The Gospel Message heralded the dispensation of grace, mercy and peace alike to all, bearing in its wings the gift of healing, and a glorious prophecy of the coming reign of the Messiah over “the wilderness and solitary place.”  Under the word, the pentacostal blessing came down on the people and filled the humble sanctuary.  To many, the memories of other days, and their dear old homes in the east, were overpowering.  The fountains of feeling were opened and tears came welling up from their depths, until they brimmed the eyelids of all, and fell in showers, as when the cloud angel shakes his wings.  Those only who have mingled in the first religious meetings of the new settlement, can rightly appreciate the intense interest or gauge the overwhelming emotions of such an occasion.

Fond du Lac appears on the General Minutes at the session of the Rock River Conference, held Aug. 26th, 1840.  At that time the entire Territory was included in two districts.  The first swept across from the southwest to the northeast, making Platteville and Green Bay its extreme points.  And the other embraced the southeastern portion, and extended as far west and north as Watertown and Summit.  The Presiding Elder on the latter, the Milwaukee, was Rev. Julius Field, and on the former, the Platteville, Rev. H.W.  Reed.  The year following the northeastern portion was erected into a separate district, called Green Bay, and Rev. James R. Goodrich was made the Presiding Elder.  Brother Reed remained another year on the Platteville District, but during that year it retained only two charges that are at the present writing included within the bounds of the Wisconsin Conference.  After this date, the labors of Brother Reed fell within other Conferences, where doubtless a record will be made of them.  His visits, however, have not been forgotten.  He was a man of kindly spirit and great practical wisdom.  Wherever he laid the foundations, they showed the labors of a skillful hand.  He still remains in the Itinerancy, and is the Patriarch of Iowa Methodism.

Brother Goodrich, who succeeded him on the Green Bay portion of the district, is also remembered with great pleasure by the people.  He remained three years on the district, and during the first two, served the Green Bay station also.  He was transferred to the Chicago District in 1844, and was succeeded on the Green Bay District by Rev. Wm. H. Sampson.  At the close of the year, Brother Goodrich took a superannuated relation.

Rev. Jesse Halstead was appointed to the Fond du Lac charge, as before stated, and the Mission was made to include both Fond du Lac and Brothertown.  He was also continued on the same charge the following year, the circuit now being changed from the Platteville to the Green Bay District.

We have spoken at length of the Brothertown portion of the charge in previous chapters, and may now confine the record to that of Fond du Lac.  During this year a class was formed at Taycheedah with Francis M. McCarty as leader.