The Press., 1895-06-13

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 more souls. 1t Is built upon gradual incline and offers pleasant building sites. From the highest point of the incline there are some pleasant views to be con- templated, look whichever way you choose. The soil is good, the drainage excellent, and trees are successfully cultivated. Of course trees have to be cultivated or they will not thrive. Dickinson has coal mines and cattle ranches. The coal, believe, is Ignite, and is put down In the town at cost of about one dollar and seventy five cents per ton in the fall. It burns well. The cattle business is immense. cannot, however, give figures, and will not trust to memory, lest you think am telling ''fish yarns"
 New England stock, and much more need not be said of them. A few years ago @ colony of New Englanders settled south of Dickinson, but as the railroad did not discover them they have scattered, and some of them are in the town. It is sur prising how much of New England is in all of this. vast western territory. In the little town of Oberon the most influential business man, & leading merchant, and the pastor of the Congregational church are all from little Conn. We installed pas tor over the church at Dickinson who fol- lows from parrish in Vermont number of his families into this new field, though they came several years in advance of him, and his course was not direct from there here.
 Though this church, whose hospitality we enjoyed as a conference, Is far to one side of most of the churches associated with 1t, yet there was a very good repre- sentatiOn of it. It was a very active body. Every session was full to Overhowing of good helpful discussion. The topics were up to the times and were handled in 8 good common sense fashion. There was a delegation from Fort Buthold, consist ing of several Indians, and two of their teachers, both ladies. This delegation drove some eighty miles across the coun- try to attend the meeting. They, both teachers and Indians, gave us interesting accounts of the work there, and nar- rated their personal experiences. 1n- dians are converted and devoted. A con- verted Indian will learn verse of Bt- ble and then go and teach 1t to another Indian. Thus the word is spread. Our work there has made good progress, and would grow much faster If 1t were not so poorly maintained by our churches. It Is most deserving work.
 There was a council in connection with this conference. A former pastor of the church was dismissed, and new one, Rev. c. w. Gallagher, man of marked ability and devotion, was installed. The writer moderated the council and con- ducted the examination.
 The reports of the churches were en- couraging, and for the most part showed them to be in a healthy condition. Con- gregationallsm is live factor in this new state. Four new churches knocked at our doors for admission, and all were ad- mitted, save one, which may come in later but as 1t was organized on ground occu- pied by another denomination, some of us thought 1t best to defer its reception un- til further investigation could be had. We do not intend to put church where 1t is not absolutely needed, nor take one coming to us that has not justified It's own existence.
 The crop outlook Is fine. We have an abundance of rain. We are not so badly hurt by frosts as in some of the more eastern and southern states. We have had an early, and, on the whole, delight full spring. We seem to be outside of the belt of destructive storms.
 | OberOn, N. D., May, 31, '95. o. P. CHAPLIN.