rch services
for some weeks. His health not being good, he was forced to give up
regular preaching. For a time the congregation was without an
officiating clergyman, but sermons were read each Sunday by some layman,
and a Sabbath school was regularly held. With the spring came two
ministers together, the Rev. James G. Stuart of London, Canada, and the
Rev. W. A. Nicholas of Huntington, West Virginia. Mr. Stuart's stay at
this time was temporary, but he preached one Sunday to the edification
of a good-sized audience. When his leave of absence expired he returned
to his far away home in Canada, but before sailing he expressed himself
as being greatly pleased with La Gloria, and made known his intention
to make it his residence at some future time. He left money to have a
large tract of land cleared and cultivated. Mr. Stuart had been the
owner of an orange grove in California, and was satisfied that the fruit
would do finely in the soil around La Gloria. He was highly enthusiastic
in his praise of the country. Mr. Nicholas, a minister of the Baptist
church, succeeded Mr. Stuart in the La Gloria pulpit, and preached
several weeks. He then returned to West Virginia for the purpose of
bringing his family to Cuba to establish a permanent home. In June he
brought his wife and children to La Gloria and resumed his religious
teaching. He has since preached regularly, and is held in high respect
by the colonists. Mrs. Nicholas is also very popular in the colony. Mr.
Nicholas is delighted with Cuba, and is enjoying greatly improved
health. Besides the preaching and Sunday-school, weekly prayer-meetings,
teachers' meetings, and choir meetings have been held in the colony from
its earliest days.

[Illustration: DR. WILLIAM P. PEIRCE.]

The first organization of the colonists, and the force which had most to
do with shaping the course of affairs in the early life of the colony,
was the La Gloria Pioneer Association. At a mass meeting in front of
headquarters tent on the 18th of January, Dr. W. P. Peirce of Hoopeston,
Ill., was made temporary chairman, and R. C. Bourdette of Dexter,
Kansas, temporary secretary. James M. Adams, D. E. Lowell, and R. C.
Bourdette were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and
by-laws. At a meeting January 27 the committee reported a constitution
and by-laws, which were adopted, and the following officers were elected
for a term of six months: Dr. W. P. Peirce, president; D. E. Lowell,
vice-pres