t Class.--Meetings held at Dr.
Bowmans.--Revival.--Two Local Preachers.--Short Cut to Cereseo.--Boxing
the Compass.--Wisconsin Phalanx.--First Society.--Dining Hall Chapel.
Discussions.--Antiquated Views.--Green Lake.--Shadrach Burdicks.--Visit
to Dartford.--Little Green Lake.--The New Chorister.--Markasan. Lake
Maria.--Revival.

The Rock River Conference, for the year 1845, held its session at Peoria
on the 20th day of August. At this Conference I was received on trial
and appointed to Green Lake Mission. The class admitted this year
numbered twenty-three, and among them were Wesley Lattin, Seth W. Ford
and Joseph M. Walker.

Green Lake Mission, somewhat undefined in its geographical boundaries,
was intended to include the large tract of beautiful prairie and opening
country lying west and southwest of Fond du Lac. It took its name from a
lake on what was believed to be its northern boundary, five miles west
of Ripon. As I did not attend the Conference, I awaited the return of
the Presiding Elder at Waupun. Being informed of my appointment, I
enquired after its boundaries. The Elder facetiously replied, "Fix a
point in the centre of Winnebago Marsh," since called Lake Horicon, "and
draw a line to the north pole, and another due west to the Rocky
Mountains, and you will have your eastern and southern boundaries. As to
the other lines you need not be particular, as you will find no Dr.
Marsh in your way to circumscribe your ambition." At the date of which
we write, a few small settlements only had been formed within the
limits of the Mission, but emigration was moving rapidly in that
direction, and it was believed that an ample field would soon be found.

At Waupun a class had been formed during the preceding year, as above
stated, consisting of my father's family, six persons in all, as
follows: Rev. Silas Miller, Eunice Miller, Henry L. Hilyar, Malvina F.
Hilyar, Ezekiel T. Miller and myself. This band consisted of three
officers and three privates. My father was the Local Preacher, my
brother the Class Leader, and I the Exhorter. My mother, sister and
sister's husband were the members.

Rev. Samuel Smith, an aged Local Preacher, and father of Rev. Charles
Smith, a worthy member of the Wisconsin Conference, had settled, with
his family, in Waupun during the preceding year, and had held religious
services in private dwellings, whenever convenient.

Soon after the class was formed, Father Smith, as he was called, an