flourishing villages, till they would heed the voice of the Spirit and separate at least a Paul and Barnabas for this work. The calls are imperious.
Tell the brethren to take their latest maps of the western states and look over the field by their fire sides and then ask God who is to give all this people the bread of life? The field is increasing in importance every day. Soon it will go into other hands, and well it will be, if it goes not into the hands of the Romans.[1]Yours, E. F.
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc.,
Dear Br.:
In behalf of the First Baptist Church in this place, and the Baptist church called Mount Pleasant[2] in Henry County, 12 miles southeast from this place, I am requested to solicit your aid for the support of my family one year from the time of the expiration of my present appointment. The above named churches wish me to devote my time entirely to the cause of Christ within their bounds and the immediate vicinity. My post office address is Rock Island, Rock Island County, 111. Rock Island is situated at the foot of the Upper Rapids on the east shore of the Mississippi river; contains about 1200 inhabitants. Three miles above is a rapidly rising village of something like 300 souls, where almost any amount of water power may be employed. Already two saws and two runs of stones are employed and four more runs of stones are to go into operation next fall. Three miles south of this on Rock River another town is laid off at the foot of the falls of Rock River; they are just commencing to build at that place and six runs of stones will be put in operation next fall.[3]
- ↑ The extension of Roman Catholic work among the whites in the Upper Mississippi Valley first became prominent in the thirties. In 1841 the chapel giving the name to St. Paul, Minnesota, was built. A large German Catholic immigration into Illinois from 1841 on gave the church there an impetus. Cath. Encyc., under Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin.
- ↑ This Mount Pleasant church was apparently in a rural neighborhood. No town of that name exists.
- ↑ This village is the present Moline. The village south of Rock Island, on Rock River, is the present Milan.
