Hecla Furnace, Dec. 23d, 1872

Dear Brother:

Though not exactly a missionary in foreign lands yet, I have been busily engaged for a couple of weeks at one of the noted places in the world, as you see by the heading of this letter. Besides, yesterday afternoon I had an appointment at Vesuvius, and at night I was at Aetna. There are one or two "eruptions" at each place every day, but they are not of a sufficiently volcanic character to occasion any alarm. Yet if the molten lava streams from the original volcanoes present any more terrific sight than the liquid iron as it comes rushing and seething and boiling out of the furnace, the scene must be terrible indeed.

At Aetna I found Bro. Wakefield's father and mother, who are on the way to Lucasville.

We had a meeting of three weeks' duration at Pine Grove, and there were twenty accessions and seventeen (professed) conversions. Then I began a meeting here, and at the close of two weeks we find it just in "full blast." The altar has been filled with seekers, and some of them are struggling harder than I ever saw any conscience stricken sinners do. There has been but one conversion, but that was a very bright one. There has been noise enough to satisfy the noisiest of the noisy. I stand on one side of the mourner's bench, and, neither in singing or speaking, can I make myself distinctly heard on the other side.

I trust Bro. Wakefield will have a good meeting at Blue Run. I suppose it is in progress now. I would rejoice to hear, before its close, that you were numbered among the followers of Christ. Surely you have every inducement in the world to be religious. The true Christian is the model of usefulness, and happiness. If you could only be among these furnaces and see what havoc whisky-drinking and profanity and other sins are making, it seems to me you would hesitate before you took another step in the way of the transgressor. And if you have any convictions, by all means yield to them at once, or they may leave you not to return. The Spirit of God cannot be resisted but at the constant risk of losing one's soul.

I have received no word from the Mission Rooms for some time but may any week. Of course I shall not go away until they send for me. I received Rose's letter about the time Agnes received mine. How has that merino law-suit come off? Fan has not had the epizootic yet, but almost all the horses and mules over the country have it. Rather than risk her health among the infested stables, I walked to my appointments yesterday. Bro. Lewis was also compelled to walk, both his horses being sick. Oxen just now are a very valuable piece of furniture.

When this reaches you, the Christmas festivities will have been ended. Of course you do not look for me. I have already received an invitation to a Christmas dinner by one of the citizens of this place, whom I took into the Church Saturday night.

I have written and talked so much since coming here, that I haven't brain enough left to write a good letter. I have preached 52 times -- 24 times since Dec.1st. That is, I have filled the pulpit that often; a great part of it could not be called preaching. I feel almost "dried up" -- I don't know what other phrase would describe the state of my mind intellectually considered.

So excuse this poor letter, and write to me soon at Pine Grove.

Your aff. bro. A. Stritmatter