaching ance society near Troy-in the eastamong them. The state of morals is ern part of the county-and I intend to much better than I had expected to form one soon near where the county find. The population of Davis county seat will be located, at one of my places is probably from 3 to 5000. for preaching. The ladies there contemplate forming a sewing society in the spring, and to devote the avails to the erection of a house of worship; but they know not how or where to obtain the wherewith to prosecute their benevolent design. I have two principal places for preaching on the Sabbath, and in the evening I preach from 3 to 5 miles distant. The Sabbath school in connection with the Troy church, is continued through the winter, and numbers about 40 pupils, and is constantly increasing. Last Sabbath, the second Sunday school in the county was organized about six miles from Troy, in Van Buren county, in a thickly settled neighborhood, where there has never been much preaching. In the spring I hope to establish three or four other schools. I have a Bible class near the centre of Davis county, but the children are too poorly clad to come out to Sunday school before spring. We need Sabbath school books very much, and they are the more needed in this new country, from the great MISSOURI. From Rev. J. Blatchford, D.D., Secretary of the Missouri Home Miss. Society. Tour through Northern Missouri. I have at last accomplished my tour through an interesting portion of our state, and have returned home more deeply than ever impressed with its frontier. These were our pioneers. Those that succeeded them were men of more wealth and character, were influenced by the desire of increasing their property, whilst, at the same time, they provided for their families. Being principally from Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, they brought with them their servants, some more and some less. These extended their improvements-enlarging their farms, erecting more comfortable cabins-and gave, to some degree, the appearance of permanency to their settlements, but still with but little, if any, reference to education of their children or the enjoyment of religious privileges. In the whole state there were but few ministers, of any denomination, and but few churches. To an alarming extent dark claims, its pressing claims upon the churches at the East-indeed, upon the friends of the Redeemer in every part of our country. I have travelled from eight to nine hundred miles; and as its beauties on the one hand, and its moral desolation on the other, spread themselves out before me, I have often asked myself," Will this beautiful but neglected land ever be redeemed and brought back to the Lord Jesus Christ? Will its mighty mass of living souls ever be permitted the privileges of the Gospel of the Son of God?" I have again and again replied to myself in the language of the Prophet-"Oh, Lord God, thou knowest." Missouri is now the largest state in the Union, and perhaps, for the last two years, a greater tide of emigration has poured into it than into any of the western states, fill-ness covered the people, and the Sabing up our beautiful prairies with a dense and enterprising population, but to a fearful extent destitute of the means of grace. Whole counties have not a single church of our denomination; and, in many instances, several adjoining counties are equally destitute, and in all, interesting churches might be organized, if we only had ministers to send to them. Several of the most! flourishing towns on the Missouri river are without a church and without a minister; as well as the county towns that are a few miles from the river, not one of which is not anxious for a minister, and willing to assist as might be able towards his support. At any rate, they would attend upon his ministry, and give him an opportunity to preach to them the Gospel. The character of our immigration has been for the last two years gradually changing in almost all its features. Formerly, it consisted principally of those who possessed but little property, bath of the Lord was literally a day of sporting and of pleasure, while only here and there, one was found, who, trained beneath the droppings of the sanctuary at home, was heard crying over the desolations of God's Zion, and raising up their feeble cry that this fertile and beautiful land might become as the garden of the Lord. This state of things was interrupted by the speculating mania that swept over our whole country, and produced changes which has left an impression here that half a century will not erase. More recently, a great improvement is taking place in the views of the settlers, and our correspondent hopes to show, in subsequent letters, the eligibility of Missouri as a missionary field, as well as the importance of occupying it without delay. and who sought a home, where with From Rev. B. Ryland, Polk Co., Mo. little effort they could secure the means of living for themselves and their families. Comfort and convenience scarcely entered into their calculations. A rough cabin, a few acres of land, broken and fenced in, and a good rifle, were the height of their ambition. As immigration increased, these gave way, and selling to other "movers," they became wanderers again, and sought, farther west, another home on the extending Affliction. The Lord has seen fit to afflict me, yet I can say, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good.' I hope He will soon restore me to my wonted health, and give me strength and grace to preach, with success, the everlasting Gospel to a dying world. I think the prospects at Wableau |