Morning journal and courier., 1881-05-02
Dakota Missionaries.


 Dakota Missionaries.
 A Band of Theologians at the First Com |
 gregational Church. Fair Haven-They |
 tell of Their Future Plans and Pros- i
 poets:
 The First Congregational church, Fair Ha- 1 ven, and the Second Congregational church, | Fair Haven (East), held united missionary service in the First church last evening. The church was filled with attentive listeners and the services were of an interesting character. What made them the more interesting was the presence of the Dakota band (so-called) a company of young men from the Yale Theological Seminary who propose when they have finished their studies to go into the comparatively unsettled territory of Dakota, their power to extend the gospel which they have for so many years made their study.
 After the usual opening services, Rev. MT. Hovey expressed pleasure at seeing so many persons of the First and Second churches present He said he was reading some old manuscript letters to-day, and among others found a sentence written fifty years ago, underscored, which said: II propose to de- vote my life to mission work in the Missis- sippi Valley" The letter will have no less interest when I tell you that he who penned those lines was my father. He was one of number who went out on mission work simi- lar to what these young men propose to en- gage in. The country then was bowling wilderness, and it took my father three months to go to Indiana, while now the trip may be made in as many days. The speaker described what the missionaries then had to contend with and said While the work was glorious then, it would be more glorious now, and the God that sustained the early mission aries will sustain these young men in their work of bringing souls to Christ.
 After singing by the choir MT. Case, of the band, was introduced. He said it was a pleasure to meet this congregation. We feel our weakness, said the speaker, and we would not dare to go forward in this work unless Christ had said, ''So am with you always, even to the end" The speaker then de- scribed the Territory of Dakota, which he said covered 150 GOO square miles, sufficiently large. that if the whole of New England could be set down inside of it there would be room for another New England equally as large, and then room for two States equally as large as Vermont and Connecticut. Da-
 
 &c., and is also noted for it's severe winter storms. Fifteen hundred miles of railroads have been built in Dakota and peopIe from all parts of the world settling within it's
 borders, 100000 emigrants having settled within it's borders during the past year. The majority of settlers are from our own land, young men going forth to seek their fortunes. Then there are Germans and Scandinavians, generally good citizens, who have settled there. The speaker described visit to Dakota during the past summer, and said he believed the change was almost as tine We believe the future of Dakota is one of greatness, provided the Christian reli- zion can be firmly established there
 MT. Holt was the next speaker. He con- fined himself principally to reading the rules, or code, which had been adopted by the
 band, which was to preach the gospel in all it's purity, to do all in their power to pre-
 vent the spread of intemperance, to establish colleges, and going into those places where they can do the most for the Master.
 Mir. George Lindsley was the next speaker. He referred to the fact that we were living in l an age of organizations. In going 60 Dakota ! they expected to meet with discouragments | and at times to have the ''blues." In going ! as united band they expected to be in a con- dition to cheer one another up. They ex- pected to be opposed by all sorts of evil, but being united they can lay their plans against l these evils. We expect to meet skepticism | intemperance, etc., but we hope to be united at least once year, and after eonferring to- gether will be able to go back to our fields of
 labor with renewed energy for the Mas | ter's work We believe also that we have the united prayers of Gods people in different communities, and believing in the efficacy of prayer we believe that we shall succeed.
 MT. Fowler was the next speaker. He
 said they expected to make their home in the southeastern part of the State in an agricul- tural region. They would probably speak in school houses, as there are no churches to speak of in that portion of the country where they intended to locate. The speaker described the early western settlements and the missionary labors which followed the early western settlers. So these States, one after another have come into the Union as Christian States through the efforts of the home missionaries. There is an unprece- dented wave of population setting toward Dakota at the present time, and the impor- tance of the work in that territory you will see at a glance. Missionaries have had to endure great hardships in the past in this mission work. and we expect to endure some, but not so great as those who have preceded us. Looking out upon the responsibilities of the work, we can but feel that we need the moral support and prayers of our friends in the East. Christ has said, sI have given you all power on earth. Go ye therefore and preach the gospel to every creature" With this injunction we go forth.
 Mir. Rice was the next speaker. He said when Brigham Young first settled in Utah if there had been more devoted missionaries in that locality there would have been no trouble to this country such as we have witnessed. If the energetic Professionalism of the Eastern slope will give the missionaries their support the latter will see to it that the institutions of our country are not imperiled. As these territories form State after State and add star after star to our flag, should it not be the prayer that they come into the Union as Christian States? The only question is, can we harmonize these heterogeneous masses and make them good American, Christian citizens We will see to it that our Christ and our Bible is accepted as the religion of our American people. How grateful I feel to this great Eastern church, knowing as I do that it will uphold the hands of the mission aries who are laboring to extend the kingdom of Christ. It is the blessed work of gaining this nation of Christ
 This concluded the remarks of the band, and after brief address by Rev. Burdett Hart, pastor of the church, who urged the great importance of the work and the needs of material and prayerful aid of all Chris tians, the meeting was closed with hymn and the benediction.
 College Notes.
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